Does no-one build their pigeon shooting hide anymore?

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By Peter Theobald

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Every time I open the magazine I come across one pigeon shooting advert after another selling camo netting of every colour and description.

For heaven’s sake, whatever happened to the art of building our own hide from what was available in the hedgerow? I don’t use netting, never have done... and I shoot my share of the birds.

Are we in danger of losing the art of fieldcraft?

PIGEON SHOOTING
Peter Theobald
I used to be a firm fan of natural hides, not even owning a camo net, but as I’ve got older, and lazier, I find I seldom build natural hides at all.

Admittedly, it is the lightweight nature of modern nets that converted me, but even now I will usually weave some natural material into it, to really blend it into the background.

Add to this the lightness of hide poles these days, and I can make a net hide and be installed, ready to start shooting within five minutes.

How many times have you chosen your spot, only to find the nearest hide making materials are 100 yards away or you have to set up against a pole in the middle of the field?

And it’s far easier to move position with a net if the wind direction/flightline changes than it is to build another natural hide.

Whichever way you look at it, I’m afraid camo nets come up trumps every time.