Woody Roost Shooting Help

[Craig Fosse 286]

Hi guys, the past few times I have been attempting to roost shoot, which is something I am quite new to to be honest, I have decoyed in the past before but normally my woody takings have been just wondering about, unfortunately the last few times I have been out I just can't seem to get a hang on them, where ever I go they seem to be somewhere else, and normally it ends up with me being impatient then moving around trying to get them which just doesn't help, my permission is a valley on a western edge and the bottom is split in two and the other side is not my boundary, access because its a valley starts at the top so before I get in i scare everything off anyway, I really am having a mare, as u can imagine all the trees are te same bar a line of fur but that's just the other side so it's not my boundary, the valley is not massive but its about 100 yards from tr top on. 45 degree slope down to the bottom, lots of ivy etc etc

 

I have tried finding their droppings and going there but still nothing they seem to be taunting me a hundred yards down, I have tried decoys up a tree but lofting poles cost to much and the trees are high for example if have sttached two bamboo poles together and thats about a quarter of the height and the decoys just wouldnt be seen, I had a bit of success getting them up with a weight and line till one got stuck as it took me a few hours to get down as it was spinning haha!

 

What do you guys suggest? I must be doing something wrong surely? I have a pop up hide which I have had woodies land on the tree 15 yards in front of me on old permissions and I know how to conceal myself,

 

Unfortunately I can't really sit and watch them because I can't get anywhere to see where they are landing etc I normally just find out from where they fly out which seems to change from day to day

 

Experience and help please!

 

Cheers guys, p.s apologies for gramma I'm on my phone

 

Craig

[Acuspell 329]

WEATHER CONDITIONS. The pigeons will change their roosts according to the conditions. If it is very windy, fo rinstance, they will seek the sheltered side of the wood and go for lower, thicker trees such as larches - or other conifers, or thick ivy covered trees.

 

Sunshine, often they will take a bask in the dying rays before heading off for final roost. Same in the morning after a cold night - they go to the eastern side of a wood and bask in the tops of the trees as the sun comes up.

 

Learn your woodies' patterns - where do they favour in certain conditions. Then you can be better informed as to where to go to intercept them.

[mark williams 7,568]

Hi mate,

The previous thread is bang on, go out withought the gun (you will concentrate much better) and make note of the weather and the time of day and the month you are in.Do this on a regular basis and learn their habits on your permission.

You will soon learn how to intercept their habits,- but do "your learning of their habits" always at distance.

Build a "natural hide" as close to their habits as you can get when you know they are not around and let them get used to it being there,- then strike.

 

best wishes

Mark.

[Craig Fosse 286]

Cheers mate much appreciated I'm going to try again tomorrow and have a go

[eat4peace 21]

I once had the same problem and I've found, as was previously mentioned, that going without your gun really helps. I usually walk my dogs around various areas of my shooting permission (ensure you have permission to do this) and this means I'm not wandering around aimlessly and I can see when and where the pigeons roost and sit. This procedure helps with all species too –and although you’ll be itching to shoot, a bit of reconnaissance goes a long way.

 

The best roost spot I have found is in the centre of a large wood, with lots of dense, ivy covered trees as this gives the pigeon’s optimum protection during winter. However the place where I have bagged the most is on afternoons in a small copse of woodland. I walk my dogs past at different times of the day to find when they're most active and I found at this time of year it's around 2-3pm.

It's also good to go with a friend, and sit at different places in the wood. There will often be pigeons you can't shoot from your angle and 2 sets of eyes are better than 1 for spotting pigeons quietly dropping in. It also helps boredom during the long waits between shooting.

 

Camoflauge is also important with woodies -can you spot the shooter

 

Hope this helps mate,

Happy shooting

[Rabid 1,936]

As above, and another thing to remember is be patient, it gets very frustrating watching the m drop a few hundred yards away, and you will want to try and stalk them, take my advice, it rarely works, they have better senses and hearing than you think.

 

Sit tight and wait, I have sat for many hours with them just out of range, but sooner or later they will drop on you if you have concealed well and chosen the spot carefully.

 

The main thing with woodies is they alter the habits, but always use the same parts of any given habit, morning will see them in a particular part of wood or set of trees, afternoon may well be different, but they usually follow a routine, you need to get to know it.

[Craig Fosse 286]

Cheers guts much appreciated this helps a lot and patience seems to be the key I'm going out soon to a place where I saw the other night and going to try getting some decoys up the trees again hit the rabbits early on and headin an hour before to see if some pigeons come in

[j j m 6,626]

as has been said the weather and clothing has a lot to do with woody shooting

[bunnyman 68]

H Craig, the advice you have been given is spot on. its observation and notiing where

where the woodies roost a regular wander around shoots is essential though ,i genrally have a gun in a

slung gun bag incase of prey presenting an opportunity, also shooting at the different angles needs lots of practise

finding a good spot with natural cover 1e ivy covered trees near to woodies roosting spots can with experience

be very fruitful in dead woodies. its great fun!!!!!

atb brian

[mark williams 7,568]

We have all pretty much covered the subject ,nipping back to camoflauge though and the "natural hide",camo` netting and a "full ghillie suit" is a deadly combination with meshed eyes.

Coupled with a 177 rifle(for me) zeroed at 27 yds there is no hold under or hold over required.

 

Happy Days Craig/lads.

[Craig Fosse 286]

Cheers guys much appreciated, I'll keep trying! I believe the woodies seem to favour the other side of the valley Unfortunatly, lots of fur and ivy to roost in, I think summer might prove better when the weather is, might entries them to roost ore open..

 

Mark out of interest what's your hold over like at further distances, I Norma,ly zero between 30-35 on a range finder, i might bring mine down to 27 , is there much difference ??

[mark williams 7,568]

Hi Craig.

I use the hw 100 kt 177 zeroed on the button at 35mtrs at my local indoor range i will bring it down to 27 mtrs for hide and woody shooting.

If i dont get chance to bring it down from 35 i`ll give around a half milldot hold under but i always pick spots on the trees to check my scope on as the 100 is virtually silent .

Not always possible to get within 27 mtrs i know but do try as the no hold under or over is lethal.

 

atb mate.

[Craig Fosse 286]

Ah fair enough, I tried again last night to no avail 2 woodies came into view in the 3 hours I was down there but couldn't get a shot off, they seem to roost out of my permission at the moment, good news tho, late April the farmer is sowing mustard seed so the pigeons a pheasants should be all over that , which means they might start to roost closer again! ,

[Acuspell 329]

Don't shoot the pheasants in April

 

Ah fair enough, I tried again last night to no avail 2 woodies came into view in the 3 hours I was down there but couldn't get a shot off, they seem to roost out of my permission at the moment, good news tho, late April the farmer is sowing mustard seed so the pigeons a pheasants should be all over that , which means they might start to roost closer again! ,

 

:icon_eek: Don't shoot the pheasants in April chap.

 

Also, don't forget that by end of April the trees will be leafed and you won't see a damn thing - you'll hearthem, and you will know where there are, but you try getting a shot through the leaves!

Edited March 24, 2013 by Acuspell

[Craig Fosse 286]

Don't shoot the pheasants in April

 

 

Ah fair enough, I tried again last night to no avail 2 woodies came into view in the 3 hours I was down there but couldn't get a shot off, they seem to roost out of my permission at the moment, good news tho, late April the farmer is sowing mustard seed so the pigeons a pheasants should be all over that , which means they might start to roost closer again! ,

:icon_eek: Don't shoot the pheasants in April chap.

 

Also, don't forget that by end of April the trees will be leafed and you won't see a damn thing - you'll hearthem, and you will know where there are, but you try getting a shot through the leaves!

I live in jersey in the Channel Islands mate, we have no game season and phesant is classed as a pest, as long as its on your licence to shoot you can all year