Pigeon decoying
Geoff Garrod rediscovers the joys of some useful aids to help him with his job
I’m a bit of a purist in the way I shoot and don’t use many gadgets when I’m out decoying. I know many of the flappers, whirlies and gizmos work very well, it’s just not my way of decoying.
Recently, however, I was offered some kit from a gamekeeping friend’s wife after he had died. It was sad looking through his kit, but his wife needed to tidy up and make space. She was keen for me to take all of it but that didn’t sit well with me and she wouldn’t accept any money. We finally agreed that I’d make a donation to the Heart Foundation charity and that seemed to suit everybody.
In among the kit was a set of lofting poles. Years ago I used to regularly use decoys, either hung from trees or on top of poles, but I got out of the habit. With a little modification – two pieces of stiff wire and some duct tape – I have made the poles both easy to use and, as they’re made of aluminium, they’re very light.
On top of the wire I put two full-bodied decoys. All I have to do is wedge the pole next to a hedge or against a tree to get the decoys into a visible place for the approaching birds to see.
They work very well and seem to help to increase the number of birds coming to my pattern. Even if it’s only another 5%, it’s worth the little effort of putting them up and on a big day that could be quite a few birds.
Focal point
If you think about it, we often set a hide up against a hedgerow or under a sittee tree. They are both good places to make a hide for concealment. I have shot thousands of birds sitting under the trees that I know are focal points for birds on the land I shoot; and I know every one of these trees well. Sittee trees are always busy spots for pigeon traffic and if you’re on one side of a hedge, birds passing behind the hedge sometimes won’t see your pattern laid out on the other side. Pigeons have very keen eyesight and can see birds that are sitting on top of hedges or up trees from a long way out. It’s very unlikely that they’ll decoy to the birds on the lofting poles, but they will certainly swing by
to see what they’re doing up that tree or hedge and then spot your decoy pattern as they fly by. Even if they decide not to drop into the pattern, you may get a shot as they inquisitively check out the situation and on some days, that’s the best you can hope for.
Another thing to think about when you’re out your decoying is the variety of poses that you set the decoys up in. Trying to get realism and a little movement in the wind will add to the overall effect and attract more birds. I have the Enforcer full-bodied decoys, and I like them. In the set I was given, they have some with their head up, like as you often see when a bird is moving around between feeding, and some with their head down as though they’re pecking at the ground.
They are a good starting point if you don’t have any dead birds to use as decoys. I always prefer to use dead birds when possible though and there are plenty of ways to position them to look realistic.
As a young man, we used to cut hazel sticks about six inches long and sharpen both ends. We used them to prop up some of the bird’s heads and others we would position them with their heads down and some with their wings curled as though they had just landed. This shows off the white wing bars really well. Now I have a set of wire cradles, which I find really effective too. There are three advantages to the cradles: they allow the wings to hang loose, which makes them move a little in the wind; you can adjust their height and ensure the birds are visible in low crops; they are lightweight, which, for obvious reasons, appeals to me.
Travel light
Bouncing poles of all lengths are yet another way of creating movement. I’m guessing you’ve all seen the bouncers in the shops that extend to about six feet in length. They’re great at suspending a dead bird with its wings outstretched and then moving in the wind. I have found that you can buy the cradle section of these bounces separately.
I’ve cut lengths of steel tube into shorter lengths and used the cradle section to hold birds just above a crop. I don’t recommend anybody shooting over standing crops, as picking up is impossible without causing as much damage as you’re saving. But having a decoy over the crop is highly visible and like the lofting poles, can attract birds that you then hope drop into your main decoy pattern away from or on the edge of the crop.
These light, cheap but effective techniques will help you get variety and movement into your pattern and that, along with reconnaissance, seems to get me by. Travelling light is always worth a thought and perhaps will get you a day’s decoying in places that you wouldn’t consider if you had to carry all of your kit, batteries and flappers? Why not give it a try? You may be surprised at how effective using only a small amount of equipment can be.