Particularly beatiful to see and unmistakable because of its call, the lapwing is a really coveted prey by Italian hunters. Boasting a black plumage with blue, white and ash hues, it stands out for being a shrewd as well as a really cunning but wary wildflow, what makes the latter hard to be captured.
Stalking is the typical hunting for this species. However be careful: the first secret for succeeding is that the blind should not draw the attention of the lapwing or of the relevant flying flock. So try to modify the natural environment as little as possible! As mentioned above it is a very sagacious and sly animal: just an unusual signal, be it visual or audible and lapwings will change their direction of flight moving away from your field of vision at once. Avail yourself of moulds and carousels where straw stuffed lapwings are kept in place on cradles as decoy birds.
Decide since the very beginning whether to shoot the prey as it flies or at rest. There is no standard approach, it depends on your attitude and your skills. A missed shot would first of all cause them to escape, along with subsequent movements, which are certainly pleasant to observe... but suitable to make recovering really complicated.
A useful support can be achieved through the choice of the shotgun and the choke. According to the table below, we recommend that you use your favourite gauge such as the 12 or 20 one, whose magnum versions prove really effective. Another option consists in the use of shot shell loads of 32 or 34 grams with *** or ** choke tubes for self-loading as well as *** or * ones for over and under or side-by-side shotguns. If you resort to the mould decoy effect, we suggest using 6 lead shot ammunition, ideal for wary wildflow, to shoot lapwings.
| Hunting technique | Gauge | Barrel length | Self-loading shotgun | Over and under / Side-by-side shotgun | Shotshell G. | Lead shots Nr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stalking | 12 | 66 / 71 | *** / ** | *** / * | 32 / 34 | 8 / 7 / 6 |
| Stalking | 20 | 66 / 71 | *** / ** | *** / * | 28 | 8 7 / 6 |
Hence patience, experience, skills and suited equipment are essential as for lapwing hunting. It is challenging as well as captivating, that is probably the reason why it is so widely appreciated and practiced!
You have found our advice useful and are sure that you will put what you have learned into practice on your next hunting trip? Browse beyond this article! Learn how to properly use a choke and all the guides provided by Gemini , drawn up with the help of specialists, for hunting and shooting enthusiasts like you.
Our thanks go to Professor Simone Bertini and Diego Apostoli for their availability and the precious time they devoted to us for the drafting of these guides.