Pigeons Not Decoying?

[brucemyster 75]

normally I decoy over freshly drilled or harvested crops but the other day I was asked to shoot over a field of barley that was being hammered. Put some shells in an area where the barley had been flattened, rigged up the magnet and put out Fred the flapper. The hide was constructed as usual with 2 layers of ghost cammo and sat on the edge of a drainage ditch with a couple of acres of old English woodland at our back. Birds were a plenty and although some committed to the pattern it was not as productive as I would have imagined, we had a shuffle round of the decoys, bought in Fred for a while and dismantled the magnet none of which seemed to make much of a difference.

Was it just one of those days where the pigeons didn't play ball, was it my lack of experience shooting over laid crops or is there a significant difference to the type of decoying necessary?

We both went the whole nine yards with the cammo including hats and masks, the birds were not flaring just not decoying as expected. The only other time we shot the same field was when it was originally drilled and it was mental, normally we would take a slab of cartridges but on this particular day we were just clearing up what we had and in a typical rookie mistake ran out with birds still pouring in.

Any advice on decoying laid crops much appreciated, cheers Bruce

 

[The one 8,464]

Same problem here ,i think with nothing cut there no playing ball im seeing more in folks back gardens and on roundabouts looking for clover etc

[billbroon 9]

Try shooting under a sitty tree or on a flight line should get good numbers. Just remember a dog for picking up. Happy shooting.!

[The one 8,464]

Try shooting under a sitty tree or on a flight line should get good numbers. Just remember a dog for picking up. Happy shooting.!

You still go on clarkey's saw somebody had a good day next to a high seat ?.

[billbroon 9]

Not been for a few years since I changed job. What about you

[The one 8,464]

Aye i still get the ive got hundreds call , hes now got the bit i do next door as well , never been up that hill since i had my foot operation though and im no looking forward to going back up there

[billbroon 9]

Aye it's some walk. Maybe have to pop in and see him for this winter. Is there still as much boys going on the place

[The one 8,464]

Theres a guy supposed to be doing it full time , he always wants the banking at village done he burnt it last year and somebody set snares dont know if they got much i lamped it got a few and saw 5 foxes but they dont worry him as much as the odd rabbit which is surprising as theres now pheasant feeders there

[billbroon 9]

My pal keepers at the back of the law and he was getting a lot of the fox's coming of it. The boy that does the stalking on the hill said that the Sspca release foxes on it but bill never wanted the shot.

[brucemyster 75]

Try shooting under a sitty tree or on a flight line should get good numbers. Just remember a dog for picking up. Happy shooting.!

even had the dog (who was pretty pissed at the lack of activity) only thing I didn't have was the kitchen sink, although carrying the gear back to the car it felt like someone might have slipped one in

[ftm 3,357]

I was out yesterday with a pal who regulary shoots pigeons[i take dog to pick up for him] & it was the same thing happening to us once the fields are cut it should be a different outcome

[Wildling 520]

Blanks happen mate so don't be put off.

 

Laid crops are a harder bet when it comes to decoying unless you can find a section of crop thats been rain damaged and is lying flat or if your farmer has left a margin around the field.

Also as some lads have said using lofting decoys and hitting them in a sitty tree on the margins can be quite productive.

 

Although even then it's sometimes better to play the waiting game until the crops have been cut !