Taken from the mast, a pigeon comes straight in to the decoys.
Had an interesting time this weekend trying out the new stand or mast for the grouse season. The theory is to get above the butts and take some unique shots looking down on the butts and the action. My concern is that it will be difficult to see the grouse on the background of the moor but the view from above could be wonderful with the heather in bloom. The shots will certainly be unique.
Also from the mast, a longer bird to the left.
I tried the mast out while pigeon shooting this weekend. It can go up to 21 ft above the ground and comes with all sorts of viewing technology once the camera is up there. So far, I have found that carrying all the extra equipment is too much of a pain compared with a little trial and error test shots. It is however a little tiring on the arms hoisting the mast up and down. The key is to set the focus correctly and get the exact view you want. It takes about five or six up and downs to get it right but the results are pretty cool. It was windy over the weekend but we had a wood to our back so that did not impact moving the camera too much. I have yet to try it on a proper moorland wind. I will need good light to maintain a decent shutter speed.
Taken from the mast as a tripod, a bird flares to the sight of the hide.
I take the pictures using a remote system with a trigger so I can shoot 5 or 10 frames a second depending on the camera I am using. You can also just use the stand as a basic tripod as I did with some of these shots. The dog shots are just taken handheld.
Pigeon shooting is great for training young dogs.
Using experienced dogs to show the young the way!
The vehicle and its equipment with full team!
Granny, mother and daughter…ready to go.
Some more practice and fine tuning before August is in order but the indications are good. I just need to make sure I can get the mast stable on the moor and hope the grouse are not spooked by the stand. It is matt black so should be fine but only experience will tell.
Picking up, taken from the mast.