Decoy tips for airgunning

I am planning to use my air rifle to deal with some cagey crows and rooks that have learned to steer clear of my shotgun — one bang and they refuse to come back within range. Would you recommend using shot birds on bouncers as part of my decoy pattern, or are they not appropriate for airgun shooting?

Decoys that move can be problematic when using an air rifle. This is because the movement can spook birds and cause them to fly away as they are about to land, or very soon after.

It is not a problem when using a shotgun to shoot them on the wing, but can be frustrating when using an air rifle because you need birds to land and offer a static target.

That said, a bit of movement definitely attracts corvids from a greater distance and I do use bouncers and flappers, too, when I think I can get away with it.

The best option is to set up close to a sitty tree that offers clear shots at perched birds. With a flapper or bouncer decoy operating below, corvids can usually be persuaded to pitch into the boughs to get a closer look from what they believe to be a safe vantage point.

If there isn’t a sitty tree in the right place and you need birds to pitch on the ground, then setting up a bouncer or flapper fairly close to your hide (say 20 metres) and some static decoys at 25 metres or 30 metres can work. More often than not, incoming birds will pitch just beyond the static decoys and far enough away not to be alarmed by the bouncer or flapper. MM

Using moving decoys when shooting with an air rifle needs careful planning as birds can be spooked