gjduk posted on November 01, 2008 22:48
Magpies are one of those birds which seems to know exactly when to take off, and that is when you are just just pulling the trigger, even more so than other corvids). It is no good hoping that you will be able to creep up on a magpie, or happen across one on one of yours walks around your shoot. The are always on the alert and because of this you have to employ some tactics, and these will more than likely include a hide or a hiding place.
Along with hiding, you will probably need to use some bait or decoys to attract the maggies into range, along with something to make a suitable noise like a film canister with some bits in (small nuts and bolts etc.). Some of the good decoys to use are little owls, and some larger owls. The best place to position your decoys is off the ground on the top of fence posts, this will help with visibility. Another good thing to have is once you have a magpie, hang it with the wings open on the fence where the decoys are and you will more than likely see a few more turn up.
When trying out different techniques, try a different one each time, and not all at once, and always have a play around with different techniques to find out what might work for you.
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