A pigeon for all seasons

Paying attention to the weather is one of the most effective ways to ensure successful woodie control all year round

- Tom Payne

The fascination, obsession and reward pigeon shooting gives the countryman is unrivalled, I believe. I have a good friend who speaks of the elusive silver salmon in the same way, but he has gillie-like skills. I’m a seriously passionate grouse shot, but the way I look at it is that it’s the gamekeeper who is the skilled one; he is the one who understands the birds’ behaviour, needs and habitat. This is how I think of myself with pigeons.

Am I the gamekeeper of the woodpigeon? I suppose, in a way, I am. I understand their habitat, behaviour, food sources, problems and breeding habits, and I control their numbers for crop protection too. But whether you are fishing for salmon, walking up grouse or roosting pigeon, each requires a common aspect — fieldcraft. We pigeon shooters know all too well the importance of your reconnaissance and the conditions you choose to shoot in.

I’m often asked about ideal weather conditions, and almost every enthusiastic pigeon shooter will look at me and say, “Cloudy, overcast and really windy, that’s what you need.” 

Although this is correct to a certain degree, it’s a little more technical than that. The ideal conditions you shoot in will vary depending on the time of year and the crop. So, let’s begin with the seasons.

As the clocks go back, marking the beginning of spring, pigeon shooters can expect flocks to start breaking up. The birds start forming what I call ‘small squadrons’. For early spring drill, if you can get a nice sunny day with light cloud, your decoys really stand out. A light breeze of around 10 to 12mph is perfect for controlling the birds to their chosen field. Those are blissful spring drilling conditions.