Trapping Pigeons

JasonM · Post by **JasonM** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:14 am

Whats the easiest way to trap pigeons? I found a place (lumber yard) that has pigeons, I know I need a pigeon trap, or can I build one? I assume you just use some kind of feed? Corn? Scratch feed? I'm new at this....thanks

crittercontrol · Post by **crittercontrol** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:43 am

If you are looking for a fairly inexpensive pigeon trap you can use the link below to purchase one.

http://www.wildlifemanagementsupplies.com/

Click on the Live traps link, then safe guard, then scroll down to the pigeon traps. They come in two sizes.

The traps will come with directions. I have found them to be very effective.

Good luck,

Caleb Stroh

Lawdog · Post by **Lawdog** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:01 am

You can build or buy. When you find your spot, feed them without your trap there, then when you can tell they are used to feeding in that spot put out your trap. It helps if you place a pigeon inside the trap to help coax the others.

Use any kind of cracked corn, scratch or grain.

Good luck

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:57 am

Just sprinkle a little salt on their tail

Steve

TNovoa · Post by **TNovoa** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:00 pm

If you know of a place where they roost at night, and it's legal for you to go there, take a spotlight and a net. You'll get a large quantity in a short period of time. We visit the overpasses occasionally.

crittercontrol · Post by **crittercontrol** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:14 pm

Lawdog wrote:You can build or buy. When you find your spot, feed them without your trap there, then when you can tell they are used to feeding in that spot put out your trap. It helps if you place a pigeon inside the trap to help coax the others.

Use any kind of cracked corn, scratch or grain.

Good luck

Glad you made it to the forums! It was nice to meet you at the trial.

Always,

Caleb Stroh

Jon E · Post by **Jon E** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 7:52 am

spotlight and a net eh? I like that hunting style! the cover of darkness only adds to the excitement of the hunt!

Will a fishnet do?

TNovoa · Post by **TNovoa** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:53 am

Jon E wrote:spotlight and a net eh? I like that hunting style! the cover of darkness only adds to the excitement of the hunt!
Will a fishnet do?

That's what we use. You'll probably have to add extension rods as some places are too high to reach with a standard fish net. We use rods from a roof rake.

Yes, it is a fun event and we have stories to go with several bird-catching outings.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:31 pm

I use the net and flashlight idea but if your are good with your shotgun you can just grazem as they fly away

Post by **pear** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:35 pm

Now this I gotta see...........

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:36 pm

pear wrote:Now this I gotta see...........

I didnt say I could do it im saying one could try to do it.

Brett D. · Post by **Brett D.** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:15 am

This might sound ridiculous but I seem to catch with my bare hnds than a trap. First of all my trap is just a basic box trap. I just set it out , bait it and wait until I feel I have the largest number of pigeons I can get into it at one time then I pull the string. The most I have caught is 8 at once. But this has 2 draw backs.
1. It spooks the pigeons I didn't catch and they learn to avoid it in the future.
2. San Diego is full of PETA members that freak out when I so much as just set the trap out.
Lately though I have been going to my spot and just feeding the birds. I squat down and toss out bread crumbs at my feet and just grab the closest one and put him into the sliding side window of my truck shell. I can have a pigeon in the hand and still have dumb pigeons feeding withing arm reach of me. Last Friday I collected 11 at one park and another 6 just down the road at a different park. Monday I caught 9 more from the first park I went to on Friday.

It seems it creates less comotion when I catch them by hand as opposed to the trap. Also, without the trap sitting on the ground I draw less attention from people who might not like what I am doing.

In the near future I will buy a proper pigeon trap.

nitrex · Post by **nitrex** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 4:11 pm

To the causual observer - you all look crazy! If I could tape you all on video trapping and catching flying rats, I'm sure you would agree. But for now, I am joining your ranks. Friday night I took my wife and 10 month old daugter pigeon "netting" under our local overpass. I only caught 10, so I went back for round 2 last night and caught 7 more (the wife and daughter stayed home - gave me bad luck leaving them home). Those flying rats are still pretty ingenius!!! I'm still wondering if I could close the road for an hour every night so I wouldn't have to dodge the cars - especially the ones with lights, sirens, and a guy with a badge!

Nitrex

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 4:44 pm

Tell me about this flying rat thing. I always thought they were kind of neat birds that have adapted well to our way of living. And they sure are great for us dog owners. They are dirty when they get in the hay mows but otherwise I like to have them around. Really pretty birds.

Ezzy

TNovoa · Post by **TNovoa** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:10 am

nitrex wrote:I'm still wondering if I could close the road for an hour every night so I wouldn't have to dodge the cars - especially the ones with lights, sirens, and a guy with a badge!
Nitrex

LOL

Hey, "only" 10 birds? 17 in two nights sounds like a good catch!

Yes, quite often the boys in blue pull up and just don't know how to handle the situation. As long as you're not on an expressway, they shouldn't have a problem. Your best bet is to tell them you train with your dogs but the birds get released. Don't mention you actually shoot them.

Our last outting, the officer questioned if pigeons weren't protected birds and then remembered a fellow officer was asked to go shoot them at our stadium. He left but said if he got any complaints, he'd have to ask us to leave because "some people are funny about that". Farmers love having the pigeons eliminated because they contaminate the cow feed. Mention that too, if you're by farmland.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:08 pm

Tracy Novoa wrote:
nitrex wrote:I'm still wondering if I could close the road for an hour every night so I wouldn't have to dodge the cars - especially the ones with lights, sirens, and a guy with a badge!
Nitrex
LOL Hey, "only" 10 birds? 17 in two nights sounds like a good catch!

I agree 17 birds in 2 nights you can come catch pigeons here any time.

Brett D. · Post by **Brett D.** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:40 pm

I just caught 7 right now after work. I had some troll living in a RV try to get on my case telling me they were his pigeons and what was I planning on doing with them. I just laughed and said yeah right. He started to get confrontational. So I just told him to relax. I was only catching them because my biology class was study the pigeons homing capability and we were gonna release them all over the county and time how long it takes for them to get back. He fell for it.

Casper · Post by **Casper** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:41 pm

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:42 pm

Brett D. wrote:I just caught 7 right now after work. I had some troll living in a RV try to get on my case telling me they were his pigeons and what was I planning on doing with them. I just laughed and said yeah right. He started to get confrontational. So I just told him to relax. I was only catching them because my biology class was study the pigeons homing capability and we were gonna release them all over the county and time how long it takes for them to get back. He fell for it.

LOL I would have told him the truth.

Brett D. · Post by **Brett D.** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:04 pm

Yeah I wouldn't mind telling him the truth but these guys live in these parking lots. they just work the system and move around from day to day to avoid tickets.

Allister Fiend · Post by **Allister Fiend** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:08 am

I went out looking for pigeons last night and I am about to think we have next to none. I went to the largest overpass in our area and worked it up and down. No sign of birds at all. I work in downtown Dothan, Alabama at the newspaper and I see a few hanging around from time to time, but I can't recall seeing pigeons anywhere else in the area. I guess I will start putting scratch feed out behind our building to get them coming in some and then later put out a trap. It does not look promising though. All of our barns are empty and have never seen pigeons. We don't have any Interstates or bypasses so overpasses are few and far between. I may be better off just paying the $3 for Quail, although that will get expensive in a hurry and the pen raised birds will not fly like the wild pigeons. Any ideas for places I might look?

Brett D. · Post by **Brett D.** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:04 pm

Tough call. I live 20 minutes outside of downtown San Diego. I have parks ,beaches, Sea World, the zoo,and fast food resturaunt parking lots to use. Funny thing is I usually see them flying around an area when I am driving and just make a mental note of it for a potential spot.

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:02 am

I know a guy who pays a pest control guy 1.50 for a pigeon. You might want to give them a call.