Freezing Pigeons?

[AYA Annihilator]

Hi all,

 

How long can a pigeon be frozen for (in a shell decoy to keep the shape)?

Is this ever even done? Just for shooting the odd pigeon up to a week before decoying.

 

Thanks.

[marsh man]

Hi all,

 

How long can a pigeon be frozen for (in a shell decoy to keep the shape)?

Is this ever even done? Just for shooting the odd pigeon up to a week before decoying.

 

Thanks.

I am not really sure what you mean or what you are asking , there are a lot of wiser people on here than me , so someone will soon come up with the answer .

 

I have got a wire basket in my freezer and I put eight in on there backs and let the head hang down through the gaps in the mesh , so when you take them out they can be put on a cradle while still frozen .

 

Then in my chest freezer I have put two pigeons on the magnet arms and froze them in position in the freezer , so when you go , you can take them out and use them without thawing them out first , I stopped doing this after a while as I wasn't sure it would weaken the metal arms .

 

Hope you get the answer before to long .

[AYA Annihilator]

I am not really sure what you mean or what you are asking , there are a lot of wiser people on here than me , so someone will soon come up with the answer .

 

I have got a wire basket in my freezer and I put eight in on there backs and let the head hang down through the gaps in the mesh , so when you take them out they can be put on a cradle while still frozen .

 

Then in my chest freezer I have put two pigeons on the magnet arms and froze them in position in the freezer , so when you go , you can take them out and use them without thawing them out first , I stopped doing this after a while as I wasn't sure it would weaken the metal arms .

 

Hope you get the answer before to long .

Thanks (I wasn't too clear), that's pretty much what I was asking about. I wanted to know if people did put pigeons in freezers for later, and if they didn't explode as they thawed or something...

[marsh man]

Thanks (I wasn't too clear), that's pretty much what I was asking about. I wanted to know if people did put pigeons in freezers for later, and if they didn't explode as they thawed or something...

No AYA , you don't have to worry about them exploding , another way is de breasting the pigeon by just cutting the breast off for your own consumption and then freezing the carcass until you require it , use it a few times and then repeat the process .

 

Or freezing the whole body and take it out the night before you go , then they are nice and supple by the morning which allow you to put on cradles , spike em under the chins or put on the magnet arms .

[bakerboy]

When defrosted and used cut a leg off so that you can identify them as used and not to be re used, just in case you get them mixed with pigeons you may want to eat.

[Cranfield]

I use bicycle spokes placed in the pigeon via the back vent, up through the extended neck into the head and then freeze them for future cradle decoys.

I also cut of their legs and reuse the spokes.

Some people use kebab sticks to do the same thing.

[dead eye alan]

I debrest them for consumption cut of half the breast bone, then roll them up in newspaper and freeze. Get them out the night befor you go shooting jobs a gooden.

[dougall]

take a far old time to defrost,allow 10 hours.......usually replace freezer/decoy ones each time as they can get rank pretty quick,especially in summer......fortnight ago used the microwave to assist in the defrost......would have worked too if I had set it to defrost......9 minutes on full power had 'em leaking from orifices I did'nt know existed...feathers went a bit 'funny' too......

I only keep @ 6 in the freezer.......enough to get going with the rotary/flapper......

[Cranfield]

I don't worry too much about defrosting mine, they sit OK in the cradles frozen and in the colder months, they don't even thaw throughout a day, so I refreeze and use again.

The decoy getting tatty with loose feathers etc., usually comes before the smell.

I often keep back a couple of fresh birds from the freezer, for the next days rotary, or flappers.

[marsh man]

I don't worry too much about defrosting mine, they sit OK in the cradles frozen and in the colder months, they don't even thaw throughout a day, so I refreeze and use again.

The decoy getting tatty with loose feathers etc., usually comes before the smell.

I often keep back a couple of fresh birds from the freezer, for the next days rotary, or flappers.

I agree with what your saying , I don't often start with dead ones from the freezer nowadays unless I need two for the magnet , if its in the Summer I take two out first thing in the morning and they have thawed enough to use by dinner time and during the colder weather I then take two out the night before .

 

Dead ones have to be the number one choice as far as decoys are concerned , but I try not to waste anything that I shoot if I can help it , so I start with my spread of flexi coys and two on the magnet , and if they are from the day before, then they will end up in the freezer when I get home and lay the bag out , and these will be sold on at a later date .

[cooooper1]

When defrosted and used cut a leg off so that you can identify them as used and not to be re used, just in case you get them mixed with pigeons you may want to eat.

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