Pigeon & Crow Decoying

J.R.

How's the decoying season going with others this year with the wet weather.

On the club lands we shoot in Kildare, Meath & Kerry there hasn't been any great attack this year & all the crops are still lying in the fields unharvested.

Worst year for decoying yet here and I've a lot of new gear to try out.

stevoman

J.R. wrote: »

How's the decoying season going with others this year with the wet weather.

On the club lands we shoot in Kildare, Meath & Kerry there hasn't been any great attack this year & all the crops are still lying in the fields unharvested.

Worst year for decoying yet here and I've a lot of new gear to try out.

very poor i have noticed also J.R. one or two ok days and thats been all. same goes here in laois the crop is still standing and has been barely touched. the worst part is when the cutting eventually begins there will be so many options for the pigeons that it will be hit and miss to get them.

On the bright side though from a conservation point of view numbers of pigeons will be up for next year and the year after.

Mellor

The sky was empty last sunday, managed 4 just

greenpeter

I think there spoiled for choice this year

cavan shooter

Be careful shooting crows as the derogation from my understanding is out.

http://www.npws.ie/en/WildlifePlanningtheLaw/BirdsDirectivederogations/

http://www.npws.ie/en/media/Media,5316,en.pdf


that one was sneaky wasn't it there is a season on vermin greys mags crows etc

Mellor

If there degrogation is over, doesn't that mean that pigeons can't be shot either?
Their season is nov onwards

cavan shooter

I have checked the SI see below
Woodpigeon
The period commencing on the 1st day of November in each year and ending on the 31st day of January immediately following that year.


and you are quite right, no pigeon shooting either until 1st November.

No that makes sense! :mad:

sniper83

J.R. wrote: »

How's the decoying season going with others this year with the wet weather.

On the club lands we shoot in Kildare, Meath & Kerry there hasn't been any great attack this year & all the crops are still lying in the fields unharvested.

Worst year for decoying yet here and I've a lot of new gear to try out.

Agree with you on that one! especially this month decoying birds in the wrong weather conditions is tough work..:(
As well as that most grain crops have been ripe for a few weeks now so they have a much bigger area to get a free meal

I did manage to get 3 big bags on seperate occasions in july over winter barley the best being 227 pigeons and 44 crows with the brother one saturday, so all in all it hasnt being too bad...;)

F1erc3

Went out yesterday with my mate, we setup in a field that they seemed to be flying into so we walked them off to see would they come back, they did so we setup but sure enough fully setup and not a bird to be seen. We decided to pack up and move somewhere else. We spotted alot of them flying into a barley field that was half cut. So we got out and walked them off but they just landed straight back, so we setup here.

This turned out to be brillant got 2 within the first 2mins of getting into the hide,we quickly setup the pigeon magnet,but its wasnt long before a thunder storm came so we left the decoys and magnet there and legged it up to the car and got soaked on the way. We stayed in the car till it died down a bit, we went down when the storm went it was still raining but we didnt care. We quickly got back into the hide.

Within a few mintues they where flocking in, comming in 2's and 3's. We couldnt keep the guns laoded fast enough, i was using my 20bore semi-auto Beretta and my mate was using 12bore under and over Lumar. Ok it was half 4 and the pigeons where coming in fast, but they where getting spooked by something, the wind had changed direction, so we quickly ran out and changed the pattern/direction of the decoys and magnet. Then they started to swoop down and come right in on top of us. We ended up bagging 20+ we lost 2 or 3 in the uncut barley and one fell in the hedge behind us. So all in all not a bad day. Just a shame about the weather.

shinobi

cavan shooter wrote: »

Be careful shooting crows as the derogation from my understanding is out.

http://www.npws.ie/en/WildlifePlanningtheLaw/BirdsDirectivederogations/

http://www.npws.ie/en/media/Media,5316,en.pdf


that one was sneaky wasn't it there is a season on vermin greys mags crows etc

Apparently it's the same for grey crows, magpies & jackdaws are also covered from the 1st January till 31st April. I always thought these could be shot all year round. Does anyone have a link where the "season" for these are. I tried the NPWS website but to no avail.

Thanks again.

alan123

Pigeons are not in season until November! The only way you can shoot them out of season is if you are asked to by a farmer who is having a crop damaged. There is a case going forward at the moment where shooters were stopped shooting on stubble next to a crop being damaged. Because they were shooting into the stubble field they were brought to court, but they have appealled this case (as far as I know). Go easy on the pigeons on the cut crops!!! In saying that there are very few around anyway!!!

shinobi

The NARGC have an interesting viewpoint on the topic.

From the main page of their website
Go to the CLARIFICATION ON THE SHOOTING OF WOODPIGEON section

alan123

Im more interested in the viewpoint of the NPWS!!!

E mc kiernan

well,just wondering have you any tips on setting up hides and decoys.I'm very interested in decoying but havent got the tolls or the know how!!whats the best time for it?

alan123

Find a field the pigeons are "on" i.e feeding on, they fly away when you scare them but come back in a few minutes. When they are really on a field they will light in even with you standing in the field, they get hypnotised almost by the food! You have to go in full cammo, including facemask. This is especially the case as the season progresses and the birds get more wary. Set up in a ditch, completely out of view, put out a few decoys and if you can be in view/range of a flight line. They will always light in facing into the wind so make a U with your decoys facing into the wind and they should land in the open space. Put them about 20-30 yards out from the ditch. Wait until Nov and look for a stubble field with pigeons. Shoot the pigeons as they approach, make the shots more chalanging by shooting them before they get to near. If a flock comes in let the first land, then shoot at the last ones in, this gives you a few minutes to fire at the others as they lift off the ground. If you like it get a magnet. They find it irisistible. Pigeons have great vision and are very wary. Every now and again go out and pick up the dead ones, if they are lying upside down or unnaturally it will spook them.

alan123

E mc kiernan wrote: »

well,just wondering have you any tips on setting up hides

Sorry E, forgot the hide!!! Just keep it simple. Use the natural cover, find a tree, big bush and stand under/in it. If you have a cammo net set it up in front of you like a windbreaker you see in the beach. You ideally want to be standing in your shooting position, ready to fire or sitting but able to stand without exposing yourself. Dont forget the pigeons can see you from above! (hence in the bush or under the tree!) and dont forget to put all your gear in the hide, I have often seen the birds turn away at the last minute only to realise a plastic bag can be seen blowing in the wind at my feet!!!

J.R.

E mc kiernan wrote: »

well,just wondering have you any tips on setting up hides and decoys.I'm very interested in decoying but havent got the tolls or the know how!!whats the best time for it?

I put this website together some time back - there's a page about hides - may be of some use to you

http://www.crowpigeondecoying.com/

Magnusd

Hi J.R. Fantastic website- especially liked the tips on luring and rifle shooting Grey crows- Its almost impossible to stalk within rifle shot without being spotted- very frustrating......



Do you have any tips for attracting them with out specialised decoys- for instance will they feed on a carcass without decoys present ?

J.R.

Magnusd wrote: »

Do you have any tips for attracting them with out specialised decoys- for instance will they feed on a carcass without decoys present ?

Magpies & greycrows will definitely come to a carcass - a rabbit with entrails visible to them usually brings them in if you're well hidden