avoiding decoys

[budharley 945]

Hi i went out today for a walk around some perm ive just got i havnt done any pigeon shooting before just rough shooting so its all new to me . i have just bought a dozen high def shells and thought id take them with me as id seen a couple of pigeons about earlier and thought i might get one for tea so i set them up in the classic horse shoe shape and hid in the ditch in the cover. i had a couple of pigeons and crows come over to investigate but seemed to turn off out of shot bar 1 crow which i got do you think maybe the sun on the backs of the deeks put them off as i dont think they could see me i was realy well hiden face covered etc ive got a hide a flapper bouncer etc all getting delivered this week so hopefully i can get out and do a bit . Maybe a bit of movement might of dropped them in but im unsure as they seemed reluctent to come any where near cheers

[trentotter 158]

they can be twitchy at this time of year mate,i will have been the sun,only way to get over it is to use flocked deeks or put silosocks over em.

[budharley 945]

hi thanks pal whats the difference with shell and flocked deeks pal

[trentotter 158]

flocked deek have a fabric coating over them,only problem is it comes off after time and it looks a twat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[remi700 99]

Somethings shining, either decoys your gun or your hands. Its very difficult to find decoys that don't shine. Some are really bad. Wet muddy ground can also stop pigeons from decoying because they don't like getting their feet dirty but if crows were swinging off as well i'd say its shine thats doing the harm.

[hotshot2me 31]

Sometimes if you've got everything right the Pigeons still wont come in thats just the way it is, if they are using another field nearby don't forget when they are flying high they can see for miles and with there keen eye sight, they pick up birds dropping from you say 1/2 mile away and they will pull them in as happened to us yesterday two fields away from us over a railway embankment. they were flying straight over ignoring the decoys completely, when we packed up we had a ride round behind us to find the field, it was literally covered with Pigeons at least 4000 now if thats not pulling power i don't know what is. so there's always a reason for bad days its just finding what it is, one consolation is the owner of the land we shot on knows the farmer really well so he's going to fix it for us to shoot fingers crossed: Dave

[budharley 945]

well guys i think it must of been my hands i thought id get away without covering my hands obviously not haha. i know for next time, got a little bit more perm yestarday only about 10 acre of stubble not sure what though farmer was busy hes going to show me his boundary when i go hopefully i can get some more cheers lads this pigeon bug ihas realy bitten me

[mattybugeye 884]

Having same problems myself! No matter how well I'm hid they see me or sus at my decoy lay out , tried u shape v shape random patterns they seem to either see me or know my decoys arnt rire! Got half shell and full boddied pigeons , full boddied crows full boddied Maggie's had 3 freezing full days on them so far and no kill ! Getting pi**sed off with em now lol , any tips ? Began thinking it my hands too as rest in jack pyke camo ! Or the black of my rifle

Edited November 10, 2012 by mattybugeye

[pikeypaul 11]

must be alot of wise pigeons and crows about,out today for four hours-tally 1 crow 1 pigeon just not decoying in crows turning pigeons turning away.sat behind hide kept low and still but no joy. PI$%ed off went home.

[j j m 6,539]

ive had some really cheap shiney decoys over the years

[cumbrian huntsman 1]

They saw somthing the didnt like which could be alot of things, wind direction,,lack of movement as birds might be shy and may have been decoyed before, or set up not convicing enough! Well my freind this is the secret to decoying, if you can reconise whats put them off and fix it, you will be a great decoyer, only experience brings this and its a game thats always changing every outing is different, so best thing to do is do a bit if research and get stuck in!

good luck

[cumbrian huntsman 1]

Directed at origanal post

cheers

[chrispti 3]

were there any pigeons about?

 

if so where were they feeding?

[jbundy 0]

Hello mate i find the FUD decoys work a treat,dont shine,lightweight easy to carry i usually mix half a dozen of these in with me shell decoys,seems to work,somthing worth considering!

[j j m 6,539]

Some cud decoys for sale on the bay