Sods law!

[Bwarnos]

Well after spending a long time trying to decoy crows in yesterday I woke up to this!! Not happy!




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[hun73r666]

what time where you out yesterday? Might be worth getting out before the sun comes up. Get the decoys out in the dark and get into your hide before they come out.

[Bwarnos]

what time where you out yesterday? Might be worth getting out before the sun comes up. Get the decoys out in the dark and get into your hide before they come out.

It was a different field but that's a good idea, I had flocks coming over but no interest apart from a angry magpie!

[Jack]

Never used deeks. Can you send some photos how you set em out and where to shoot from etc?

[hun73r666]

Im not very experienced Jack, but what I do know is that pigeons never face away from the wind, cus the wind catches under their tail feathers and can flip em over. So make sure all your deeks face into the wind. Another rule is that they dont like to fly over each others heads to land. This is why you will often see them layed out in a horse shoe pattern allowing for a "runway" for them to land in the middle. Which direction you have the horseshoe pointing depends on the regular flight pattern of the local birds. Trial and error will get you there if you dont get it right straight away.

If you do manage to shoot some then when the coast is clear go out and stand them up in your pattern. A bit of coat hanger wire is usefull for making them stand up. The more birds in your pattern the better. Also, while you are out of the hide, move a few of the deeks around to change the pattern. Then get back into the hide as quick as possible and let the wait begin again.

Thats about the extent of my knowledge on the subject, but should be enough to get you out to have a go!

[hun73r666]

Another trick Kyska showed me was the use of a tesco bag (other supermarket bags are available!) on a pole to at the far end of the field. This stops the birds from landing in the trees at the other end of your permission and helps keep the birds in the air. More useful for shot gunning, but a good idea nontheless.

[Bwarnos]

Another trick Kyska showed me was the use of a tesco bag (other supermarket bags are available!) on a pole to at the far end of the field. This stops the birds from landing in the trees at the other end of your permission and helps keep the birds in the air. More useful for shot gunning, but a good idea nontheless.

That's a great idea mate!!


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[Bwarnos]

Im not very experienced Jack, but what I do know is that pigeons never face away from the wind, cus the wind catches under their tail feathers and can flip em over. So make sure all your deeks face into the wind. Another rule is that they dont like to fly over each others heads to land. This is why you will often see them layed out in a horse shoe pattern allowing for a "runway" for them to land in the middle. Which direction you have the horseshoe pointing depends on the regular flight pattern of the local birds. Trial and error will get you there if you dont get it right straight away.

If you do manage to shoot some then when the coast is clear go out and stand them up in your pattern. A bit of coat hanger wire is usefull for making them stand up. The more birds in your pattern the better. Also, while you are out of the hide, move a few of the deeks around to change the pattern. Then get back into the hide as quick as possible and let the wait begin again.

Thats about the extent of my knowledge on the subject, but should be enough to get you out to have a go!

This is basically what I do jack, only just started using then so got alot to learn! I did post a video of pigeon decoying for airguns that I found. I would link it but I'm on the iPhone!


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[muzzy76]

When I'm out decoying pigeons I don't bother with this "facing into the wind in a horseshoe shape" routine. Look at a flock of feeding pigeons on the ground, they're facing everywhere and in no real organized shape. What I do is walk 25 ish yards from the hide with a handfull of full bodied decoy (shells don't work as well for airgunning) and throw them around me in any pattern. Where they land is where they are placed. Just make sure you leave room between each one for birds to land in the pattern. Also, every time you kill a bird, put it in the pattern but remove a decoy. Real birds work SO much better.

Forget things like flappers or rotaries. They are for shotguns. Instead, take a dead bird and fold it's wings out and slightly forward when it's on the ground. It looks like a landing bird from above and attracts the pigeons more. Same can be done with dead crows as it works for them too. Don't have too many birds with the heads propped up, it'll look like a flock on alert for danger and put others off. If you can, set up near a "sitty tree", that'll give you double the chance of a shot cause most birds will pitch into that before dropping into the field. And don't forget to make sure you're well camouflaged. Pigeons and crows have great eyesight. The slightest movement or hint of white face and they'll be off.

[PAUL1986]

Never used deeks. Can you send some photos how you set em out and where to shoot from etc?

me too please mate. I too have never used decoys even though I have thought about buying some, I would prefer to know the best way/s to set them out before purchasing them.