When I acquired my first shotgun, aged 14, I became obsessed with the pursuit of the few woodies that lived on our farm on Canvey Island. Though the farm was mainly arable, it was rare to see populations of more than 20 to 30 birds. My tactics, therefore, usually consisted…
Pigeon Shooting
Why the wood pigeon is so successful
About wood pigeon You may think that you are hearing pigeons heating up for the breeding season in April and May, seeing lots of wing-clapping display flights and hearing lots of their distinctive “don’t scold so, Susie” cooing. However perhaps the first thing about wood pigeon that will surprise you…
Testing steel cartridges during roost shooting
I’m still having pigeon problems on the two rape fields on the estate. The gas guns and flags aren’t working any more, so the damage continues. At least I found where they are roosting and so decided to have a third go at thinning out the flock. One evening in…
A guide to improving decoy patterns
We’ve all been there. Our days of reconnaissance have suggested a field will produce a bumper bag. We constructed the ‘perfect’ hide and the decoys are out, and we await what will be the first of many arrivals. What could go wrong? Within minutes, the first pigeon appears on the…
How to get permission for pigeon shooting
Permission for pigeon shooting can be hard to get. Think about it from the farmer’s point of view. He or she needs to have complete confidence in the person asking and won’t give a permission to shoot their land to anybody they don’t know reasonably well. (You could also consider…
Hanging woodpigeon – how to handle the birds after you’ve shot them
Hanging woodpigeon Eating woodpigeon you’ve shot yourself is wonderfully satisfying but keeping them in the best condition before cooking is key. Once pigeons have been successfully shot and picked-up, they must be treated with respect; they are a food source and should be handled as such. (Find our pigeon recipes…
Roost shooting advice from Geoff Garrod
I reckon that roost shooting is the best sport. But we always have to remember why we’re out there with our gun – it’s crop protection, just not at the ‘scene of the crime’. My first trip out roost shooting this year was a good case in point. On the…
Pigeon shooting day – tips from Geoff Garrod on how to prepare
The adage has it that “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. It’s certainly true when it comes to a pigeon shooting day decoying woodpigeons. I’ve always emphasised the importance of doing reconnaissance, but all of that effort can easily be wasted if you don’t turn up prepared for the…
Tricky pigeon shooting shots: Geoff Garrod explains how to deal with them
I am frequently asked about how to deal with certain tricky pigeon shooting shots that decoyers find difficult. There are some types of shot that always come up and the answer is not straightforward, as local conditions and the situation of your hide can vary on any given day. Many…
Pigeon types: how to tell them apart
One thing I’m always asked about on social media is identifying pigeon types. If you’ve been shooting wood pigeons for a while, you’ll soon get your eye in and picking out woodies from other pigeon species will become second nature, even if they arrive in a mixed flock. You rarely…
What’s the law on pigeon shooting? You can’t just go and shoot them – you need to know where, why and what
I will always remember my first pigeon. I was standing under the old oak in the middle of the farm with my father. It was a left-to-right crosser and I wandered home whereupon my mother cooked it for my tea. It was a long time ago in so many ways.…
Best steel shot for pigeon shooting: what’s recommended?
Some of the most highly experienced pigeon Shots I know of were discussing their preferred steel shot for pigeon shooting loads and their opinions blew holes in some of the received wisdom that we have in the public domain. There was no mention of bismuth nor any of the derivatives…
Archie Coats’ pigeon shooting: what has changed since his heyday?
As I turned the pages of Pigeon Shooting by Archie Coats, I came across the phrase ‘rabbit clearance society pigeon poking programme’ — quite a mouthful and certainly something you wouldn’t hear in the 21st century. However, it got me thinking about how things have changed for the modern Gun.…
Pigeon shooting accessories – Geoff Garrod on what you really need
Having a lot of pigeon shooting accessories isn’t for me. It might be what some pigeon shooters want but I’d rather depend on the 40 years of fieldcraft and knowledge that I’ve built up. And if I do have kit, I prefer the simple. Essential pigeon shooting accessories First off,…
Spring drillings and pigeons
Pigeon shooting on spring drillings makes a big difference from shooting over winter crops. In the colder months you have to compete with chilly weather and the scarers set up by the local farmer. Pigeon decoying should become easier from the spring drillings onwards and can be your first opportunity…
Partridge-like and high crossers
The pigeon have abandoned my favourite pigeon roost shooting wood of 10 years. Looking back through my records, 40 to 60 birds on an evening outing was not unusual. And one memorable afternoon, in what were perfect wind conditions, several trips were needed to ferry 93 back to the car.…
It’s not the classic time for pigeon roosting but …
’Many of you reading this will be thinking, why is there a pigeon roosting article at this time of year? Has Shooting Times bucked the usual trend of pigeon shooting specials in February, the classic pigeon month when traditionally we can use all three methods of pigeon management — roosting,…
How pigeon feeding habits change with the seasons
Wood pigeon feeding habits We should have a mental picture of the different crops grown on our pigeon shooting permissions. But at what time of the year should we be checking them? Woodies are catholic in their choice of food, which is just as well as it is not all…
How to use a hide for pigeon shooting
Almost all of us, at some point over the course of a season, will end up shooting from a hide of some sort, be it a duck hide, grouse butt or, if you’re lucky, a dove blind. Each quarry species requires differing skills but the principles of shooting from a…