Magpies

[Deker 3,478]

I'm having a devil of a job getting rid of the last 2 magpies at a stables, they have decimated the Swallows nests in the stable block, both eggs and fledglings, but the swallows are doing their best.

Larsen's are a no no on site, delicate disposition of horse owners.    I can only shoot round the stable block itself when its clear of horses and owners, and there are dense woods immediately adjoining the site where the Magpies seem to reside.  I hear them regularly but I'm damned if I can ever find them in the woods. 

I've been in this game a long time but would welcome any general suggestions.   I've never had a need for decoys before but I've just ordered some to see if that may bring them out in the open.

Any comments/suggestions?

Cheers

Edited June 29, 2019 by Deker

[Rimfireboy! 1,463]

I’ve used a plastic magpie decoy to good effect. Mounted on a garden cane and lodged on top of a hedgerow. I set one up once and a magpie was there before I got back to my hide. Shaking a box of matches adds to effect.

[ianm 2,594]

Can you not set a larsen in the wood out of sight of the horse wallahs?

[philpot 4,998]

A combination of both Tim and RFB suggestions work for me but the nest/eggs only seems to work once so if you don't get them first time out, you won't on follow up attempts or at least thats how it has worked for me. A shot magpie on the floor with a decoy and the matches drives them mad but not always that still to enable you to get the shot off.

Phil

[j j m 6,539]

get some one local with a good harris hawk to flush them out mate,i took another 2 this morning with my male harris up the golf course,i did not even see the second one he took he just dived straight in to a large conifer and nailed it

[jiggy 3,209]

Smash a few chicken few eggs in a spot suitable to get a shot then leave down a few whole eggs every morning for a week. You will find they will soon land every day at daybreak.

[Deker 3,478]

5 hours ago, ianm said:

Can you not set a larsen in the wood out of sight of the horse wallahs?

I'm not prepared to check it regularly, they are not paying me enough, and they certainly will not, Larsen is a non starter sadly!

I have told them it  is a good option for them, but was greeted by a look that said it all!

[Deker 3,478]

2 hours ago, jiggy said:

Smash a few chicken few eggs in a spot suitable to get a shot then leave down a few whole eggs every morning for a week. You will find they will soon land every day at daybreak.

Certainly an idea, but as above, I'm not getting paid enough to go there every day and bait, maybe worth seeing if they could though!

[ianm 2,594]

37 minutes ago, Deker said:

I'm not prepared to check it regularly, they are not paying me enough, and they certainly will not, Larsen is a non starter sadly!

I have told them it  is a good option for them, but was greeted by a look that said it all!

 

 

In that case i would just leave them to it. 

[Deker 3,478]

4 minutes ago, ianm said:

 

 

In that case i would just leave them to it. 

The story is always bigger than the question, I simply need advice on the original post!

[delswal 3,819]

I think with the time and availability and the limited options you have Deker, I think this will be one of them occasions where it will be down to being in the right place at the right time with a bit of luck thrown in the mix.

[Deker 3,478]

27 minutes ago, delswal said:

I think with the time and availability and the limited options you have Deker, I think this will be one of them occasions where it will be down to being in the right place at the right time with a bit of luck thrown in the mix.

At the moment I can't argue with that.

[delswal 3,819]

8 hours ago, Deker said:

At the moment I can't argue with that.

Feck me that is a first  

[Deker 3,478]

10 minutes ago, delswal said:

Feck me that is a first  

..………...anyway, been over to Swindon today and was meant to go on to Oxford, but that was cancelled at very last minute.

Watching some of the Women's World cup, lets be honest, a few years back the women were a bit of a joke, but I am amazed, Ger/Swe is actually worth watching!

[delswal 3,819]

8 hours ago, Deker said:

..………...anyway, been over to Swindon today and was meant to go on to Oxford, but that was cancelled at very last minute.

Watching some of the Women's World cup, lets be honest, a few years back the women were a bit of a joke, but I am amazed, Ger/Swe is actually worth watching!

No wonder there are so many Magpies about if you are sat about watching that nonsense lol