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| HIDE BUILDING The basics
It is of utmost importance to construct a good hide. It must look natural, be roomy enough to be comfortable and must blend in with its surroundings. On arrival it is important to spend time deciding where to situate the hide as it is a slow arduous task to have to take down a hide, move it and then re-erect it in another corner of the field.
Prior to erecting the hide consideration should be given to:
Hides built beside a hedge blend in well and are practically invisible when constructed properly. In order to achieve this we have found the use of two camouflage nets in a woodland pattern, one behind the other works best. The area inside, and to the back of the hide needs to be cleared of nettles, thorns, obstructions, etc. which can catch in clothing or sting / pinch, trip, etc. leading to an uncomfortable days shooting. Viewing holes ( letterboxes) can be cut in the hide to aid viewing the pattern and surroundings. (If cutting viewing holes in the net cut three sides of a rectangle and then fold back and tie. The net can then be easily repaired, in the future, if viewing holes need to be moved / closed). One is less noticeable to incoming birds when looking through the hide rather than over it, as movement, such as the bobbing of a head searching the skies, can attract the birds attention. When constructing a hide by a hedge enter the hide from the side, thereby leaving vegetation standing undisturbed in front of the hide which adds to the camouflage and aids concealment.
As there are always two of us in the hide we construct a rather large hide (approx. 4 metres long) to accommodate two shooters plus two dogs.
The hide we use is constructed using eight adjustable poles - four at the front and four at the back. In windy weather it is advisable to weave the poles through the net to stop it blowing about. Metal pegs, like those used to hold down a tent are also useful to secure the bottom of the net. The reason for the two centre poles at the front and back is we can drape a net across the centre of the hide to divide it in two. We can also tie a small net onto these poles, acting as a roof in the centre of the hide, which gives good cover over the centre of the hide plus allows a shooting area directly overhead. This, we discovered greatly aids concealment in a large hide, especially from crows. We found that some crows, acting as look - outs, particularly if they have previously been decoyed, follow the hedge when coming in to the decoys, to 'check out' the area. If high in the sky on approach they were at the perfect angle to see into the hide. The centre net and partial roof avoids this dilemma no matter which side the crows approach from.
When the hide is constructed it is important to incorporate local natural vegetation into the netting of the hide to camouflage it and help it blend in with the immediate environment. Clumps of dead grass, or any other vegetation which is in the immediate vicinity of the hide, can be woven in along the top and sides of the hide to eliminate the straight line the net forms. If the hedge behind the hide is sparse it is important to erect a backdrop net to avoid your silhouette being visible to incoming birds. The complete hide must blend in with the hedge and not be obtrusive, see through or attract attention. It should be practically invisible to incoming birds.
When the construction is complete you should stand back from the hide casting a critical eye over the complete set-up, adjusting and correcting areas until the hide appears to be part of the hedge itself. The hide, when viewed from the area where the decoy pattern will be placed should blend in with the rest of the hedge. Time spent on this exercise will pay dividends through the day.
A new type of hide is now available on the market. It is a fully assembled, pop - up, fold - down hide called the 'Dog House' or the larger version, 'The Hay House'. We have never used these so cannot comment on their practicality or effectiveness. Although expensive (approx. €230 + p.& p.) they look impressive and may suit some circumstances, especially the one man outfit who has to travel some distance. I wonder if they feel somewhat claustrophobic inside - must wait to read some reviews before considering purchasing one.
The Dog House
The Hay House
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