Non-Lethal methods etc

[Dibble]

I'm no Biologist (A level grade B in 1988) what are peoples theories on......

1.If we don't shoot "A Million" pigeon this year will there be 2 million more next year then 4 million then 8 etc. until they run out of a commodity, probably food. Will this mean more or less pigeon deaths per Anum.

2. If a pigeon is scared from field A by non lethal methods and flies to field B where he is scared back to A then back to B......will hunger eventually overcome fear and he lands and eats, i.e. will  non lethal methods all eventually fail. In this case is going lethal first more humane?

The Soviet Army had a theory called "Axe Theory". You are in a bar and someone insults your mother, so you insult his. He throws a drink so you throw one back. He punches you, you return a punch. A chair is met with a chair, a knife with a knife. This goes on until you both pull out Axes.

If someone insults your mother hit him with your Axe straight away, you will get there anyway and you are more likely to win at less risk.

3.Do gas guns work because pigeon have been scared by shooters.

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by Dibble

[oowee]

CSE grade 3 in 1976 gives me the edge I reckon. I think your pigeons are going round in circles. What we need is a huge county wide net.

[Scully]

Do any of us know whether those pigeons we scared off when we stood up in the hide to shoot one or two of them (presuming a left and right! 😀)  come back within minutes, an hour, a day....never? 

22 minutes ago, Dibble said:

I'm no Biologist (A level grade B in 1988) what are peoples theories on......

1.If we don't shoot "A Million" pigeon this year will there be 2 million more next year then 4 million then 8 etc. until they run out of a commodity, probably food. Will this mean more or less pigeon deaths per Anum.

2. If a pigeon is scared from field A by non lethal methods and flies to field B where he is scared back to A then back to B......will hunger eventually overcome fear and he lands and eats, i.e. will  non lethal methods all eventually fail. In this case is going lethal first more humane?

The Soviet Army had a theory called "Axe Theory". You are in a bar and someone insults your mother, so you insult his. He throws a drink so you throw one back. He punches you, you return a punch. A chair is met with a chair, a knife with a knife. This goes on until you both pull out Axes.

If someone insults your mother hit him with your Axe straight away, you will get there anyway and you are more likely to win at less risk.

3.Do gas guns work because pigeon have been scared by shooters.

 

My experience of gas guns is that they are ineffective. Birds will just move down the far end of the field where it is quieter.

Farmers I know just put them out because it is the only option they have at that time. 

[bluesj]

Gas guns work for a bit then the birds can get use to then, they will take of and circle round and land again. the more random bangs from shooting seem to keep birds away for longer. I have see pigeons lift off from a field just before a gas gun went off and come back after it as if they know it was about to go off. Probably just coincidence but maybe not, I never had time to wait around to find out.  

[Davetyler]

My net and decoys scare pigeons away for miles. Anytime i put them down everything in the field dissapears and doesnt come bk 

[wymberley]

We use the electronic Portek type and have found that a double bang every 40 minutes is the best option. The first 'barrel' unsettles them and the second puts them up and away. This year has been no exception and they work long enough for the seed to be depleted and the birds to lose interest. However, the farm now no longer grows maize for good reason so I can't answer for that crop.

[oowee]

We have the scary man things over here. Always fun if you dont know they are in the field or the battery is virtualy flat.

[lancer425]

27 minutes ago, bluesj said:

Gas guns work for a bit then the birds can get use to then, they will take of and circle round and land again. the more random bangs from shooting seem to keep birds away for longer. I have see pigeons lift off from a field just before a gas gun went off and come back after it as if they know it was about to go off. Probably just coincidence but maybe not, I never had time to wait around to find out.  

 I was sat in the car yesterday  working out where a fox was coming from off the neighbouring farm, from  the brow of the  hill i could see a few pigeons (70 to 80) get up when a gas gun went off on some peas they had just woken up to.

 First time after they showed up they lifted flew around dropped back in, but within three or four times ( double bang) around 2 1/2 hours they finished up withjust a few of them flapping their wings  That was about it they were just not bothered by it at all. 

 

 

 

[Pistol p]

It’s going to come down to having to wear hi viz jackets or something that is UV visual as most avian species see on the Ultra Violet light scale. That way I suppose the birds would be forewarned, and therefore scared in advance. 

 Either way this is more about controlling humans and firearms than pests with wings.