marsh man Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Hi guys Yesterday I cleared my freezer out to get ready for when I start shooting pigeons again ,I took about 100 plus mixed game plus about 20 head of fresh stuff what I found strange was fresh and frozen Pigeons were making more than Widgeon size ducks, as all duck apart from Mallard were the same price Fresh pigeons were 30p and 25p for frozen ,duck were 25p for fresh and 20p for frozen .I know we don't shoot to make any money out of it and I am more than happy to get rid of my surplus as we can only eat so much but unless you have got a lot it don't hardly cover your diesel .When I was talking to the dealer he told me that there were less Pigeons brought in this winter than other years although round here in Norfolk just about every farm is involed in game shooting and most places is out of bounds ,I know mine are so I don't start going again from February onwards then I have a free hand .I have got some old receiets from 1976 when I used to take my Pigeons and stuff to Frostgame he was paying 30p for fresh Pigeons when the Shooting Times was 25p now there still paying 30p and the Shooting Times is 2.pound 35p, and then cartridge prices but that's another story for later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 And the best of it . Our local butcher charges £5.80 per brace !! We should all go on strike . Haha or everyone just stop taking them to the game dealers until they start paying an honest price . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Thirty years ago you could get 50p a bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just had alook in a deli in derbyshire dressed frozen rabbit £6, squirrel £4.And in afamous estate farm shop duck and pheasant dressed and frozen £4-£6 per bird. the large catering butchers meat processes i work at were quoted 65p a pigeon fillet from our game dealers,too rich for us.In late august/september a moorland keeper mate was quoted £2 abrace for young birds and £1 abrace old birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clakk Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 want a real joke game dealers pay 1.50 a lb venison yet costco had .840 kg for 28 quid on saturday ,how much profit .swine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Depends what the cut was, was it saddle or fillet,or even haunch ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sishyplops Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 There a chap on here pays .50p per pigeon for steel shot, it's pinned in the wanted section I think, off to get done steel shot carts I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipper Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 someone is making a few bob, and it aint us lot. i get £2 kg for the venison (skin off) at the butchers. and to be perfectly honest, i sometimes refuse to sell and give the venison away free to family and friends. Of the vension i do sell, wont be young and tender ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Most, but not all of my pigeons go to a number of pubs owned and run by a friend of mine locally. We barter pigeons for dinners and drinks. He gets as many pigeons as he needs and I get lots of dinners and drinks with Lady JDog. The pubs charge anything from £6.75 for a starter size to £12.75 for a main course of pigeons. I worked out recently that when I take in a small number of pigeons, say 25 to 40, I get the equivalent of £1/bird. Don't tell anyone. Edited February 3, 2014 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Well done JDog your doing well getting that sort of price.I have tried other outlets but evan takeing a dozen to one or two different butchers I had they could not always sell that small amount, one shoot I go on they tell you to help yourself as it is not worth selling them ,on our shoot the dealer wont come arfter them if there is less than a 100 head as he says it cost more to come and get them than what there worth .One garden centre where I went last week was selling Partridges for 2.50 each or two for 4 pound which I thought was cheap,and another one at Holt in north Norfolk last year at the end of the season was selling oven ready Pheasants at 2 pound each or 3 for a fiver I would have bought some myself but I had all I wanted I now freeze all my Pigeons as I don't get that bigger bags now and less than 50 or 60 are not worth takeing up as it is a 80 mile round trip so its easyier to freeze them and take 250 plus at a time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Costco venison will be farmed so they will have to pay the deer farmer full cost as opposed to wild stalked where nature provides the feed. But yes, once any product is in the food chain the mark ups grow like Topsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipper Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 If game dealers were to pay us more for wild venison, would it encourage more poaching ? maybe the paltry prices we get offered is a blessing in disguise ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted February 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Yes Chipper for venison you might well be right ,but I was thinking more about Pigeons and wild duck which would be hard to poach you can understand game where there are many 1000s put down and most of them end up at the gamedealers they have got to sell them on and its then down to supply and demand ,but with duck 50p for a pair of Gadwall or Widgeon don't seem much to me ,nowadays there seem lest people who want them if they are not plucked even then if they know they are shot that put em off a bit, then were back to supply and demand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Yes Chipper for venison you might well be right ,but I was thinking more about Pigeons and wild duck which would be hard to poach you can understand game where there are many 1000s put down and most of them end up at the gamedealers they have got to sell them on and its then down to supply and demand ,but with duck 50p for a pair of Gadwall or Widgeon don't seem much to me ,nowadays there seem lest people who want them if they are not plucked even then if they know they are shot that put em off a bit, then were back to supply and demand After tasting Widgeon I think someone is getting robbed if they are paying 25p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 It would cost me more to take a deer carcass to the dealers than i would get back. £1 per 1lb. i have to cull so all the meat i butcher and drop it into land owners as a thank you, it has put more land in the book than just knocking at a door. pigeons are a pain, i take about 400 a time to the dealers. tried to use one that said they will come and collect but 3 times have been a no show so they dont need the birds. 20-35p a bird depending on the time of year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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