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Where to shoot a pigeon ?


dan-250
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Hi there guys been out with my air rifle today. I always generally aim an shoot at the head of the pigeon but is that really the best place ? Here goes I've had 4 today, and all flapped and thrashed about, tested my gun (aas410 classic) it's running 11.6 with Aa fields. Inspected the birds all good head shots from only about 20yrds so in plenty of range, 1 even went in 1 side of the head and out through just behind it's eye yet still a flapper. They just never seem to drop on the spot ! What am I doing wrong ? Or is there a better spot to shoot them ? Or are they dead and just nerves ? I don't like to have to give them a second shot or have to run over to them. Just want a nice clean kill no flapping no hassle. Cheers for any info dan

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They will be dead alrite, i have had a few do some pretty impressive moves once they have had half there head removed. Usually do a backwards cartwheel lol

 

at the longer ranges i go for chest shots, drops them stop dead everytime.

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Hi Dan, you're obviously a good shot, hitting the head of a pigeon consistantly like that :good:

I'd suggest just aim slightly lower, at the neck. This drops them without all the flapping you get from a headshot, which is quite usual. I've had them fly some distance with headshots, .177 and .22 sub 12fpe.

Anywhere between the head and crop is a good aim point :yes:

 

atb

 

Chris

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It`s a nerve reflex thing, there will still be residual nerve impulses flying about the bird and these just make the bird lose control so to speak. Even if you used a FAC rifle you get the same thing whether it be with birds or rabbits.

I get the same thing when out shooting rabbits with a .17hmr, you know you hit them in the head but they still thrash about, un-nerving i know but not alot can be done about it, it`s good that you were willing to ask the question on here just to be sure and get the blanks filled in.

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sounds like ur a good shot and i would not change ur stratergy! head shot r always the best!! wot ur experiencing is called the annimation, although the animal has been killed the prob is that the pellet has severed the nerves causing the brain to send out all different instructions to the body ie flap ur wings and kick ur legs! this is a sign of a good shot m8! :good::shoot:

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I'll stick with what I am doing then, it's just when others see them flapping they don't think I do it quick as possible. I have tried telling my brother it's dead and nerves before but he never believed me. If I can't get it's head an it's face away in between shoulder blades drop them but if I can't do that I generally leave them. Oh and it's .22 so it makes a big enough hit I'd of thought to drop them or is it over penetrating , anyone no why they seem to drop better at say 30-35 yrds ?

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I'll stick with what I am doing then, it's just when others see them flapping they don't think I do it quick as possible. I have tried telling my brother it's dead and nerves before but he never believed me. If I can't get it's head an it's face away in between shoulder blades drop them but if I can't do that I generally leave them. Oh and it's .22 so it makes a big enough hit I'd of thought to drop them or is it over penetrating , anyone no why they seem to drop better at say 30-35 yrds ?

your hitting them and killing them dont worry about the flapping its just nerves if you do wound them dispatch them as soon as you can and set them up in your decoy pattern ..ive had a similar day today as you you three dead soon as i hit them two flapping and one runner had to find him in a hedge a second shot ..they can be tough to despatch sometimes i prefer neck or back on shots dont shoot them in the crop its like a flak jacket they will fly away and prob die later ..do you eat them ???? its good that you want to kill cleanly have you treid diffrent pellet types ..flat head maybe ?? if you can get really close to them

Edited by pigeonstew
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I don't head shoot anymore for that very reason, all that flapping and back flipping sends feather everywhere and can leave them on their backs which puts off other pigeons from landing.

 

Chest shots (aim at or just below the wing joint) will drop them where they stood with no fuss and without damaging the breat meat. Try it next time and you'll be convinced.

 

Good shooting by the way.

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  • 2 years later...
Guest topshot_2k

Head or neck with my .177 (12Ftlbs) or sometimes side on under wing depending on angle etc but would never attempt a front chest shot due to the crop/breast meat increasing the chances of just wounding them.

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Personally I never go for a headshot on a pigeon unless there is a backstop (rarely). If you are around barns a heart/lung shot is better because if you pull the shot you will still hit the bird stopping the pellet and more than likely will still be able to go get the bird and finish it off.

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Hi there guys been out with my air rifle today. I always generally aim an shoot at the head of the pigeon but is that really the best place ? Here goes I've had 4 today, and all flapped and thrashed about, tested my gun (aas410 classic) it's running 11.6 with Aa fields. Inspected the birds all good head shots from only about 20yrds so in plenty of range, 1 even went in 1 side of the head and out through just behind it's eye yet still a flapper. They just never seem to drop on the spot ! What am I doing wrong ? Or is there a better spot to shoot them ? Or are they dead and just nerves ? I don't like to have to give them a second shot or have to run over to them. Just want a nice clean kill no flapping no hassle. Cheers for any info dan

Watch my video. Head or upper neck.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ATKIFYfGFE

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Personally I never go for a headshot on a pigeon unless there is a backstop (rarely). If you are around barns a heart/lung shot is better because if you pull the shot you will still hit the bird stopping the pellet and more than likely will still be able to go get the bird and finish it off.

 

Why would you not go for the most humane shot rather than worrying about being able to "finish it off" ?

 

Miss a head shot and its humane , hit a head shot and its humane = win win

Edited by fenboy
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Why would you not go for the most humane shot rather than worrying about being able to "finish it off" ?

 

Miss a head shot and its humane , hit a head shot and its humane = win win

 

Your right, but if you miss a headshot then the pellet has gone flying over the top of a barn on a big trajectory potentially hitting something you don't want it to. Frankly I am more concerned with that than with the pigeon.

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Your right, but if you miss a headshot then the pellet has gone flying over the top of a barn on a big trajectory potentially hitting something you don't want it to. Frankly I am more concerned with that than with the pigeon.

If it's not a safe shot, don't pull the trigger, even a body shot can be missed.Only you can decide if its safe of course.

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If you are shooting around a farmyard, you may have checked etc and the farmer may know you are there. But if you shoot a pigeon off the edge of a barn roof and the pellet flies past it is always possible someone/thing has moved in to the area the pellet might land since you checked. Hence why I prefer a heart/lung shot.

Edited by srspower
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  • 5 years later...

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