Guided pigeon shooting

Kran

Myself and a friend are just getting back into shotgun shooting and would love to do some pigeon shooting. I’ve also just got permission to shoot on a relatively small tillage farm near me, which are pretty few and far between in my area. We’d like to learn the ropes about decoying etc and just get out and shoot some pigeons for the experience. Can anyone recommend any paid organized pigeon shooting like they offer here https://www.artramon-farm.com/english/surroundings/hunting ?
I presume it’s more of a summer thing but if we could book something it would be nice to be looking forward to it. We aren’t looking for anything too fancy or massive bags. Munster area but willing to travel

cookimonster

What crops are on the farm?, if there's rape planted you may still have some success if the growth was slow or there is some failed spots around. Once it goes above ankle hieght it is not attractive to them. Other crops such as Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and beats will be attractive to pigeons.
Seeding is another good time, though modern methods have made it harder for the birds. Middle to late summer is good as the birds will attack standing grain crop and then comes the big one 'the harvest'.

The season for pigeon will end with game bird season , then all other shooting must take place in conjunction with the yearly derogation.

I advise you to buy yourself a dozen decoys ( type / style are open to individual choice), shells and full bodies are the norm. I swear by bouncers and floaters so I would recommend two. Now the next bit may be a bit controversial but don't rush out and buy poles and nets. If you want to ease yourself, financialy speaking, into it slowly use natural hedge rows etc as your hides, many a big bag has been taken from a hollow ditch or hedge rows. Hides will be an essential bit of kit but if you can't pull the birds in then you can't kill 'em. There's plenty of YouTube vids on making hide poles etc.

Speaking of YouTube there's also plenty of vids on pigeon decoying in relation to tips, euipment and set up.

I know there are groups on the East coast doing paid pigeon shooting but I've no details, only that it does seem to be a summer thing, a quick Google should get you there.

Kran

cookimonster wrote: »

What crops are on the farm?, if there's rape planted you may still have some success if the growth was slow or there is some failed spots around. Once it goes above ankle hieght it is not attractive to them. Other crops such as Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and beats will be attractive to pigeons.
Seeding is another good time, though modern methods have made it harder for the birds. Middle to late summer is good as the birds will attack standing grain crop and then comes the big one 'the harvest'.

The season for pigeon will end with game bird season , then all other shooting must take place in conjunction with the yearly derogation.

I advise you to buy yourself a dozen decoys ( type / style are open to individual choice), shells and full bodies are the norm. I swear by bouncers and floaters so I would recommend two. Now the next bit may be a bit controversial but don't rush out and buy poles and nets. If you want to ease yourself, financialy speaking, into it slowly use natural hedge rows etc as your hides, many a big bag has been taken from a hollow ditch or hedge rows. Hides will be an essential bit of kit but if you can't pull the birds in then you can't kill 'em. There's plenty of YouTube vids on making hide poles etc.

Speaking of YouTube there's also plenty of vids on pigeon decoying in relation to tips, euipment and set up.

I know there are groups on the East coast doing paid pigeon shooting but I've no details, only that it does seem to be a summer thing, a quick Google should get you there.

Thanks Cookimonster, I did do a bit of googling but haven’t found a whole lot.
The farm is about 200 acres of winter barley at the moment. I got permission not long after it was seeded and did try with some of those HUD foldable decoys with no luck but since then I’ve got 10 full bodied flocked A1 decoys. I have a net but I just used a leaf suit and sat back in the ditch. I’ve since been learning about flight lines etc on YouTube but nothing like learning from a pro as they say.

cookimonster

Staying still is one of the most important tips, although there are days when pigeons will be dropping in even when you out tidying up. Get the wind in your back so birds will land into you face on, pick your bird and kill him before looking for a secound target.
Chokes are a bone of contention, but if you can, use IC or Mod at the most. Committed decoying birds will drop to 7.5 28gr clay cartridges, but there are new No6 28g cartridges on the market for not that much more cash that will cover all aspects of decoying.
I've never really had great success in the winter months decoying, maybe just me, but my bags grow steadily when shooting over standing grain and onto stubble fields.

Don't let some of the YouTube regulars, Crow etc, give you a false sense of happening. Even Crow comments on the days were they are lucky to shoot half a dozen birds. Small bags dont sell advertising. These guys are excellent shots and the likes of Digweed can kill a bird over the horizon. Let the birds come into you, get them over your pattern before shooting at them. Build your conference before your ego. I made this mistake in the beginning and frustrated myself trying to kill birds beyound my ability.

Kran

cookimonster wrote: »

Staying still is one of the most important tips, although there are days when pigeons will be dropping in even when you out tidying up. Get the wind in your back so birds will land into you face on, pick your bird and kill him before looking for a secound target.
Chokes are a bone of contention, but if you can, use IC or Mod at the most. Committed decoying birds will drop to 7.5 28gr clay cartridges, but there are new No6 28g cartridges on the market for not that much more cash that will cover all aspects of decoying.
I've never really had great success in the winter months decoying, maybe just me, but my bags grow steadily when shooting over standing grain and onto stubble fields.

Don't let some of the YouTube regulars, Crow etc, give you a false sense of happening. Even Crow comments on the days were they are lucky to shoot half a dozen birds. Small bags dont sell advertising. These guys are excellent shots and the likes of Digweed can kill a bird over the horizon. Let the birds come into you, get them over your pattern before shooting at them. Build your conference before your ego. I made this mistake in the beginning and frustrated myself trying to kill birds beyound my ability.

I’ve seen that vid of Digweed shooting crows and he’s taking shots that are so far it’s hard to believe it’s possible. We only just watched the recent fieldsports Ireland vid and were saying it would be great to be one day disappointed at a 20 bird bag, we’d be over the moon with it.

Cadpat_cowboy

Kran wrote: »

I’ve seen that vid of Digweed shooting crows and he’s taking shots that are so far it’s hard to believe it’s possible. We only just watched the recent fieldsports Ireland vid and were saying it would be great to be one day disappointed at a 20 bird bag, we’d be over the moon with it.

Digweed is a machine tho, he is like somebody playing PlayStation with cheats on. 😂
If you do find out about the shoot on the East Coast let me know as I would be interested in going and can seem to find any thing on Google.

meathstevie

Cadpat_cowboy wrote: »

Digweed is a machine tho, he is like somebody playing PlayStation with cheats on. 😂
If you do find out about the shoot on the East Coast let me know as I would be interested in going and can seem to find any thing on Google.

He hasn't been a world champion at sporting clays for years running for no reason....26 different world championships in total according to Wikipedia.

cookimonster

http://www.jmmhunting.com/pigeon-shooting.php

https://www.rainsfordhunting.com/en/hunting-trips/

https://www.glacialvalleyhunting.com/packages

...there's three web pages for you, I'm not linked to any of these lads.

Bogwoppit

If you have access to tillage land don’t waste your money on a guided day, decoying is not rocket science.
Have a read of Will Garfit’s pigeon shooting book and you’ll learn enough to get started.
I use a couple of bouncers, a spinner thingy and about 15/20 decoys (those fud’s aren’t bad), add reall birds as you shoot them.

Biggest tip is to watch the birds as much as possible in the days up to the day you want to shoot.

I can see a field of rape from my house and the birds start coming in at about 8.15, feed and head off about 11. They come back around 3 until 4/4.15 and fly over my house. I’ll be hitting the evening flight over the house some day this week if I get the chance.