Mixed Bag

[rosspti 2]

Had intended to have my first day ferreting this season yesterday (Saturday 28th August), but as the weather came good my partner in crime had to go combining - so I decided on decoying for a change.

 

Not many woodies in my patch, but I love the challenge of decoying (and shooting) rooks so I set about decoying on a recently combined field of winter barley stubbles which had been dunged prior to ploughing. Reconnaisance revealed that this field was the current favourite for them and with combines in other areas this was the obvious quiet refuge for the rooks to head for.

 

Built the hide up against a nice thick hedge with the wind in my back, wove some hazel into it to blend in, and laid some straw at the base. Set up a half dozen plastic rooks about 20 yards out at 2 or 3 yard spacing and gradually replaced with dead birds on cradles as I shot them. I love cradles as they just make the birds so much more visible and I must have done something right as 99% of the rooks I saw flying around bought it and came silently gliding in. I also used the rook call for extra encouragement - but only sparingly.

 

I was also fortunate in that a few woodies got interested too and I finished up with 50 rooks, 2 jackdaws, 4 feral pigeons, and 5 woodpigeons. 61 birds for 117 shots (about 10 of which were "dispatch shots"). Not bad as I haven't shot anything "on the wing" since the end of the pheasant season. I did have a few days at bolted rabbits back in January/February, but since then I've only used the rifles.

 

Really enjoyed myself, and both the misses and I now look forward to some panfried Cornish pigeon breast, cooked pink in the middle. 'ansome.

 

Edited September 2, 2010 by rosspti

[stubby 175]

good write up and pictures, also nice to see someone using a proper hide design

[hunter2910 0]

nice amount of crows there mate an the hiding spot is boss very stealthy !

[foxdropper 17,092]

Any chance of a pic of those cradles mate as they do the biz from what i can see.Good do on the black stuff there mate .

[rosspti 2]

Just found a pic off the web - pretty much the same as the ones I have.

 

http://www.thomasturners.co.uk/Products/Rough-Shooting-Supplies/Pigeon-Cradle.aspx

 

The rook in my original pics shows one in use!

[rosspti 2]

good write up and pictures, also nice to see someone using a proper hide design

 

Thanks Stubby!

 

Must have done something right as on a few occasions I had a bunch of rooks come it straight towards me. I stood up, took a right and left, then sat back down and blew a few calls only to have the remaining birds turn tail and come back in for a secod go! Probably young-uns but I don't think they would have bought it if the hide wasn't right. Also I was fairly close to a busy road so they may have been more used to noises in that area. One of the best things about shooting like is that there are always new surprises and lessons to be learned!

 

No doubt the next time I have a go they buggers will make a fool out of me and put me back in my place!

Edited September 2, 2010 by rosspti

[IanB 0]

Any chance of a pic of those cradles mate as they do the biz from what i can see.Good do on the black stuff there mate .

 

These are pretty cheap here dropper http://www.ukshootwarehouse.com/shop/PIGEON+DECOYING+EQUIPMENT/Flappers+%25252F+Cradles/Dead+Bird+Cradles.html