The Midlands
Pigeon Shooters name - Tim and Adam
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 40
Gender - male
The gun you used - 12 Bore
Bag Date - 20th april
The Crop type - peas
The day details - On the side of small spinney breezy using shell deecoys and rotary Sporting birds alot missed. our first fair bag as we are only 17.
Pigeon Shooters name - Rich Rob and Craig
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 336
Gender - male
The gun you used - 12 Bore
Bag Date - 7/09/02
The Crop type - pea stubble
The day details - Rich rang me a couple of days before hand to tell me that he and craig had just aquired some new ground, the three of us had been shooting together all summer weve had about 8 days together averaging just over 100 each outing. I new by the tone in his voice it was going to be a good field, on arrival at the field the next day, i was in my usual place with the dogs in the back of the truck, already there was several hundred birds in the field buzzing all around. We promtly set up a bailhide while rich set out the deeks. After getting settled, the birds started to arrive in their droves and within an hour we had about fifty birds in the bag. Birds came from all directions mainly from a flightline on our left but some literally came out of the clouds. Panic set in at around 1:00pm when we realised we were running low on ammo, craig took of at some ungodly speed and arrived back in record time with more cartriges. Shooting was constant throughout the day with lulls lasting 15 minutes max. We packed up when it the pigeons stopped coming at about 6.00
Pigeon Shooters name - Colin
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 58
Gender - male
The gun you used - 12 Bore
Bag Date - 10/08/2002
The Crop type - Pea Stubble
The day details - Using only a Magnet over stubble, took 58 birds between 3pm and 5.30pm. No bunches, just odd birds decoying. No wind, woodies dropping into the Magnet out of the stratosphere. Great!
Pigeon Shooters name - James Mitchell
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 16 pigeons
Gender - male
The gun you used - 12 Bore
Bag Date - 27/4/02
The Crop type - oilseed rape
The day details - I hid in the rape, from 5:30am until 8:20am
Pigeon Shooters name -Deako and The Italians!
There are a lot of images so please go to the gallery to see them.
Pigeon Shooters name -William and Adam
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 15 pigeons 1 rabbit and 5 crows
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 25/07/02
The Crop type -Wheat
The day details - We set up at 9:00 am with a bail hide and decoys. The day started of with Adam shooting a rabbit then later on the pigeons were attracted to the decoys. The guns we used were a pump action and a side by side. We soon had the pigeons rolling in as the corn was cut the day before. Later on the crows were coming in to roost so we had a few. By the time we had finished we had a pleasing bag. We packed up at 8:30pm.
Pigeon Shooters name -Tim
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 183
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 20/07/02
The Crop type - Barley
The day details - I arrived at 10 am set up the hide , magnet an 10 decoys on a flat about 15 yards long and 6 yards wide . It then rained for about an hour, nothing came it stopped and after drying the decoys out, had a cig the first ones came in. I shot steadily till 3 pm it the rained again nothing came after it stopped so packed in at 4pm.
Pigeon Shooters name -Richard Hall, Dave Cotterell
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 190 crows and 5 pigeons over 2 days
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 07/07/02 and 13/07/02
The Crop type - Laid Barley
The day details - The first day was the most productive with Rich having 60 and me having 45 we Set up at around 10:300 we set out a total of 9 crow decoys in two seperate sections of layed barley within 10 feet of each other it was differcult to set up the hide due to the fact that we had a low cotswold stone wall behind us and that was it for cover from behind and we had no extra net to go behind us the crows started coming in as soon as we got back to the hide after setting out the decoys. The crows came in consantly up intill around 3:00pm (the more We Shot The More the kept coming). Te second day was not guite as good with a total of 85 Rich had 45 and i had 40 this time we decided to set up in two different parts of the field to give us maximum coverage of the field this proved to be the right choice. Rich had just took delivery of a rotary pigeon decoying machine earlier that week which he said deffinitely made more of the day.Pigeon Shooters name -Martin Johnson
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 50
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 28th June
The Crop type - Clover
The day details - I was driving home from work one evening, and noticed a stream of pigeon dropping into a field by the side of the road. I quickly pulled over to see what was attracting them, and looking over the hedge, I could see the field was blue. It was actually a grass field that had recently been mown for haylage - you know the stuff in those awful black plastic bags - and the birds were feeding on the young clover that was coming on. I know the farmer quite well, having shot over a couple of his fields of rape back in the winter, so in next to no time I was knocking on his door to obtain the necessary permission. This was granted, so I then had to plan my workload for the next few days to get a bit of prime time to myself. Friday arrived, and it was hot and bright, with not even a slight breeze. Luckily, I could drive into the field to drop off my gear. Like all pigeon shooters, I keep it to a minimum, but it's amazing how much your legs start to buckle when you've hiked over four or five fields to get to your shooting ground, and then trudged back with the additional weight of a couple of score of pigeon.
My hide was a very basic affair; two posts stuck in the ground a few feet from the hedge, my camo net tied to the hedge, round the posts and back to the hedge, leaving a small gap to get in and out. The overhang from the hedge provided a canopy. I initially set out eight full body plastic decoys, literally just propped up by the grass, in a horseshoe shape some twenty to thirty yards out. Returning to the hide I looked out and saw the sunlight flashing and glinting off the decoys, and my hopes were lowered. Surely they wouldn't come anywhere near this set out. Ten minutes and six shots later, I had five dead birds on the field, which were quickly put in wire cradles and set out. The plastic ones were brought in.
Action from there on was steady, the birds coming in ones and twos, and they were landing among my decoys without hesitation. A lot of my shots were taken at sitting birds, not entirely sporting I know, but I was there primarily as a pest controller. I did however get some nice high birds coming over the top of me from the field behind, which was having the cut hay turned by the neighbouring farmer. There was one break in the action for about an hour, while one of our resident Red Kites did a circular tour of the field. It didn't ruin my day at all, they are beautiful birds to watch, so I put the Browning down, had a smoke, a cup of tea, and just chilled. I had rather foolishly only taken three boxes of ammo with me, I hadn't expected too much action, and I fired my last round exactly three hours after my first shot. During the session I had been nipping out to pick up the dead birds, I don't like leaving them in blazing sunshine for too long, and when I finally picked up the birds which had fallen in the hedge and counted up I was amazed to find that I had scored fifty!! A kill rate of 66%! All in all, a cracking few hours. I recommend you all keep an eye on the cut hay, it will often provide you with sport, and those horrible black bags can be used as a hide. The pigeon don't seem to give them a second thought.
Pigeon Shooters name -Lazza
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 58 and 25
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 15th and 16th of June
The Crop type - Peas
The day details - I had a call from the farmer on Friday morning, asking me to go and sort out some Pigeons on some peas. I said I'd be there on Saturday morning. I arrived in the morning and set up with the wind in my face with a small wood behind me. There are 6 fields of peas in this particular area and this one field was the one they were hitting this morning. I don't normally like the pigeons coming in from behind me, but because this corner of the field had been eaten off, I knew at least my decoys would be seen. I set up a magnet, with eight dead'uns put up in cradles. Within minutes of setting up the pigeons started arriving, I shot fairly well and the pattern began to build up. When I started it was quite cool & I had my padded jacket on, but as the morning wore on and the sun began to heat up I went down to my T shirt. The mosquitoes had a field day, they were bitting me everywhere. I went back to the truck and sprayed on some insect repellent, and got back to it.......Did it work?????..........Did it heck........I reckon they loved the stuff.......They were still bitting me everywhere!!! I resorted to putting my jacket back on and watching them trying to bite through 1/2 inch of padding. They got me everywhere else though........well luckily not quite everywhere!! I stopped shooting at 10.30, and ended up with 58 pigeon and a Jackdaw. Not too bad for 3 hours, in fact the best I've done for ages. I went of then to zero my new rifle, which went very well. I arrived on Sunday morning and shot 2 fields away from the previous day. Due to the wind and a footpath, I had to again shoot with the wind in my face. It was a slow start and I had'nt got much time to play with. I feathered the first few birds and tried to settle down.Them I nailed a few, then feathered a few more. And thats how the next few hours went, ending up with 25 shot, and the same again feathered. At least today there were no mozzies. I packed up about 9.30 and went for the Sunday parade around the local market. It was a good weekend and I enjoyed the sport, even though I didn't shoot particulary well.Pigeon Shooters name -Graham
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 63
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 27/04/02
The Crop type - Clover
The day details - -
Pigeon Shooters name -Tom and Scott
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 102
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 26 February
The Crop type - Rape
The day details -Started off at 6:30am by setting up two hides at either end of the flight paths. we both used 2 magnets which seemed to work really well aswell as 10 or so shell decoys each. After about 20minutes pigeons from near by fields came into the decoys but only in flocks of 10 - 20 aswell as the odd solitery pigeon. What amazed me was the regularity of the pigeons that kept flying in. By 12:30 the pigeons had slowed down. But by 1:20 they were back for more. By this time we had already bagged between us 65 much to our dogs dismay as they sat there ready to collapse. By 3.30 we decided to pack up, after all we wanted some left for the following fortnight. The trick i found was firstly to reseach the area for example how many rape fields there were surrounding us. Also to carefully note down their flight paths and what the weather was like as well as where abouts they were feeding and how many. This would be done a few days be the shoot. Also i found by using a much more natural hide for example a hedge-row I was better concealed.Pigeon Shooters name -John Deacon
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 51
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 20 gauge
Bag Date - 10th March 2002
The Crop type - Rape
The day details -I've been really fed up with the rape in our area of Merseyside this year, we've got thousands of birds but they just disappear after a couple of shots even though the rape is very scarce this year. Anyway, as the birds are so fickle, we've had nobody out since the end of the goose season, but I've kept an eye on the rape, one field in particular has had 2000 birds most days, but at 80 acres, its a pain to shoot.My old dad was a bit fed up today so I put him on this field and the old git ended up with 50 birds for 200+ shots!! Typical, I shot it last Sunday and had 3 shots all day. No magnets were used, just dead birds and flock decoys, and virtually none of the birds decoyed, they just flew over having a look apparently. I have found that the magnets seem to put the birds off over winter rape, but now that everybody has one, I think they're getting wise. The moral of this story is "always put yourself before your old man..."!!
Pigeon Shooters name -Philip Mowbray
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 26
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 20 gauge
Bag Date - 06/03/02
The Crop type - Drilling, wheat
The day details -Well after umming and erring we started out at 9:00am and were at the field and set up by 9:30am we used an arch shape decoy pattern going from the dyke we were shooting from to about 35 yards out in the field. This consisted of 5 half shell, 2 frozen birds, 3 smelly ones from a so called mate !!(Gerry you know who you are) and the 2 I shot on Monday. After about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours we had only got one bird and they weren't paying things much attention. Out came the pigeon spinner !! Superb they started to peel in like their life depended on it, what a waste of money Sporting Gun was, it harped on about how unescessary they were on drilling, think again. Well my mate Rory was with me and I've no idea how he's got 3 kids as, unless the missus holds it, as he cant hit something as big as a pigeon so god only knows what happens at bed time! We had a really good day but I'm not sure if I shouldnt have left the field a little longer say, 10:00 to 10:30 set up, as the birds weren't there when we started.
Pigeon Shooters name - Lazza and Kev
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 51 pigeons and 4 crows
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 23/02/2002
The Crop type - Game Strip
The day details - I set off at five in the morning to pick Kev up and arrive at the game strip for first light.We set up at either end of the game strip, Kev was on my left and the pigeons were flying through the middle of us. Most of them flew towards Kev due to the wind. We had a bit off wind, rain, sun, and snow during the session. A couple of hours in and the wind switched and the birds came to me. Not for long though, as it switched back again! Kev had had crows blowing over him in the wind and had managed to snaffle a couple which he put out in the field as deeks. I'd better mention he had two left and rights with a crow and a pigeon on each or I won't hear the last of it! About midday we packed up and went to the woods after Charlie. Kev ended up with 29 pigeon and 4 crows, although he says that he did hit 2 more crows that went back to the wood! I ended up with 22 pigeon and a bruised ego (only kidding!). It was a good day! Kev, I did say that I wasn't gonna mention the fact that I had 50 shots for 22 birds and you had 104 shots for 33 birds didn't I? So I haven't!!
Pigeon Shooters name - Tony Wainwright
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 35
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 20 gauge
Bag Date - 17/02/2002
The Crop type - Grass
The day details - Bright sunshine, light wind,12 decoys used,started around 3.30 in the afternoon, pigeons started flighting right away.
Pigeon Shooters name - John Deacon
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 108
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 20 gauge
Bag Date - 10/02/02
The Crop type - Winter Rape
The day details - A Hard day as the birds were coming in big groups and disappearing after a couple of shots, with long waits between times.Used a few "pigeon guide" tricks to come up with the goods! First day on the pigeons for several months as our best fields are reserved for clients.
Pigeon Shooters name - Lazza and Kev
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = Approximately 60 over two days
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 8th and 9th Feb
The Crop type - Maize game strip and Rape
The day details - On Thursday the Gamekeeper at the Estate called me and asked if we'd be able to do him a favour and come and shoot some pigeons for him.Do him a favour?We'd been hoping for this for the last couple of years!I rang Kev and unfortunately he could'nt make it because of work but I said to him we'd go on Saturday aswell.I arrived at the Gamekeepers Lodge on Friday morning and he took me to a maize game strip that was being hit hard by pigeons.There was someone else shooting the rape field about five fields away,the idea was to keep the pigeons on the move.I'd picked up my new gun on Thursday and i knew it would take me a while to adjust to it.Anyway it did and the first fifty shots only accounted for fifteen birds.The next shot felt just right and i knew i'd cracked it.I shot for another two hours and ended up with thirty eight.I'd never shot a game strip before and it was good fun.The game strip will be cut very soon and should bring some good sport.
On Saturday morning I set off at quarter to seven hoping to get to kev's house early,unfortunately the truck boiled over on the way and i had to wait for it to cool down so i could top up the water.I phoned kev and told him and he said he'd have my bacon butty ready for me when i got there,which he did.What a star!We arrived at the rape field that had been shot the day before and we knew we were'nt going to have loads but we'd got a long day ahead so it did'nt matter.We set up the hide and sat together,it had been a while since we'd done this and we had the odd shot in between chatting and drinking coffee.We ended up with about fifteen birds and some real nice shots.About midday we packed up as we had to go somewhere else and shoot some squirrels. We went back to the gamekeeper and a few of us went into the woods to shoot squirrels.
This was my first time at this and it was great fun.It's usualy done in pairs with one of you shooting the dray and the other ready if the squirrel runs out.Kev ended up with six and i had three.We left the wood and went back to meet with the others for the roost shooting. We had to wait for the pigeons a little while because we got there a bit early.To be honest there were'nt that many about but we had a few shots and kev hit a cracking bird at seventy yards.Good shot mate!I ended up with three pigeons and a crow and kev had four pigeons.After taking these back to the gamekeeper he told us he was going to get us a letter from the estate so we could shoot there whenever we wanted to,what a result!I dropped kev off and headed back home.By the time i got home it was seven o'clock and i was knackered.We'd had a real good day and secured some more shooting on a place that we'd never dreamed we'd get in to shoot.We'll have to wait and see what happens next week.As usual we'll let you know!
Pigeon Shooters name - Lazza
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 32
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 03/02/02
The Crop type - Winter Rape
The day details - Well where do I start?(best go put the kettle on fella's this could be a long one)I'd been having problems with my gun misfiring for a while and its been in and out the shop for the last couple of months. Cutting a very long story short I made a complete arse off myself on a walk up on Wednesday with people shouting BANG! as I was lifting to pheasnts, (I'm glad some people were amused because I failed to see the funny side!)My mate Kev nearly wet himself laughing. So on to Saturday, I went to the estate for the roost shooting. Thought I'd take my spare gun,at least it fired! Anyway a skeet gun at roost is hard work. I had a couple of birds and it chucked it down. We went home soaking wet,I think the pigeons looked better than us?The only good thing that came out of it was that Kev shot a pigeon that was bursting with rape. Sunday was going to be the day!
Got up early Sunday morning (well 7.30 It's early enough) and loaded the truck and set off. When I stopped the truck,guess what? It chucked it down. I wasn't quite sure what to do -should I risk it or not? Would I be able to sneak wet pigeons in the airing cupboard again to dry them out? I tell you what if I'd have got caught... Anyway I thought I'd speak to Kev and see if he was going to brave it. Just as I was texting him I saw pigeons steaming onto the field, that was it rain or not I was off and running. As soon as i got to where i was going to sit the rain stopped. I set up the hide and the magnet and a few plastics. The pigeons came back and i missed most of them. When I say most of them what I actually mean is 5 out off 30 shots. What a plonker!!
I knew my confidence had gone with the gun misfiring and all that but I didn't realise I'd gone blind at the same time!I knew I was going to stuggle at range with the skeet gun so I waited for them to come closer.After a couple of fags and a poke in the eye my aim improved. Some people are natural shots. NOT ME!!I hadn't shot much for a few weeks and it showed, (at least no one was standing there watching me and wetting themselves,asking me whether I was a conservation shooter). Things improved and did hit two birds with one shot that were about 8 yards apart. One of them must have had a heart attack or died of shock (or laughing). I was just getting into the swing of things when the birds stopped coming. They were on the next field! d and the banger was'nt working so I rung the farmer and told him. Not that it would benefit me or anything...
I thought I'd speak to Kev and see how he was doing. He told me he'd seen alot of pigeons on another part of the farm, I suggested moving and I'd speak to him later. Now my mate Kev is a great bloke but he's not what you'd call thin (not that i'd ever say that to him. I wish something else could grow as long as my nose just did!) So a nice stroll with a few pounds of shooting gear on his back is just what the doctor ordered. I decided to call it a day and sprinted across the muddy fields with all the gear!
Just as i got to the truck i rung Kev, well I think it was him, I couldn't quite make the words out, he sounded a bit out of breath and that cheered me up no end. It was going to be a good day. No seriously he was having a cracking day. Well done at least someone can hit'em. My new gun should be here Wednesday, so I should be out again wasting a few cartridges later in the week. I'll let you know if I fare any better.
My opinion Do I sense a bit of competitiveness? All is well that ends well and it seems that by the end of the day you were getting into the swing of things. That is odd to have a gun misfiring I have only ever had my gun fail to eject but fortunately the gunshop sorted that out, at least I could still shoot! I can't wait to hear about your next epic adventure!
Pigeon Shooters name - Kevin Cleaver
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 67 + 2 crows
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 03/02/02
The Crop type - Rape
The day details -When I arrived at the farm it was about 8.45 and there were approx 50 birds on the field of my choice so I trudged over to a tree in the field and set up. There was not a lot about and had four shots for a crow and 2 pigeons when I noticed the farmer on his gator. He went to the far side of the farm and let off a rocket. WELL what must have been close on 700 birds got up and well did I feel stupid.
After about 3 mins they all came back so I decide it was time to move. At 10.15 I was set up and raring to go and by 10.30 there were 12 extra decoys in the pattern four of them falling to a left and right was I chuffed or what. Then the magnet hit the dust with the wind and soft ground, so I went and picked it up and straighten the arms and 5 minutes later it happen again what a pain in the arse. So this time I moved to the right a touch to a bit firmer ground and pushed it in and then stomped on the foot to try and get a firm hold.
As I stood up a pigeon hit me in the shoulder (and it hurt) and there were approx 20 birds above my head. Was I gob smacked or what!! The birds slowed down at 12.15 and I felt it had come to an end so I cleared up the hide pulled in the magnet so just the dead birds remained. I was about to pick them up when I saw bird in the distance heading in so I stood still by a tree and picked of three more before calling it a day. I had 102 shots for 69 including the crows. What a cracking morning and I've got to say that this Realtree camo is the dogs what's-its. To get hit by a pigeon in the field that's one to remember.
My opinion I wonder who was more suprised you, or the pigeon! That is certainly an amazing thing to happen and I have never heard of this happening before. I live in Northern Ireland and once when talking to a gamekeeper he told me that he had walked into a stubble field full of pigeons he could walk amongest them. If he clapped his hands the whole flock of about 200 would lift of the ground to about knee height before landing again. He says that they were pigeons which had come over from Scotland and since there had been strong winds that week they must have been extremely tired.
Pigeon Shooters name - Stephen
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 16
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 25/01/02
The Crop type - Roost shooting
The day details -After beating all season for the guns it was our turn "beaters day" I stood at the peg and shot pheasants coming straight at me, which to be honest I don't find that exciteing. After the day the keeper said we can go shoot the pigeon roost if we wish. Excellent, time for some real fun,has I got to the wood the pigeons were starting to come in,it was so windy the birds were either coming staight in or screaming over to the next wood. After shooting about 12 testing birds I pulled off the best shot of my life,two birds were twisting and screaming over the wood at about 40mph with the help of a gale,the wood was thick with just little clearing in the trees, the first bird I hit about 40 yards away which shocked me has it folded, a split second later I took a shot at the other bird which was then about 45yards, it also folded and they both hit the deck about 70 yards from were i was standing. At that i shouted f***ing hell did you see that to me mate which he replied great shot you jammy f***er.What made the shot better to me was the fact the the trees were so thick I reckon only half the pattern got through. That shot beat any pheasant I've shot or woodcock come to think of it, thats why I would rather shoot pigeon than any other bird.
My opinion Ah yes, it is coming close to February and many large pheasant shoots now for one month allow the beaters (or guns for that matter) to head to the woods. I really enjoy this, on most saturdays in February as without a doubt it can be the best shooting around. You can wave goodbye to your usual ratios this is the time where 5 to 1 is looking good! From the descriptions you have described that must have been an incredible left and right, I congratulate you on it.Pigeon Shooters name - Philip Mowbray
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 75
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 20 gauge
Bag Date - 18/01/02
The Crop type - Rape
The day details -Well another good bag to report on from the same feild as last time. Well it was blowing a south-westerly somewhere around 14mph, I set up first light with my usual 20 decoys in an L shape with a rotating pigeon decoy device, isnt the real thing a rip off mine cost me £100 and it works brilliantly,in the crook of the L. Things were quite busy once again for the first hour to hour and a half, the pigeons seem to come in large flocks first off and the trick seems to be to get them turned so they go back to where they came from and hopefully if the wind is strong enough this breaks them up and they come back in much smaller groups. Another thing which i found helped a great deal was setting a single decoy up at the 30 yard mark, you then know anything close to it is shootable and it gives you that bit of extra confidence. The birds went quiet for about two to three hours and it really was a job of sitting it out and then they started to gently flit back for some more snap. I hate close up pigeons that keep coming towards you when you have the gun up to them and really should have shot a few more in the morning, but i shot some screamers in the afternoon the longest croser being a measued 50 yards out, hey you have to blow your trumpet now and again! Well hopefully that has bored you all to death! I've been using ounce load No 5 shot cartridges 70mm through half and quarter choke. And i dont always get such good bags inbetween times i have had a 12, 4 and 30 bird days.
My opinion That is a good tip about setting a decoy at 30 yards, I had never thought of that and I know that when you are in a hide it can sometimes be hard to judge distances.
Pigeon Shooters name - Kevin Cleaver
Part of UK bag was shot - The Midlands
The total number of pigeons shot = 24 and 1 crow
Gender - Male
The gun you used - 12 gauge
Bag Date - 20/01/02
The Crop type - Rape
The day details - I woke up early and felt like a couple of hours shooting so I left the wife & kids in bed and trotted of. The field I decided to shoot is only 1 mile from home and arrived at the field at 8.30. There were approx 150 birds on the field and twice as many in the trees. I set up my gear, which was a bit of a pain because the wind was very gusty so the hide had to be well pegged out. I was ready to shoot by 8.50 so I put up a shot and saw the flock get up two fields away, they game straight to me and they kept on coming after I took the first two, so it was a hasty reload and I managed to drop one more. My first three birds in ten minutes. With the wind being strong the flock split up nicely and kept trying to come into the field till ten thirty (my decoy pattern actually worked). I managed the 24 pigeon and one crow by ten thirty for 37 shots, which I was quite pleased with my self, as a few missed shots were the second barrel distance birds. I didn't see any more birds for the next half hour and decided to pack up because she who must be obeyed wanted the car so now I'm home typing this.
My opinion That is a very good ratio you have every right to be pleased with yourself for it. I have shot right and lefts but have never managed to reload in time to get another bird from the same flock but perhaps since the wind was so strong the other birds simply did not hear the shot and came on in. I suspect that if the pigeons were still streaming in then 'she who must be obeyed' would be kept waiting!
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