best way to decoy pigeons/crows

p28559

some advise please.

hordes of pigeons/crows attacking crops in a few different fields.

soon as i set up the decoys in one field maybe get a shot or two the entire flock simply relocates to the "fast food outlet "on the other side of the hedge...very annoying...but then again everyone who shoots them knows whaty canny creates they are...

am thinking about getting one of them spinning pigeon magnets..but in wandering through the various online stores i see a dozen types of static decoys, decoys on springs, ones with wings to be moved by the wind and then the battery driven spinner...

so the question is what to get...accepting that the flock might always chose to relocate no matter how sexy the decoy pattern is or what its made up of....:rolleyes:

Dusty87

in the very same boat as you, fly to next field.
Best is to get a good flight line and set up under it. Talking to lads myself, ive come to the conclusion bouncers are best but iv still to try them. As of there legalitys im not sure:rolleyes:
If you need an extra gun you know where i am ha ha:D

jwshooter

the oil seed rape will be cut by me very soon and gives the best shooting at this time of the year.

time is important hit the field at the wrong time and you fecked.

watch them to see witch way there flying into the field and watch for high birds they will tell you if they will decoy ,also try get under these flight lines.

if there is pigeon feeding on the walk them off into the wind if you can .


set up as fast as you can ,i use two poles and a rope and just trow the camo net over it. always set up under a bush or tree if i can

if you can get some bull wire and make a cradle to sit the dead birds into with there wings half out. just to get them above the crop.

i have a magnet now for 10 years its the original one and has never given a problem.

field craft is some thing that you have to learn for your self. some of the best days i have had have been well planned..

the pigeon takes a good bit of killing i use tight chokes and no6 in 30gram or 32gram

Dusty87

jwshooter wrote: »

the oil seed rape will be cut by me very soon and gives the best shooting at this time of the year.

time is important hit the field at the wrong time and you fecked.

watch them to see witch way there flying into the field and watch for high birds they will tell you if they will decoy ,also try get under these flight lines.

if there is pigeon feeding on the walk them off into the wind if you can .


set up as fast as you can ,i use two poles and a rope and just trow the camo net over it. always set up under a bush or tree if i can

if you can get some bull wire and make a cradle to sit the dead birds into with there wings half out. just to get them above the crop.

i have a magnet now for 10 years its the original one and has never given a problem.

field craft is some thing that you have to learn for your self. some of the best days i have had have been well planned..

the pigeon takes a good bit of killing i use tight chokes and no6 in 30gram or 32gram

Aye, im getting set up for an early morning tonight. They have a main flight line that im not able to set up under at the mo, but they have a second one which they fly when spooked which i will be hittin. jwshooter, iv heard of propping dead ones up over the barley and corn with a stick and elastic band. Never tried this myself, does anyone know is it any good?

greenpeter

Was out yesterday on freshly planted cabbage some great shooting but no big numbers, i was only using shell decoys and when we set up the magnet not one came in just flew over very high. Any one using the flappers? What are they like? The rape around me seems to be the main diet at the minute but there always seems to be a house beside every field. See on the nargc website your allowed to shoot on stubbles now that will be good come harvest time:D

It wasn't me!

If anyone's got some spare pigeons from a big bag I'd be more than happy to take them off your hands. Based in Blessington.

Dusty87

It wasn't me! wrote: »

If anyone's got some spare pigeons from a big bag I'd be more than happy to take them off your hands. Based in Blessington.

Plenty of pigeons, weather i bag them is different story:D

p28559

went mad an invested in some wire and baboo cane...for some loft.

the wire allows the decoys to sway in the breeze pending purchase of a magnet.

was out last night seems to be encouraging a few birds to come in.

but as in the posts will have to narrow down the flight lines....

alan123

We had a good day yesterday and shot 403 for about 1,500 rounds between three of us. The pigeons are either "on" the field or they arent! You need them feeding heavily. You should be able to walk in and fire a shot, then when they all bugger off they should come back in dribs and drabs. Look for flight lines and set up under them. A magnet is mandetory!!! Decoys will encourage them to land but if you want to pull in birds from a distance get a magnet. Most important is that its sturdy and takes a lot of abuse and dont forget you need a battery charger. You also need head to toe cammo including a mask. Every time you move your head, your face acts like a white flag. What works really well is to go out with a pal and split up everytime you shoot and they go to the other field your pal shoots them and you play a king of pigeon tennis!!! Dont worry too much about choke just shoot at them nearer to get you going. Do use 32grm 6 and try a few brands. GB are good, you want killing power i.e when hit the bird drops dead. You will hit more with lighter loads but you will wound a lot more. Set the magnet up about 30yards from the ditch with a decoy pattern around it. Dont forget that pigeons are out of season at the moment, build up a relationship with the land owner and it goes without saying to pick up your shells and birds after!!! There piles of books on pigeons but unfortunately the best tip is the most boring... do your recconissance. Watch the field, flightlines, walk in and scare them and see if they come back, see if they are feeding, resting or travelling to roost. Dont worry about the early start, about 12noon is fine.

greenpeter

alan123 wrote: »

We had a good day yesterday and shot 403 for about 1,500 rounds between three of us. The pigeons are either "on" the field or they arent! You need them feeding heavily. You should be able to walk in and fire a shot, then when they all bugger off they should come back in dribs and drabs. Look for flight lines and set up under them. A magnet is mandetory!!! Decoys will encourage them to land but if you want to pull in birds from a distance get a magnet. Most important is that its sturdy and takes a lot of abuse and dont forget you need a battery charger. You also need head to toe cammo including a mask. Every time you move your head, your face acts like a white flag. What works really well is to go out with a pal and split up everytime you shoot and they go to the other field your pal shoots them and you play a king of pigeon tennis!!! Dont worry too much about choke just shoot at them nearer to get you going. Do use 32grm 6 and try a few brands. GB are good, you want killing power i.e when hit the bird drops dead. You will hit more with lighter loads but you will wound a lot more. Set the magnet up about 30yards from the ditch with a decoy pattern around it. Dont forget that pigeons are out of season at the moment, build up a relationship with the land owner and it goes without saying to pick up your shells and birds after!!! There piles of books on pigeons but unfortunately the best tip is the most boring... do your recconissance. Watch the field, flightlines, walk in and scare them and see if they come back, see if they are feeding, resting or travelling to roost. Dont worry about the early start, about 12noon is fine.

Thats good going alan, what crop were you shooting over?

alan123

Grain. Barley I think. Thats our best day and we could have kept going but we were wrecked by seven after shooting from 12n. The rain on Saturday flattened some of the crop so the pigeons were feeding heavily on it. There are more similar fields around. The crops heads are at their heaviest so the rain flattens them at the moment. A pigeons dream and a farmers nightmare!! If I won the lotto I would plant a couple of acres of grain and then flatten it all!