Cranfield Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Spring seems to be appearing and I have noticed quite a few wood pigeons in "courting mode". Lets start the annual debate. Do you stop shooting pigeons when they are obviously breeding ( and I don't mean just when they are actually copulating )? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Ive never shot when their breeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Depends whether you are shooting them as vermin or for sport. I was out last night and my ground was leaping with kitts. I would have had no reservations about shooting them as vermin but on That land i shoot for sport and for the pot so i will give them a few months b4 they meat their maker. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highdowns hunter Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 I usually shoot late summer after they have had their first or in some cases second brood. We dont have too many Pigeons where i shoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 I shoot to the end of March and then my guns go away until September. I know this debate will rage on and on and views are split between whether there should be a close season or not... but ultimately we all shoot pigeons primarily for sport, secondary for pest control (Search your heart and tell me Im wrong!) Its my contribution to preserving that sport by, in an obtuse way, letting the pests reproduce. I think far more people are shooting pigeons now than back in the 50,s and 60,s and yet many Older guns, and I mean people I have spoken to in their 70's and 80's, (which include many farmers) are adamant that there are not the very big flocks around that they saw in their youth. I have no problem with people shooting pigeon all year if they want to but I wont do it. Cheers FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 them a few months b4 they meat their maker. You mean you eat em Dave?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fert Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 i stop about now. seen a few pairs getting down to it in a tree of love whilst out walking the dogs today.loadsa baby bunnys.stood underneath a rookery for 10 mins rooks didnt even bother with me must of been about 50 odd. shame i cant shoot there always the way. cant wait for the branchers to come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 One of the main problems is, when is the "breeding season". With our mild Winters, I suspect the birds are now breeding for over 9 months of the year. I tend to fish and travel during the Spring and Summer, so I don't do much pigeon shooting between Spring drilling and corn/rape harvest time. However, I use to shoot pigeons 12 months of the year and would have no problem doing so again. I started shooting pigeons in the 50's and I don't believe there were more pigeons (in Kent) then, than now. Remember, there was no rape being grown then and in Winter, green crops were very scarce. The pigeons therefore were concentrated in much smaller areas and flocked up in great numbers. But, if you moved a mile down the road away from the green fields, you wouldn't see a pigeon. Now, they are spoilt for choice of Winter foodstuff, the birds are more scattered and in most areas the flocks are smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pike Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 I intend to put guns and rods away until the start of the course fishing season and give the Friday night partying a serious go! Pike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Around here birds are breeding from April-October, thats a long time not to be shooting them when a farmer is on the phone to you every other week. If we want to keep our land we have little choice but to shoot them although in May/June we try and give them a break. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Just out of interest, how do you explain to an irate farmer that you won't shoot his marauding pigeons as they might be breeding? Most farmers would probably like the idea that one shot could potentially mean the death of several pigeons I know that sounds harsh, but pretty much sums up the reality of pest control PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 When I was a lad, I attended many Farmer organised groups, that went into the woods to shoot out the pigeons nests, during the nesting season. These outings, plus poking out squirrels dreys, roost shoots, fox drives, coot shoots and rat hunts, were all great fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 I shoot them whenever I can. The main reason is that I enjoy it and my farmer does not care for breeding excuses and has let me know more than one occasion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Geddon Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I keep on hammering the *******.There are loads here in the fens and they do some rare old damage.I do shoot for fun,but I also try to keep numbers down.Farmageddon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Mike Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 I agree with Cranfield on the point of them breeding for most of the year as I shot one or two young ones in January. I will shoot pigeons all year for crop protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in North Lincs. Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 I do shoot pigeons all year round, under the guise of vermion control.........W What the farmer, wants.......................the farmer gets! Although I appreciate .... that spring time is associated with all creatures great and small breeding..... but I have been picking up young birds all year round. There are far too many about to let them have a chance and breeding in peace. and although they are intruiging birds, they are also classified 'pests' Do we stop killing rats in spring?? A cloud of pigeons passed over me contanstly for 10 munites the other day in Lincolnshire, I would guess that there was in x s of 10,000.......................... Paul in North Lincs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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