How far out? depends what range your comfortable at (start at 20 - 25 yards), pigeons will keep using the field till all the grain is used, first light is normally the best time to watch the flight lines as they are taking off from their roost to the feeding grounds, they can appear with in 10 minutes or they could be wary and not come at all. I've seen me out with the hide set up and the pigeons have moved further down the field or into a different field, alot of it is luck