netting pigeons?

Post Reply
User avatar
magspa
Rank: Master Hunter
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:31 am
Location: South, TX

netting pigeons?

Post by magspa » Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:31 am

I got sick of driving 45mins each way to buy pigeons. So i attached a fishing net to a pool skimmer and hit an underpass where i always see pigeons. There was bout a dozen there. as soon as i get in position they fly to the other side. From what i have read everyone says they should be sleeping and you startle them and net them. Well they werent sleeping..maybe cause it is a busy area near a grocery store and other establishments. What is the trick to catch them sleeping?

User avatar
Ricky Ticky Shorthairs
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1117
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:14 am
Location: Central Iowa

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by Ricky Ticky Shorthairs » Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:23 am

Go at night and blind them with a spotlight.

Doug

User avatar
magspa
Rank: Master Hunter
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:31 am
Location: South, TX

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by magspa » Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:35 am

i had a head lamp with me but didnt seem to phase them. will the spotlight work even if the under pass has plenty of lighting?

User avatar
Ricky Ticky Shorthairs
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1117
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:14 am
Location: Central Iowa

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by Ricky Ticky Shorthairs » Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:39 am

It needs to be 1million candlepower plus. Not sure about how the lit up underpass will effect it.

Doug

User avatar
DonF
GDF Junkie
Posts: 4020
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:09 pm
Location: Antelope, Ore

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by DonF » Sun Aug 11, 2013 10:22 am

If they have any light they are not gonna hold still for you. best a really dark underpass or inside a deserted building or a barn. If your intent on trying in the not dark enough underpass, bring the net from the side of the bird and net it from behind. Pigeons are really good at avoiding a net head on.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

User avatar
ward myers
Rank: 3X Champion
Posts: 506
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: lakeland FL

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by ward myers » Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:15 pm

turning a spot light on them usually blinds them temporarily , something like 1 million candle power
`

User avatar
magspa
Rank: Master Hunter
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:31 am
Location: South, TX

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by magspa » Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:23 am

will the 1 million stun them evenwith the lighting?

User avatar
topher40
GDF Junkie
Posts: 2306
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 3:09 pm
Location: NE Kansas

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by topher40 » Mon Aug 12, 2013 8:31 am

Only way to know it to try it. Like previously mentioned, it works best under dark overpasses and barns. The fact that the overpass is lighted will cause more trouble than its worth. Find another spot.
Chris E. Kroll
CEK Kennels
http://www.cekkennels.com
785-288-0461


Governments govern best when governments governs least


-Thomas Paine

User avatar
ward myers
Rank: 3X Champion
Posts: 506
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: lakeland FL

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by ward myers » Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:39 pm

magspa I used to work with a guy we would catch 300 pigeons in 2 weeks, & sell to the local retriever club for their field trials, I don't know how under passes vary in different parts of the country but there are plenty of unlighted overpasses around here , but we would even catch plenty under the lighted ones .
there is definitely a trick to it , I would hold the light on the birds & bag in other hand , & he would put the net on them from behind ,very fast, they were usually sitting sideways if I remember correctly. the hard part was getting the net to the ground without losing the bird.
we used a pool skimmer handle with a crab net attached & we slit a piece of rubber gas line long ways , & used black electrical tape to wrap it around the metal part of the net. to help prevent net from sliding on the concrete.
we finally quit doing it because we had to start driving further to find birds & the club started to want us to deliver the birds 4 hours away & then they started haggeling on the price .
it got to the point it wasn't worth it anymore.
I am not trying to start any arguments here or step on any ones toes, I am just relaying how we used to catch pigeons back in the day here in florida : :)
good luck on your pigeon ventures
thanks

User avatar
Sharon
GDF Junkie
Posts: 9113
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 4:46 pm
Location: Ontario,Canada

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by Sharon » Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:03 pm

I used to do that until an Officer of the Law told me ................or be charged with trespassing. :)

User avatar
Escopeton
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:42 am
Location: Albuquerque, NM

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by Escopeton » Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:28 pm

It's not that hard.

The overpasses I use have light but I still flash a light on the bird. I use a fishing landing net attached to a piece of PVC pipe. I put the net, while I am spot lighting them, under them on the concrete beam below the bird. After a moment or two, I drop the flash light (attached to my wrist via a lanyard) and push the net up along the beam. The bird senses/feels the net and takes off flying and ususally into the net. I hold the net against the concrete and drag it down; the bird will most likely fight the net and get tangled in it.

User avatar
magspa
Rank: Master Hunter
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:31 am
Location: South, TX

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by magspa » Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:16 am

thanks ill have to ditch the head lamp and try a more powerful spotlight.

User avatar
AZ Brittany Guy
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1417
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:00 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by AZ Brittany Guy » Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:29 am

magspa wrote:thanks ill have to ditch the head lamp and try a more powerful spotlight.
Ever thought of building a loft and raise homers?

User avatar
Ricky Ticky Shorthairs
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1117
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:14 am
Location: Central Iowa

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by Ricky Ticky Shorthairs » Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:41 am

AZ Brittany Guy wrote:
magspa wrote:thanks ill have to ditch the head lamp and try a more powerful spotlight.
Ever thought of building a loft and raise homers?
Homers are ok, but those wild pigeons flush waaay harder than most homers.

Doug

User avatar
AZ Brittany Guy
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1417
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:00 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by AZ Brittany Guy » Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:50 am

Ricky Ticky Shorthairs wrote:
AZ Brittany Guy wrote:
magspa wrote:thanks ill have to ditch the head lamp and try a more powerful spotlight.
Ever thought of building a loft and raise homers?
Homers are ok, but those wild pigeons flush waaay harder than most homers.

Doug
Your right but for me, I'm too old to be crawling around an overpass at night netting pigeons. Past my bedtime.. :lol: I work 8 dogs and I think I would spend more time catching pigeons than working my dogs.

User avatar
armand
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:24 pm
Location: southern vermont

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by armand » Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:51 am

get your selef a good size wire basket a stick long string find a place where pigeons feed . then set up the basket throw a little corn or old bread wait awhile for them to go under pull the string gather your birds. as a kid i caught many that way and sold them for 25 cents each long time ago but alot more productive than trying with a nett in the dark one bird at a time jmo

User avatar
DonF
GDF Junkie
Posts: 4020
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:09 pm
Location: Antelope, Ore

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by DonF » Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:19 am

The wild birds do flush faster but just start a loft with ferals. I have ferals and homers both. Got started with ferals about 25+ years ago. Naeve had to catch or buy another bird. I even moved a whole loft full here, over 200 mi, and didn't lose any that I could count. If you have the older style traps, the ferals are shaller and fit into the traps better and I've had a few that homed from close to 100 mi and 50 mi was never a problem.

User avatar
roaniecowpony
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 817
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 am
Location: westcoast

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by roaniecowpony » Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:17 am

I've trapped them with a common 36x24x8 wire trap with a funnel opening at local parks and markets. But it's still a pain.

User avatar
ward myers
Rank: 3X Champion
Posts: 506
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: lakeland FL

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by ward myers » Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:43 pm

there is a commercialy made trap available, ,has the finger door opening ,works best if you prop door open for a day with food inside ,then close the door

User avatar
magspa
Rank: Master Hunter
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:31 am
Location: South, TX

Re: netting pigeons?

Post by magspa » Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:44 pm

Finally ordered a trap from lioncountry. Just couldnt net these pigeons. Drove all over checking overpasses and the only overpasses with birds are the lighted ones. They just fly from one end to the other once i get with in about 30' so no way i can net them with my pool skimmer/fishing net. I set my trap this afternoon on top of a parking garage . baited and put water inside, tied the bobs up and will swing by tomorrow and drop the doors. hope this works

Post Reply