andy911 Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hi All, A supply of steel shot Pigeons unrgently wanted to feed my Falcons. I am based near Luton and will pay 50p per bird. They must be steel shot as Lead could kill my birds.... Please PM me if you can help. Many thanks Rgds Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 am curious on this one would anyone bother to use steel shot on pigeons, as thought it was more expensive than lead be interesting to see replies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooky Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 i cant see anyone using steel for pigeons might be best to shoot your own with an air rifle or pay the price that having birds comes with and buy meat thats good enough people know the price to keep such animals and im sorry if this is wrong but if you cant afford it dont get into it maybe asking for head shot rabbits might be a better option ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 (edited) am curious on this one would anyone bother to use steel shot on pigeons, as thought it was more expensive than lead be interesting to see replies I used steel Gamebore (no4s / 32gram) on pigeons today... Only got 5 woodies, but the local Raptor centre was pleased to get them Lead shot birds are a no-no for obvious reasons. Edited March 8, 2011 by humperdingle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richg Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Iv'e been shooting Gamebore steel for decoying for over two years now. Why? 50p each, Frozen, collected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy911 Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) i cant see anyone using steel for pigeons might be best to shoot your own with an air rifle or pay the price that having birds comes with and buy meat thats good enough people know the price to keep such animals and im sorry if this is wrong but if you cant afford it dont get into it maybe asking for head shot rabbits might be a better option ?? Cooky, what an extremely disappointing reply! Unfortunately a typical forum 'assumption' by someone who doesn't know the facts. For your information I have been keeping/breeding Birds of prey (properly) over 30 years and pay for the best food available. Unfortunately the quality of the food that you can buy (particularly Quail) seems to be declining so I am looking for Pigeons as a suppliment/replacement for them. I put 'Urgent' to try and get a response - not because I can't afford the food or am running out! I wasn't expecting a response like this though. I have an air rifle but dont get the volume I need and Rabbits are rubbish food for the species of birds I keep. Thanks Cooky...... Edited March 9, 2011 by andy911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy911 Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) am curious on this one would anyone bother to use steel shot on pigeons, as thought it was more expensive than lead be interesting to see replies True they wouldn't bother with Steel normally but if you can sell your birds for 50p and a box of Express 'Hunting Steel' only costs a fiver it may look attractive for someone. Cheers Andy Edited March 9, 2011 by andy911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 True they wouldn't bother with Steel normally but if you can sell your birds for 50p and a box of Express 'Hunting Steel' only costs a fiver it may look attractive for someone. Cheers Andy I wasent sure on steel prices thats a great idea, if your a good shot, but my shot ratio on pigeon would be 3 to 1 on a good day thus 8 birds to a box, 8 @50p = £4, would end up really outta pocket now, although we all know woodies are nice, could/would you feed the BOP's on feral pigeon, ok, they are still shot with an air rifle lead pellet, but normally head shot, and/or easier the find and dig pellet out, although most times, pellet is in and out I ask, as being a pestie for london underground, we sometimes have pigeons culls in the tunnels at favorite roosting spots, on a good night we could clear anything from 30 - 100 ferals, which just go into an incinarator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooky Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sorry Andy all that came out the wrong way :blush: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy911 Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I wasent sure on steel prices thats a great idea, if your a good shot, but my shot ratio on pigeon would be 3 to 1 on a good day thus 8 birds to a box, 8 @50p = £4, would end up really outta pocket now, although we all know woodies are nice, could/would you feed the BOP's on feral pigeon, ok, they are still shot with an air rifle lead pellet, but normally head shot, and/or easier the find and dig pellet out, although most times, pellet is in and out I ask, as being a pestie for london underground, we sometimes have pigeons culls in the tunnels at favorite roosting spots, on a good night we could clear anything from 30 - 100 ferals, which just go into an incinarator Hi Stubby, Thanks for the reply. I was thinking that it would be attractive for someone who shoots them and just disposes of them. At least selling them to me they would get some return. Yes Ferals head shot would be ideal - I would be very interested in them if you get any! Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hi Stubby, Yes Ferals head shot would be ideal - I would be very interested in them if you get any! Cheers Andy ok, might be easiest if you pm me ya mobile number, next time we have a big shoot on the cards Ill text ya, and maybe we can sort out collection/delivery, did you say your in luton? depending what way I drive out of london back to essex (depending on station location) sometimes Im over rickmansworth,boreham wood sort of areas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Steel shot is often cheaper than lead. It's the Bismuth and Hevi-shot brands that seem awfully expensive. Gamebore Supersteel do just fine on pigeons as long as the range is kept sensible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tignme Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 have been using Mirage 28 gram no 7s in steel for two yrs now,no problem on rangy birds using half choke,1354 woodies last year to two guns.Same shell for rabbits , crows and ferals.2009 same shells used on teal at 30 plus yds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falco Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Hi Stubby, Thanks for the reply. I was thinking that it would be attractive for someone who shoots them and just disposes of them. At least selling them to me they would get some return. Yes Ferals head shot would be ideal - I would be very interested in them if you get any! Cheers Andy Andy, I wouldn't use any pigeon that's come out of a city, they carry more disease than rats. Stick with woodies that have been feeding on farmland, not 100% safe because there's always the chance they've been peppered with lead but a lot safer than ferals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retromlc Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Shame as I have a load of steel shot I bought for shooting Ducks,but have better things to do than sit in those conditions,if you were local I'd use them up on pigeons,and you could have the birds for free,I just love shooting them and give most of my shot birds to my m8's anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy911 Posted March 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Andy, I wouldn't use any pigeon that's come out of a city, they carry more disease than rats. Stick with woodies that have been feeding on farmland, not 100% safe because there's always the chance they've been peppered with lead but a lot safer than ferals. I always freeze the birds for a couple of weeks. What diseases are you thinking of and would they be destroyed by freezing? Yes I know there is always the chance of them already having been shot at but overall I still think they are excellent food. Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falco Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 I always freeze the birds for a couple of weeks. What diseases are you thinking of and would they be destroyed by freezing? Yes I know there is always the chance of them already having been shot at but overall I still think they are excellent food. Cheers Andy It's not just disease, those scabby things can be full of all sorts of toxins, not worth the risk ! Might be worth putting a card up in your local gunshop for steel shot woodies ! Cheers Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts