OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask here...

I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get an 
opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  Whilst my 
hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% (skeet), and on 
pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough shooting hitrate on 
pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.

What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is purely 
walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just shoot are too 
long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than they look?  Are my 7.5 
shot too small?

Any pointers gratefully received.

DC

Hello David,
You'll probably find some good tips on pigeon shooting using the weblinks on 
my wildfowling website. Try this page
http://www.kwacs.freeserve.co.uk/Links.htm
Regards
Dave

"David Christensen"  wrote in message 
news:memo.20050508184845.2444A@dchristensen.compulink.co.uk...

> OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask here...
>
> I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get an
> opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  Whilst my
> hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% (skeet), and on
> pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough shooting hitrate on
> pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.
>
> What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is purely
> walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just shoot are too
> long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than they look?  Are my 7.5
> shot too small?
>
> Any pointers gratefully received.
>
> DC 

David Christensen wrote:

> OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask here...
> 
> I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get an 
> opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  Whilst my 
> hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% (skeet), and on 
> pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough shooting hitrate on 
> pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.
> 
> What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is purely 
> walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just shoot are too 
> long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than they look?  Are my 7.5 
> shot too small?
> 
> Any pointers gratefully received.
> 
> DC


One old boy, once told me that 'shooting pigeons should only be done 
once the bird has passed and only during the harvest when the bird is 
fat and slow, this is because their feathers act like shields and what 
the gun needs to do, is to shoot under the birds feathers to stand any 
real chance of killing it'.

I have since killed many woodies, in all sorts of different positions, 
angles, conditions and times of the year but never the less, it goes to 
prove how challenging this quarry species can be.


Try 6 shot and try to keep things close.

I've clocked pigeons flying at 60 mph!

One last thing, I have watched pigeons fall out of the sky some 400 yds 
down the field after being shot at ranges as close as 20 yds.

HTH

John

In article , 
john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com (John) wrote:


> *From:* John <john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com>
> *Date:* Sun, 08 May 2005 22:27:49 +0100
> 
> David Christensen wrote:
> > OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask here...
> > 
> > I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get 
> > an opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  
> > Whilst my hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% 
> > (skeet), and on pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough 
> > shooting hitrate on pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.
> > 
> > What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is 
> > purely walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just 
> > shoot are too long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than they 
> > look?  Are my 7.5 shot too small?
> > 
> > Any pointers gratefully received.
> > 
> > DC
> 
> One old boy, once told me that 'shooting pigeons should only be done 
> once the bird has passed and only during the harvest when the bird is 
> fat and slow, this is because their feathers act like shields and what 
> the gun needs to do, is to shoot under the birds feathers to stand any 
> real chance of killing it'.
> 
> I have since killed many woodies, in all sorts of different positions, 
> angles, conditions and times of the year but never the less, it goes to 
> prove how challenging this quarry species can be.
> 
> 
> Try 6 shot and try to keep things close.

Thanks for all the comments.
When you say "close" - how close?

DC

In article <d5lsqr$5jj$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>, 
deecee@theflykwacs.freeserve.co.uk (Dave) wrote:


> *From:* "Dave" 
> *Date:* Sun, 8 May 2005 21:30:04 +0100
> 
> Hello David,
> You'll probably find some good tips on pigeon shooting using the 
> weblinks on my wildfowling website. Try this page
> http://www.kwacs.freeserve.co.uk/Links.htm
> Regards
> Dave
> 
> "David Christensen"  wrote in message 
> news:memo.20050508184845.2444A@dchristensen.compulink.co.uk...
> > OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask here...
> >
> > I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get an
> > opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  Whilst 
> > my
> > hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% (skeet), and on
> > pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough shooting hitrate on
> > pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.
> >
> > What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is 
> > purely
> > walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just shoot are 
> > too
> > long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than they look?  Are my 
> > 7.5
> > shot too small?
> >
> > Any pointers gratefully received.
> >
> > DC 
> 
> 
> 

Thanks, I'll give it a look.

DC

David Christensen wrote:

> In article , 
> john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com (John) wrote:
> 
> 
>>*From:* John <john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com>
>>*Date:* Sun, 08 May 2005 22:27:49 +0100
>>
>>David Christensen wrote:
>>
>>>OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask here...
>>>
>>>I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get 
>>>an opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  
>>>Whilst my hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% 
>>>(skeet), and on pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough 
>>>shooting hitrate on pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.
>>>
>>>What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is 
>>>purely walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just 
>>>shoot are too long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than they 
>>>look?  Are my 7.5 shot too small?
>>>
>>>Any pointers gratefully received.
>>>
>>>DC
>>
>>One old boy, once told me that 'shooting pigeons should only be done 
>>once the bird has passed and only during the harvest when the bird is 
>>fat and slow, this is because their feathers act like shields and what 
>>the gun needs to do, is to shoot under the birds feathers to stand any 
>>real chance of killing it'.
>>
>>I have since killed many woodies, in all sorts of different positions, 
>>angles, conditions and times of the year but never the less, it goes to 
>>prove how challenging this quarry species can be.
>>
>>
>>Try 6 shot and try to keep things close.
> 
> Thanks for all the comments.
> When you say "close" - how close?
> 
> DC


When I decoy, I normally get the "kill zone" well with-in 25 yds. For on 
the 'wing', I'd pass up anything over 30 yds if I was looking for a 90% 
kill rate. As the old saying goes.... If you can get closer, get closer 
and.......

John

In article , 
john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com (John) wrote:


> *From:* John <john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com>
> *Date:* Mon, 09 May 2005 18:59:35 +0100
> 
> David Christensen wrote:
> > In article , 
> > john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com (John) wrote:
> > 
> > 
> >>*From:* John <john.p.young*removethislittlebit*@ntlworld.com>
> >>*Date:* Sun, 08 May 2005 22:27:49 +0100
> >>
> >>David Christensen wrote:
> >>
> >>>OK, I know they're not technically game, but I thought I'd ask 
> here...
> >>>
> >>>I've shot thousands of clays, and tens of game.  Occasionally I get 
> >>>an opportunity to do a walkabout rough shoot on a friend's land.  
> >>>Whilst my hit rate with clays is around 75% (sporting) to 95% 
> >>>(skeet), and on pheasants/partridge was around 15-20%, my rough 
> >>>shooting hitrate on pigeons is near enough as dammit 0%.
> >>>
> >>>What is it that is deceptive about rough shooting pigeons?  This is 
> >>>purely walkabout stuff, no hides and decoys.  Do most novices just 
> >>>shoot are too long a range?  Are pigeons flying much faster than 
> they >>>look?  Are my 7.5 shot too small?
> >>>
> >>>Any pointers gratefully received.
> >>>
> >>>DC
> >>
> >>One old boy, once told me that 'shooting pigeons should only be done 
> >>once the bird has passed and only during the harvest when the bird is 
> >>fat and slow, this is because their feathers act like shields and 
> what >>the gun needs to do, is to shoot under the birds feathers to 
> stand any >>real chance of killing it'.
> >>
> >>I have since killed many woodies, in all sorts of different 
> positions, >>angles, conditions and times of the year but never the 
> less, it goes to >>prove how challenging this quarry species can be.
> >>
> >>
> >>Try 6 shot and try to keep things close.
> > 
> > Thanks for all the comments.
> > When you say "close" - how close?
> > 
> > DC
> 
> When I decoy, I normally get the "kill zone" well with-in 25 yds. For 
> on the 'wing', I'd pass up anything over 30 yds if I was looking for a 
> 90% kill rate. As the old saying goes.... If you can get closer, get 
> closer and.......
> 
> John
> 

OK, thanks.  I guess I've been lucky with my two kills to date - one a 65 
yard kill with 7 shot (one pellet, just behind the eye, one in the breast; 
very tasty and less to pick out of your fillings :) ), one a high overhead 
that I didn't get a chance to look at (it was on a game shoot, I saw it 
fall, as did others, but at pickup there were just feathers left; some 
very *very* cunning fox was obviously hanging round the back!) - have 
obviously left me over-optimistic about kill ranges.  The complete lack of 
other kills supports this theory I guess.

DC