When you feel a little p-peckish, p-p-p-pick up a Shotgun

Spring has truly sprung and many of you will be preparing to go woodpigeon shooting.  Acres of Rape, favoured by huge flocks of birds during the winter and early spring, are now in flower so they have naturally diverted their attention and set their sights on other, more nutritious food sources - like recently sown fields of cereal crops.

Woodpigeons (woodies) are considered a major agricultural pests and in some cases can cause extensive damage to crops resulting in poor crop yields that can have a serious economic impact on a farmer's income. They therefore need to be controlled.

So, with this in mind, over the course of the next couple of weeks we will be blogging our hearts out and will hopefully assist you in despatching these wiley woody's, on a same day service, to the dinner plate.

Due to the extremely wet weather we have been experiencing recently, the seeding of some cereal crops within many parts of the UK has been delayed, so we are still seeing bird numbers build up over newly seeded fields.

Now is the time to take up arms against these pests and let them have it, nothing beats a good day's pigeon shooting!  Unlike other forms of live bird shooting they offer the most diverse range of shooting opportunities.  Just imagine them arriving at speeds in excess of 40 miles an hour, with the wind on their tails, over tall trees or low hedges and from every possible direction. Even birds flirting over the top of decoys can prove deceptively difficult as with a flick of their tails, they are there one second and gone the next.

Whether you decide to flight or decoy these birds, reconnaissance is key. Spending an hour or two over the preceding few days, and a short time just prior to shooting, can pay dividends.  By establishing flight lines, favourite sitty trees, feeding areas and when the birds are most active, you will save yourself valuable time.  You do not want to be setting up in the wrong location or at the wrong time of the day.  

Personally I have always prefered to shoot pigeons on days where there is a steady breeze and when it's not too sunny. This gives a degree of predictability of flight lines, slightly deadens the noise of the shot and reduces the likelihood of any decoys shining.

When choosing a position to set up, consider how you are going to get all of the essentials into place. Remember that having chosen your prime spot for your hide you should also pay attention to your decoy layout.  Set your decoys in an irresistible and lifelike pattern, shoot like a demon and end the day with a record number of pigeons in the bag.

What tips would you like regarding pigeon shooting or would you like to share some of your own?  Leave your comments below!  Our next posting will briefly cover General Licenses and at the same time we will dive into the world of Hide Building.  We'll see you then!