The art of the ambush

Be it duck or pigeon, learning to use a hide is vital, says Tom Payne

- Tom Payne

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 hide, or something like it, are the same. Anyone who has mastered the art of shooting from a pigeon hide will find they are capable of taking on duck as they whiffle into a pond. Equally, anyone who is a dab hand at taking on teal shouldn’t feel too out of their depth on a driven grouse moor. I will focus here, however, on the pigeon hide.

Hide set-up

Many shooters cause themselves problems when shooting from a hide purely because the hide set-up is wrong. If this happens, it can actually end up being a hindrance as opposed to an advantage.

The height of a hide is important. You need to be able to move your gun comfortably and freely. Setting the front of the hide four inches below the top of your shoulder should allow for comfortable movement.

I use between five and eight poles and multiple nets to provide a goodsized, natural and strong hide. I don’t go over the top space but I like to be able to move comfortably and, most importantly, be able to move my feet.

Natural hide

Natural hides are great and if built correctly into a hedge (with permission from the landowner) they are tricky to beat with regards to blending in. Again, height is important and by not going too heavy on foliage you will still have the visibility you require to see approaching traffic, which will allow you to shoot to the best of your ability. A natural hide in the winter does need an extra bit of netting/leylandii branches, or similar, to help with cover as there is no foliage on the leaves.