How to set up a bale hide for pigeon shooting

Shooting over stubble probably offers the best opportunity to maximise your hide position. Bale hides are the ultimate pigeon shooting hide to shoot from and work over every stubble. In an ideal world I would shoot every stubble from a bale hide as I am right in the middle of the action, but this is easier said than done.

Barley and wheat straw is normally bailed in large round bales or Heston bales and taken off the field very quickly. But if the opportunity comes to shoot from a bale hide, go for it.

How to set up a bale hide

In the video Tom Payne explains how he uses 23 bales of hay and barley straw to construct his bale hide.

For the base he uses 6 small bales, the heavier the better, in order to construct a good solid base. Any lighter ones should be placed at the middle section of the hide and the heaviest on the top to make a good strong bale hide.

To finish off the bale hide, lay the last bale either end on or flat. Tom says it is a personal choice how you choose to lay the last bale in order to create a window for shooting.

And finally always put safety first and place your butt sticks at a correct angle on the hide, placing them further forward is always safer.

Watch Tom Payne’s video for a clear step-by-step guide on how to set up a bale hide to ensure that you are in the best position to shoot plenty of pigeons.

Plus, read more about Tom Payne’s tips for shooting pigeons during harvest time in the 3rd August issue of Shooting Times.