There seem to be plenty of the damn things about this year (see latest Crop Watch - http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2008/03/17/109843/crop-watch-worst-ever-year-for-pigeon-damage-to-oilseed.html) Just wondered if anyone had found any deterrents that worked particularly well - kites, bangers, scarecrows, gas guns??? I've seen them using scarecrows as a handy mid-field perch, so I guess the only real "deterrent" is delivered through one of those lead applicators!!  

They are hammering the OSR up here, we have tried shooting them but its just a nightmare, theres just so much for them to eat! The 12 bore aint done as good as usuall. Bangers/gas guns aint been that effective either.

What used to happen here is all the farmers, shooters and keepers and farm staff etc all used to go out on an arranged day, say a saturday afternoon and within so many mile radius and they used to take a field each (or a couple to a field), and just used to shoot, keeping them on the move and then as they flited from field to field you would get some - we tried this and its quite a good idea, you just need alot of people though.

Good Luck!

matty s:

The 12 bore aint done as good as usuall

 You sure its the 12 bore not the operator Matty!!!

SDM - I like to think so. lol.

No, i just meant one shot, there away and onto the next field. Too much choice for them!!!!!

i found that hiding in a hege or somthing with a .22 with a sound supresor and a scope works quite well and a 12 close at hand.

They have had a good nibble at the odd headland of mine but nothing serious. Crop was so big and roots so big I dont think it makes much difference. A very cheap growth regulator.

My reduction method is to get rid of trees. I am going on a serious pollarding spree before next years beans, so they will have nowhere to roost, except one or two spots. These spots are being christened "killing zones" and I hope many shall feel the wrath of guns.

well theres a lot of airgunners out there looking for a few weeks pest control.

im thinking of setting up a site with a list of them in your areas so you could get in touch with one or two of them as and when required all free of charge and these guys are insured and respect boundaries

steve

We have similar here, around south Yorks and Lincs. One bloke runs a whole organisation, in a rather mafiosi style. He liases with all us landowners, and then those who want days shooting go through him. He makes sure they are insured and licensed, and then gives them the farm map and our contact number.

Stops a lot of people turning up on the same spot.

Also, if others ask if they can shoot, we say that we do it through (x) organisation and that keeps the scallys away. Any problems with cartridges left on the ground / food bags left behind and we are on the phone and those responsible dont come around again.

Brilliant system.

get people that go shooting to go on your land and have a shoot or try bangers they are often the best idea

Best methods of control for anything are prevention not cure. A well established crop with good ground cover. If you know that a particular field always has a problem ie trees, woods cloeby etc, ask yourself if you have to grow rape there. 

 Visual deterents are better than bangers. You need to move bangers about for best effectiveness. 

Hi all,

first post!  Brief intro.... Im 27, fully insured with BASA and born and bred on farms.  My Grandpa was a major in the army and my father was a pro hunter in Zambia many years ago, he now helps out with game capture/management in Botswana.   Following these two about as i grew up, on our farms, and others. I picked up all the rules and the country code.  It's very close to my heart.

I am looking to find farms on which to do some vermin shooting, mainly crop protection from the pigeons and possibly some bunny/crow shooting Rats??. tools in hand are legal limit: .22 pcp and a .22 springer.  

I would be happy to work around your schedules and would not turn up willy nilly,  Can help out with odd jobs too.

Surrey, Kent, Hampshire

Any feedback welcome,

Thank you.

Wanna fly over and shoot the pigeons out of my machine shed?  I never had pigeons until after I got on this website, I must give off different vibes now.  I never saw such a filthy bird in all my life, and apparently able to tell when I come out of the house armed vs. unarmed, as I rarely get close enough to shoot one, or they stay in the shed and I am not going to risk blowing a hole in the roof.  After using up an embarrassing amount of ammo, I have killed 2......had I wiped them out when there were just 4, I would have been OK, however, Mrs. KF does not approve of my shooting animals, so I have had to try to do it on the sly, add to that my poor marksmanship, and they have managed to raise a small army of new pigeons.  I had thought that perhaps getting shot at every day would make them move to the neighbors, but they seem determined to stay.

Kansas, I find the best answer is an air gun. I use one for shooting the pigeons in the buildings. Just shut them in and in you go with the airgun.