Pigeon Shooting Novice

Shooting Supplies : Ammo - Reloading - Firearms - Optics - Accessories
Dazb1967 said:
Just go out there with a flask and a good hide and watch and learn, I mean this in the best way and not having a dig.
I have seen myself in the early days sit in a hide all day for half a dozen pigeons but just being out there was a pleasure with a comfy hide seat.
As said above watch where the pigeons are feeding and also what time of day they are feeding, I always found they would have fields they would hit hard in the mornings and other fields in the afternoon, make sure you're hide has good cover behind you as well as your net in front of you and don't be tempted to jump up too early to take your shot, Ideally you want to wait until the bird is committed to drop in to your pattern.
When I was into pigeon shooting in a big way I would sometimes go to the field the night before I was going out and place balloons on sticks in the middle of the fields and in various other places I had seem them feeding to tempt them to come and land where I was going to put my hide, This would work sometimes.
If using plastic decoys and not dead birds I found the sprung pegs worked better as the pigeons preferred a little movement within the pattern also if the pattern isn't working and the pigeons just keep flying past then change it until it draws them in, I also used to leave the shot pigeons where they dropped unless they were belly up then I would go and turn them over with their wings opened.
It's great sport when you get everything right but it takes a lot of time and effort to get it right, the conditions need to be perfect for the birds to come in in great numbers.
Good luck and I hope it all goes well because there is no better feeling when you get everything right on the day
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Thanks so much for such a detailed response, look forward to getting it into practice and I’m sure I’ll be reading this in my first hide!
 
As said pigeons are not loyal i.e. they change feeding pattern all the time. Scouting an afternoon will decide where to sit next morning. Pigeons like to start their feeding session from high trees close by an attractive field and will then give a good sport near those trees taking wind direction into account. Don't think decoys are all that necessary if the field is super- attractive.
Most difficult pigeon shooting is of course roost shooting. 1 of 5 tries is ok. Best ever pigeon shooting I ever had was in Northumberland when strong winds got masses of pigoens moving inland. Was in january I think.
 
WillThomson1996 said:
Will certainly be getting my hands on a good book then, tah all for responses
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Buy these books by Will Garfit and Peter Theobold
Shot some big bags with Peter, if you want a signed copy pm me.
I have been lucky to shoot with him a lot in the past, in the early days he said
"there is no doubt you shoot well Tim, just you need to learn to read the lines and pick the right day to make the best of it"
The only local outlet around here is the ferret rescue lady these days as the Game Dealer has stopped taking them.
Timing is key watch Tucker243 as he is around 2-3 seconds from getting out of his seat mounting the gun and firing.



 
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The whole point is if your set up correctly you shoot sitting down none of this bobbing up and down you repeatedly see in pigeon shooting videos. originally I started with an American 3 legged dove shooting stool. I them made a custom one which was taller. Now I use one of those Bergarar swivelling seats excellent except the back is too uptight for me.
Bins essential. I still have my Zeiss Jenna 10x50's which my grandmother gave me. They used to live in my car.
Another thing is to keep a diary

I used to write up all my trips. Would mark hide set up positions of decoys and magnet. Wind direction and flight lines.
Invaluable I bet I could go back to fields 30yrs later and know exactly where the flight lines are and where best to set up on given crops
I would shoot more pigeon but I have no outlet for them. 1 session this year provided a years supply on breasts all vacuum packed up.
D
 
Cyres said:
The whole point is if your set up correctly you shoot sitting down none of this bobbing up and down you repeatedly see in pigeon shooting videos. originally I started with an American 3 legged dove shooting stool. I them made a custom one which was taller. Now I use one of those Bergarar swivelling seats excellent except the back is too uptight for me.
Bins essential. I still have my Zeiss Jenna 10x50's which my grandmother gave me. They used to live in my car.
Another thing is to keep a diary

I used to write up all my trips. Would mark hide set up positions of decoys and magnet. Wind direction and flight lines.
Invaluable I bet I could go back to fields 30yrs later and know exactly where the flight lines are and where best to set up on given crops
I would shoot more pigeon but I have no outlet for them. 1 session this year provided a years supply on breasts all vacuum packed up.
D
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I like to come out of the chair (modified school chair) as that is part of my gun mounting and feet position also by standing you get to see stupid people who have come through the hedge as their shot cut. (happened a few times)
Apart from wildfowling (kneeling down) all my shooting is upright pheasants roost rough shooting trial shooting.
I do shoot sitting down but from a 50 bird day I might shoot 5-6 sitting down.

Years ago I went with a chap who had permission on a field and he had learnt with "Charlie" he had a piece of paper with the decoy pattern and wanted to sit in a ditch with a over head net as that was what they did.
Terry who had shot that field said the line is by the Ash trees.
I set up 2 hides and we got 85. He fired a 100 shots had a headache and sore shoulder, he complained I had shot the first 7 birds so my reply was you need to get up quicker lol
Their previous ditch hide set up had only just broke double figures :eek:
Nice chap but like a stick of rock with only one way right through the middle.
 
Tim.243 said:
The lad has never posted before! bit like your tally of Roe gets larger (or so your say) lol
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Of course it gets larger the more you shoot DOH

I have always kept meticulous records since 1987 and diaries to prove my cull figures !!! Can you ?
 
Nickb said:
Nothing like a bit name dropping ...
The sweet smell of narcissism...
You will be out with Digweed next 😍
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What is the problem with offering to get the OP a book signed ?
You out of all the other people in the thread seem to have a problem with it so
please explain.
Quite happy to read between the swear filter .......... so fill your boots.
 
It's just tinternet banter Timmy old bean.
You love dishing it out but don't like receiving it in return .
Put on your big boy pants and suck it up 👍
If I'm down in Essex I will call in and you can show me how to skin a muntjac with your strong hands 😍

Off out this afternoon to increase the roe cull 👍
 
Nickb said:
It's just tinternet banter Timmy old bean.
You love dishing it out but don't like receiving it in return .
Put on your big boy pants and suck it up 👍
If I'm down in Essex I will call in and you can show me how to skin a muntjac with your strong hands 😍

Off out this afternoon to increase the roe cull 👍
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Oh ok I don't mind the crack but when people start taking swipes at my family (which seems that is internet banter)
However when you were dishing out comments about women in general which got you a ban
was that just internet banter or should they have to put their big girl pants on.?
 
Tim.243 said:
Oh ok I don't mind the crack but when people start taking swipes at my family
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I've never took swipes at your family.
Anyway some people have a sense of humour some don't.
Some can accept the truth others can't.

Just have the craic and don't be woke 👍
 
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