The importance of a tree to a successful day’s shooting
By Adam Hart.
SOMETIMES in pigeon shooting a well-positioned tree can make or break a day. The appeal of shaded branches and leafy safety can be a major draw for pigeons, particularly if they aren’t overly keen on feeding on a field yet and just fancy perching instead. In hot weather a good ‘sitty tree’ becomes even more valuable.
The recent heatwave in Britain had us all scrambling for shade, pigeons included. It would have been unbearable to sit in an exposed hide and unfair on any dog. Which is why when my dad pulled into the gateway of our chosen field for a day on the pigeons, we decided a hide underneath the field’s only tree was imperative. It was 10.30am and already the car’s thermostat was creeping above 30°C.
We sat and surveyed the field from the comfort of the air-conditioned vehicle. A small patch of barley stubble sat in front of us sloping up the hill, lines of straw baking in the heat.
