NOTE: Fieldsports Guardian articles can include affiliate links. If you purchase a product through our links, we may get paid a small commission from the retailer at no extra cost to you. Some of the links in this article will direct you to Amazon.
This article will guide you through the essential pigeon shooting equipment needed for decoying pigeons and guidance on crop protection throughout the UK.
The first call of the Cuckoo is a sure sign that the days are getting longer and the weather is improving as British summertime begins to make a welcome appearance. The Swallows are completing their long journey from wintering grounds in South Africa as you begin to see them performing aerial acrobatics above the swathes of flowering Oilseed Rape that is now covering vast areas of the British countryside with its unmistakeable yellow glow. A sure reminder of how important Conservation is for maintaining diversity in the beautiful British countryside and how privileged we should feel having access to it.
If you haven't already dusted off your pigeon shooting equipment during the spring drillings, now is the time to start thinking about preparing your pigeon shooting equipment or purchasing new kit in time for harvest. British spring/summer time is an important time of the year for the farming community, as sown crops are being watched intently to ensure a high yield is achieved. Woodpigeons and corvids can cause millions of pounds worth of damage to agricultural crops annually across the UK, so it is imperative that their numbers are controlled accordingly. It is important to note that woodpigeons and corvids can legally be controlled throughout the UK using lethal control providing that you familiarise yourself and abide by the General Licences set out by either Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot, Natural England or DAERA. The full details regarding General Licences can be found on our previous blog post about remaining compliant whilst shooting pigeons in the UK HERE.
Woodpigeons can be shot all year around so its important to know what they will turn their attention to in regards to food source depending on the time of year. Early spring can see pigeons flock towards spring drillings such as Oilseed Rape and frosted crops such as cabbages and cauliflower. Later drillings such as peas and beans can also draw attention from large flocks of hungry Woodpigeons. As the crops mature, pay attention to any poor patches of Oilseed Rape, or laid patches of Barley and Wheat.
Fieldcraft is the most important skill that you must acquire in order to be successful at decoying pigeons for crop protection. Due diligence is also extremely important, this will sometimes be referred to as reconnaissance. This simply means the more time spent watching the pigeons habits and activities, the better your understanding will be for providing efficient and effective pest control for the land owner. Reconnaissance is the most important aspect of a successful day decoying pigeons, however, it can be extremely difficult to carry out due to personal commitments. In an ideal world, you will want to gather intelligence throughout numerous times of the day, morning, afternoon and early evening to ascertain roughly what time of the day are the pigeons feeding on the crop, which can change depending on the weather conditions and the type of crop, when are they heading to the trees to digest and most importantly, what flight lines are they using to get to their preferred area of crops. Don't be deterred if your personal circumstances hinders your time spent carrying out reconnaissance. Any time spent carrying out due diligence will be beneficial and ultimately pest control doesn't necessarily mean it has to be lethal control, just as long as you are making efforts to disrupt them and keep them off the crop.
Essential Pigeon Shooting Equipment
So what is the essential pigeon shooting equipment needed for a successful day decoying pigeons?
We have already established that the most important aspect of pigeon shooting is due diligence. Not much is needed in the form of equipment for reconnaissance other than your time, although it would be extremely beneficial to have a set of binoculars for determining the pigeons flight lines. We have listed six sets of binoculars in a previous article that would be perfectly adequate for pigeon reconnaissance which you can read HERE. We personally recommend the Hontry 8 x 42 binoculars from Amazon https://amzn.to/4b3Vjgp which are very reasonably priced and are a budget set of binoculars for Pigeon Shooting.
Hide Poles
When you have established where the pigeons are feeding and the flight lines they are using to get to their preferred areas, it's time to choose your hide location and get set up. Your hide location could be anywhere depending on the pigeons flight lines, where they are feeding and you also want to take the wind direction into account. It's possible your hide could be along a hedgerow, under a pylon or even in the middle of the field. Don't be put off by building your hide out in the open, if you have carried out your reconnaissance correctly, the pigeons probably wont be put off with your hide location.
So what do you need to build your hide?
A good start would be a set of hide poles to hang your net on. Decoying pigeons can be a relatively cheap method of pest control in regards to equipment depending on your personal preference. You could easily search around for some straight, sturdy Hazel sticks, which could be utilised to use as hide poles that can be a very inexpensive and effective method. However, personally, we prefer to use factory made hide poles just for pure convenience. You can purchase a set of four with carry bag included and carry them with you on all your pigeon decoying outings. Keep in mind that if you are decoying around the harvest period that the ground conditions will more than likely be dry and difficult to penetrate, so a set of hide poles that have a ground spike would be a wise decision, similar to these NITEHAWK hide poles including carry bag from Amazon https://amzn.to/3JVD55o or A1 Decoys https://amzn.to/3wDGFOp.
Camouflage Net
When you have your hide poles in place, you're going to need something to conceal yourself from the pigeons sight. We find that the easiest method of doing this is to use the readily available camo netting that can be hung along your hide poles to create your hide. You can also utilise natural materials in your surroundings to add or hang on your netting such as grass, bracken, small pruned branches from surrounding shrubs and trees or simply layer up multiple nets. There are numerous products available on Amazon from NITEHAWK, A1 Decoys and others here https://amzn.to/3yazy0q https://amzn.to/4bqiaUl https://amzn.to/3JUk1o3. Woodpigeons have very good eyesight so it is important to keep your movements smooth within the hide. I like to ensure that my hide is built well so that if the pigeons are not decoying well on the day, I can use process of elimination to determine why, if I know they can't see me in the hide, I wont waste too much time altering it. Here is a top tip for securing your net to your hide poles, get yourself some of these plastic spring clamps which will stop your net blowing away in the wind https://amzn.to/4bwXw4g.
Decoys
You've got your hide set up and hopefully in the correct place, so now it's time to set out your pigeon decoys. There are numerous pigeon decoys on the market but ultimately you wont beat the real deal, the more dead pigeons you can add to your pattern the better. It can also be a good idea to store frozen pigeons from previous outings and thaw them out completely before your chosen day of decoying. However, even if that is an option for you, we would still recommend having a set of plastic decoys in your pigeon shooting equipment and they can be used solely instead of using previous shot pigeons. It all comes down to personal preference and what's drawing the pigeons in on the day. You may choose to have anywhere between 6 to 12 or more plastic decoys which can be full bodied or half shell, the choice is yours. Both options can be found over on Amazon for the half shell https://amzn.to/3JSnNyn and full bodied https://amzn.to/3UREeRD.
Personally, we like to use a mixture of plastic full bodied and half shell decoys to begin the day with, generally because we always forget to get the previous shot pigeons out of the freezer! As the day progresses, we will either leave the plastic decoys out and add shot pigeons to the pattern, or we will replace the plastic decoys with shot pigeons, as freshly shot pigeons can make an enormous difference in drawing in more birds into shooting range.
Carry Bag
Pigeon decoying can often involve carrying your kit long distances to get to where you want to place your hide. During the summer when the crops are up or even in the winter when the fields can be wet, it's not always possible to get your vehicle to where you want to set up so it's always a good idea to have a large rucksack that you can carry with you. NITEHAWK, Jack Pyke and A1 Decoys all have suitable options that they sell on Amazon. NITEHAWK https://amzn.to/44APvcp A1 DECOYS https://amzn.to/4bcrzPb Jack Pyke https://amzn.to/3wkUYHO.
If the heavy duty design rucksack doesn't fit your personal requirements there are other options available. There are numerous products on the market with a simpler net design which are lighter than the rucksack style bags but not as durable. Something like these mesh decoy bags from Guguluza https://amzn.to/4dy1paZ or https://amzn.to/4dy1MlT.
Ear Defenders
Ear defenders are definitely going to be essential to your pigeon shooting equipment. If you've carried out your reconnaissance and the pigeons are decoying well, you could find yourself getting a lot of fast paced action! You may also be sharing your hide with a shooting buddy so you need to protect your hearing, as a day in the hide without them could potentially lead to long term hearing damage.
There are numerous ear defenders available ranging in price and style. Ultimately, the choice is yours but be aware that some of the cheaper options might not give you the level of protection you require. Some may choose to wear the foam push in ear buds as they are very inexpensive, however we would definitely not recommend these for pigeon decoying. A more suitable style of ear defenders for pigeon shooting would be the headband style defenders that offer a standard or electronic function. We personally prefer the electronic ear defenders which tend to be slightly more expensive but often provide a much higher level of protection with the added bonus of being able to have a conversation and communicate with others in the hide. You will find every option available over on Amazon such as these standard foldable Peltor Bulls eye ear defenders https://amzn.to/3UXMBdx, or if you would prefer to splash out on an electronic set of ear defenders, the 3M Peltor are a fantastic choice https://amzn.to/4bAhXNW. Peltor are a leading brand in ear defenders so they often come with a higher price tag, however, if your budget is a bit more limited there are other options available at a much more affordable price like these electronic ear defenders from ZOHAN https://amzn.to/4dPKtNB. Our last option are moulded ear defenders. Custom moulded earplugs from Decibullz have a protection rating of up to 166db and if you're not happy with them their customer guarantee programme promises a full refund on return https://amzn.to/3UWmN2x.
That more or less concludes our list of must haves for your choice of pigeon shooting equipment. With the items listed above, you will have the basic requirements needed for a successful day pigeon decoying. You may choose to head out with less equipment and utilise natural products that can be used in your environment, take the bare essentials or even improve your odds and take optional extras that can sometimes make a huge difference in the final bag at the end of the day.
Optional
There have been days where we have set out for a day decoying pigeons with nothing more than a handful of plastic decoys and a net and have been extremely successful, yet there have been other days where 'optional extras' have been needed to increase our chances of drawing in the pigeons to our pattern. Some of these extras will provide more movement to your static decoy pattern, which may or may not entice the pigeons to come within shooting range.
If you want to add movement to your pattern, there are numerous products available that will do so effectively such as bouncers, floaters, flappers and rotaries. You can either add plastic or shot birds to these devices and place them strategically within your pattern to add movement that the pigeons will hopefully be drawn to from distance. NITEHAWK have bouncers available over on their Amazon store that you can checkout here https://amzn.to/3wEEDgX. These can be used effectively to portray a hungry woodpigeon coming in to land on the crop.
We would highly recommend adding a flapper to your pigeon shooting equipment. They can provide excellent movement within your pattern which if set up correctly can be a real magnet for passing pigeons. Pigeons can however, sometimes, also be scared of the movement so it is vital that you observe the pigeons behaviour on the day and act accordingly. We have used the Turbo flapper from A1 Decoys Amazon store with the timer for many years now and it has been a very reliable piece of equipment with great customer service from A1 Decoys if you need any replacement parts https://amzn.to/3K0hSak.
Sometimes it can be a fiddly job to get your shot birds to look presentable in your pattern. You don't want to put off any incoming pigeons by having a bird in your pattern that has fallen on its side or upside down. We have found that these cradles from NITEHAWK https://amzn.to/3UBIcMT solve this problem perfectly and shot birds can be added to your pattern with ease, providing a well presented decoy.
We personally prefer to stand whilst in the pigeon hide, however it is not unknown to spend long periods of time in the hide decoying pigeons so it can be very welcoming to have the option of being able to take the weight off your feet with a hide chair. There are numerous products available on the market such as this TANGZON folding chair on Amazon https://amzn.to/3wwyd3t or if you'd prefer the option of being able to swivel on your chair whilst you shoot you could chose the Swivel Camo Seat from A1 Decoys https://amzn.to/3wxMD3q.
You may wish to go full hog and also add a pigeon rotary to your essential pigeon shooting equipment. A pigeon rotary will act in a similar way to a flapper in that it will provide movement within your pattern which could prove to be very effective at times. Again, there are multiple products available but it is always advisable to have the option of a remote control so that your rotary can be controlled from your hide. BushWear has a pigeon rotary available on their Amazon store here https://amzn.to/3JXTHtf.
Insurance
With recent changes to the general licences it is more important than ever to act within the law whilst decoying pigeons. Which is why Fieldsports Guardian has secured you a discount with the Country Cover Club that will provide you with adequate shooting insurance whilst out decoying pigeons. To get your discount code for shooting insurance in the UK emailed to you directly, all you have to do is SUBSCRIBE to the Fieldsports Guardian website completely FREE or head over to our previous blog post on shooting insurance in the UK HERE. But be quick, offer expires 31/10/2024. Your subscription will also automatically enter you into our FREE GIVEAWAY for one of our Crop Guardian pigeon decoying T-Shirts.
WIN YOUR FREE CROP GUARDIAN PIGEON DECOYING T-SHIRT HERE!
Did you know that Fieldsports Guardian currently has a FREE GIVEAWAY?
Head over to our Facebook page to be in with your chance at winning one of our Crop Guardian pigeon decoying T-Shirts HERE. Closing date: 8/6/2024.
As always we value your support here at Fieldsports Guardian. To help us continue to grow and bring you all the latest news, blogs and for exclusive access to future competitions, offers and giveaways, you can subscribe here completely FREE.
Comments