Decoying Woodies.

[mattwhite 1,992]

OK lads. This may have been covered somewhere but I could do with a bit of advice decoying woodies.

I have 18 decoys...a mixture of flock, shells and FUD and I have been on the decoys with shotguns before over stubble but not air rifle and where I live and on my permissions there are no crops as such so it's a case of finding flight lines and setting up the deeks in the usual horseshoe pattern and hoping for the best.

Is there anything else I can do to up my chances of getting them into what is in reality a random spot?

I've had a gander on YouTube and there doesn't seem to be much on there.

Apologies for picking everyone's brains on a Friday night.

Many thanks

Matt

[carlstoke 31]

Hi mate, forget the horse shoe pattern, this may work for the shotgun but with an air rifle you have to get them to land, study a feeding flock of woodies they don't feed in a horse shoe pattern, set your deeks so they look natural not all facing the same way but not with their backs into the wind. Go on Youtube watch the hunting with hardman clips he does some great decoying with air rifles, good luck.

[mattwhite 1,992]

Hi mate, forget the horse shoe pattern, this may work for the shotgun but with an air rifle you have to get them to land, study a feeding flock of woodies they don't feed in a horse shoe pattern, set your deeks so they look natural not all facing the same way but not with their backs into the wind. Go on Youtube watch the hunting with hardman clips he does some great decoying with air rifles, good luck.

Thank you Carl, I'm on the case

[mattwhite 1,992]

 

Hi mate, forget the horse shoe pattern, this may work for the shotgun but with an air rifle you have to get them to land, study a feeding flock of woodies they don't feed in a horse shoe pattern, set your deeks so they look natural not all facing the same way but not with their backs into the wind. Go on Youtube watch the hunting with hardman clips he does some great decoying with air rifles, good luck.

Thank you Carl, I'm on the case

I just had a look at his vids, very good pal, cheers for the heads up. Very good one decoying over stubble with a natural pattern like you said.

[big napper 3,559]

Never seen any of his videos before, nice one carl for that info, will be watching more of the hardman vids from now on they are spot on mate, cheers

[kanny 19,322]

Decoy next to a big tree they will sit in the tree longer whilst they check things out giving you a better chance of getting a shot ..if they land on the feild they tend to suss he deeks out in a couple of seconds and fly off

Edited February 5, 2016 by kanny

[Rez 4,957]

Research, research, research mate. I've had my 'coys out in spots that were dead ringers for double figures but nothing, as I didn't reckie the spot before hand. Just went off what I thought I knew and expected. Even though I've seen the birds on the spot on previous outings. The more you watch the fields, the more you can second guess what the birds will fancy, and depending on the weather conditions.

 

The horse shoe pattern is bollox to be be honest, it's an old myth. I think. More aimed at the shotgun fellas. I stand in a circle about 30 yards out, and literally just throw the decoys and me (old school John darling) and move facing the wind if needed.

 

I don't use a hide, I sit with my back against a large tree preferably within distance of a few sitty trees, in just my mask and nato jacket.

[mattwhite 1,992]

Cheers lads.....all I need now is this bloody wind to die down again

[Zimpara 99]

Yes Rex but you're a misfit bud ;-) lol

 

I normally only have a balaclava on.

Because it makes me feel epic. And because it has a zip at the mouth so I can vape my E-cig in harmony whilst I wait.