Dogless in the hide

Q) Andy Crow always say to make sure you have a dog when pigeon shooting, but that is not possible for me because of work and where I live. Does that mean I shouldn’t be pigeon shooting?

A) ANDY CROW replies: Having a dog is a real asset – great company in the hide, the pleasure of working your own gundog and most importantly of all, it means you can pick up wounded birds for humane despatch and won’t lose long droppers in heavy cover or standing crop.

Of course, it isn’t possible for everyone to keep a dog. If you can’t, and your shooting buddies don’t either, I would recommend you give plenty of thought to where you shoot. Standing crops in the immediate area should be avoided – even if you mark the birds down, you’ll damage the crops searching. And try to minimise the risk of a wounded bird by limiting your range.