Trapping pigeons

[getzapped]

I finally found a farm that will let me trap pigeons. I built the trap and I'm ready to set it. What type of delicious treat should I put inside it?

[k2k]

Black oil sunflower seeds worked for me.. they like whole wheat as well.

[getzapped]

K thanks. Just saw my hardware stoee has blackoil sunflower on sale.

[NEhomer]

I too have a few farms that would let me trap some birds.

My question is more of an ethical/practical one. I just have one dog to train and it seems as though trapping some birds, holding them for just a couple of days and launching them to fly away or shoot would be a lot easier than the commitment to building and maintaining a coop.

What, in regard to practicality or ethics, am I missing?

[rinker]

I don't see anything unethical about your plan. The only thing I would say is that if someone is letting you trap pigeons because they want to get rid of them, it might be unethical to let them fly right back. In that case, I would shoot them.

[getzapped]

This farmer says they are getting into his grain loft. I told him, "I will continue to trap them, but they most likely will home back" Seeing that the farthest away I go is 20 miles. I am still far ways off from shooting over the pup, so I will just keep trapping them until, we are at that stage in training.

And my wife threatened to move out if I build a pigeon coop, soooo.... I am still working on her with that issue.

[ezzy333]

And my wife threatened to move out if I build a pigeon coop, soooo.... I am still working on her with that issue.
User avatar
getzapped Rank: Junior Hunter Posts: 35

Boy, with an offer like that I would start building before she changes her mind, which she does quite often. lol

[NEhomer]

Well I may look into this possibility. My next question would be how long before you shoot the birds.

My pup's just eight weeks so I won't be starting until April and though the summer.

[ezzy333]

If you could find a pair of older birds it would be good to get them now. Just for birds to use, you wouldn't need them for a few months.

Ezzy

[NEhomer]

Seems like just trapping them as needed would be fairly simple.

Make two traps, leave one at a time. Use the other to store the ones for releasing/shooting within a couple of days.

Small amount of feed and mess, no worry about diseases and if I skip a week, no big deal.

I may find it bothersome over time but I really don't want to have a coop.

[ezzy333]

Seems like just trapping them as needed would be fairly simple.

Make two traps, leave one at a time. Use the other to store the ones for releasing/shooting within a couple of days.

Small amount of feed and mess, no worry about diseases and if I skip a week, no big deal.

I may find it bothersome over time but I really don't want to have a coop.

Problem is the day you want them you are either out or can't catch any. The few birds you catch for use in a few days eat just as much as the ones you are raising. Birds do not take a lot of feed and I have never worried about diseases or had any for that matter. And the other thing that is either a plus or minus, depending what you do with them but probably 3/4 of the people who I have sold to admit they get a lot of enjoyment out of their birds, watching them fly everyday, as well as looking forward to what colors they can get. There is probably nothing anymore relaxing than hearing the birds cooing and watching them fly and not many things as gratifying as watching them come home after you have taken or sent them on a race or just a training excursion.

All of this said, make up your own mind as to what will work for you.

Good luck,
Ezzy

[rkappes]

You can always sell the extras. Around this area a person wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand for pigeons. $5-6 per bird. Fast $$ if you are already trapping them anyway.

[ezzy333]

You can always sell the extras. Around this area a person wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand for pigeons. $5-6 per bird. Fast $$ if you are already trapping them anyway.

I sold over 200 birds this past year and it could have been many more if I had tried.

[getzapped]

Well, first day of trapping was unsuccessful. Of course it rained half the day, its cold, overcast and 40mph winds. Ill try again tomorrow.

[greg jacobs]

I think you may have to leave it there. Usually up high on something where they can find it easy. Tie the bobs up at first with food inside and outside the bobs. When the food inside is being eaten put the bobs down. I still put a little just outside the bobs and more inside just past the bobs. Light weight bobs work better than heavier bobs. If you catch some. Leave one or two in the trap to help draw them in. I have used corn or the grain type pigeon feed. The whole corn doesn't get eaten by the sparrows. If you are leaving pigeons in the trap very long they are going to need water. Seems like they have to get used to the trap being there before you start catching them. Some people seem to have better luck than me but I find it not that easy to catch them. You probably need to check on it every couple days.

Good luck
Greg J

[getzapped]

Thanks for the input. I set it on wednesday, and checked it thursday afternoon. I will check again today, and will leave out tomorrow if nothing is there. I will pick it up tomorrow afternoon because there calling for 5-10" snow. I have really light bobs, 1/8" steel. I am going to build another trap now I will post a picture so you can see if I screwed it up.
If i am unsuccessful in the next 2 days, I will try baiting with bobs up first.

[getzapped]

Ok pigeon trap #2. (Don't Laugh, I'm not a carpenter) Its pretty much the same as my first trap but a little bigger and has some upgrades. Is there anything I am missing?

The bob are 9" tall and free swinging.

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[Jidano3]

Nice job with your trap! If they are eating grain, try to trap them with grain. I have had great success around overpasses by "baiting" the ground below and waiting a few days for them to start feeding in that area. Place my trap there with bobs open and they walk right in. Go back that evening and close the bobs and end up with a full trap in a day or so. If the farmer will let you, see where the birds are feeding on the ground or near his silo and place the trap there with excess of feed. Like Greg said, leave the bobs open and check on it for a day or two. They will get comfortable with the trap and start feeding in that spot, and bingo, you will have birds.

[getzapped]

Ok. I cant get too close because the chickens. But checked this afternoon and the trap is inn plain view of the birds. I propped the bobs open and baited in and out of the trap. I will pick it up tomorrow because of the snow forecast. The neighboring farmer also wants me to trap the pigeons from his farm. I think next week i will leave one at each farm with bobs up for a few days baited and make sure they are eating the bait. Then i will set them.

[getzapped]

Speaking of overpasses, i leave about a mile from a giant bridge. It has grain silos on both sides and roads underneath. I have went and looked but havent seen any signs of pigeons. Should i at least try to bait it?

[getzapped]

Forgive all my spelling. I can hardly use this phone.

[k2k]

Nice work, but how are you going to get them out of the trap? You'll most likely have escapees if you use the top of it as in the picture you have posted w/ the top open...

When I train with mine, it's only about 2 miles from the house, and they don't find their way back to the coop, thankfully. These are one's I've raised, too. Or maybe I just have really dumb ones...
Just keep trying... it will be especially hard if they have a food source elsewhere also.

[NEhomer]

Traps look good but yeah, you probably want to have a small side door to reach into.

Oh, and by looking at that first pic, you probably don't want to hunt birds with either a bolt or lever action.

[jjklee71]

Did you ever get any pigeons????? I am attempting to try and catch some myself. I'm going to copy your trap only put a trap door on the side. Also where did you get your bobs and the piece you hung them from if you don't mind me asking???? I also am not a carpenter, so I'm looking for a little help. Thanks

[NEhomer]

I'm making a trap too. I'm making the bobs from the wire I've cut from an old tomato cage. Seems like the perfect weight and stiffness.

[luvthemud]

Been a long time since i trapped pigeons but I have been considering getting back into it after having trouble finding training birds.

We used to do it a little differently. We would go out at night when they we sleeping and put a net over the silo door or barn window that they used and then go wake them up and shine them. Some were disorientated with the light and didn't move much, and the ones that flew would end up in the net. Was usually a pretty interesting night lol!

[getzapped]

I put traps amd baited them with bobs up for 3 days. Then we got 20 inches of snow and went into a deep freeze, so i picked up the. traps. The weather just got better the last couple weeks and i picked up a couple more farms closer to home so i will be trying again soon.

[NEhomer]

Just finished my trap....I'll post pics later. I think it came out splendidly but of course, the proof will be in capturing some sky rats. Stopped by a local farm yesterday and the owner's more than happy to see me thin some out. I told him that the first ones will likely just fly back but before too long, they'll be taking a one way trip off the farm.

[Scott Linden]

Trapping seems like a great way to start a flock but continuous trapping takes time. How much is yours worth?

[NEhomer]

Gee, can't imagine anything easier than laying out a trap and returning to collect birds but ok.

So here's my project. I put a lot of time into it so this will be just a colossal waste of time if it doesn't work. I began in my home shop and ended in my school shop.

Started by constructing a 3x4x2 ft frame out of some fir I ripped to two inches wide. Just toed in everything with 1 5/8 screws. I read that they don't care for a wire floor so I stapled hardware cloth to the bottom figuring that it will be pourous and clean up with a spray hose. It can be changed quite easily if it doesn't work as anticipated.



Constructing the bobbin door took the most thought and craftsmanship. I used tomato cage wire because it's light and stiff. I then welded them to a series of 1/2 inch nuts that I drilled out with a 1/4 inch bit. Slid a length of 1/4 inch rod through them and used pieces of bic pens for spacers. I used galvanized sheet metal to make the lower receiver guide and lock system. Seems like it should work splendidly.



Then I made a retrieval/clean out door from expanded steel and spot-welded a length of continuous hinge to it. For a latch I just made a pair of hasp fasteners out of 18 gauge sheet metal and used a stiff length of coated wire to secure it shut.





Then I made a removable perch and fashioned a water bottle with a powerade bottle and a plastic folger's coffee can. I noticed that they fit perfectly together so I drilled a hole in the top and fitted it with rubber tubing that drains until the level is about an inch in the coffee can. Of course, I cut rectangles from the can to create drinking spaces. Both lift out for cleaning.



Used some scrap galvanized to trim the edges where the poultry wire was jagged and wala....finished.



Went to the farm I pass by on the way to work and had dozens of birds soaring back and forth between the barns and the silo. Baited the trap and wired the bobs up.



Ready to lure in some skyrats!




Hopefully all those photos formatted correctly. I'll stop by today to see if any birds visited although I know it might take a few days. There's just so much food available to them on a farm. I'll keep y'all posted.

[Dirty Dawger]

That is one really nice trap! I expected you to stain and oil that wood! Truly a handsome trap.
You might not need as much over-all height but it's not a deterrent. I wouldn't leave that much feed on the outside, personally. It takes about a week for them to get comfortable with the trap. Also, if you have even 1 pigeon to put in the trap (after that first week) it will increase the lure.
I think someone already suggested that. ...ooops.

[NEhomer]

Lol! Thanks man.

Stopped by today and there were birds all over the ground 20-30ft away and all of the corn outside was gone. There was some disturbance inside as well but I didn't feel that it was enough to warrent dropping the bobs just yet. Put a small handful on the board in front again and left it. I'm pretty confident that it'll work but we'll see. Can't count your pigeons...

[jjklee71]

Have you had any luck????????????

[NEhomer]

No not yet. Every time I stop, birds lift off of the cow's feeding trough (in the pic you can see how close it is) so that's what they're eating. My son goes to school with a kid who works on that farm and he's gonna ask him to shovel a scoop into my pen. I didn't want to do it yesterday 'cause I hadn't asked.

I expected that I'd have to be patient. Even when they want the feed, they're going to have to get used to it.

[Jidano3]

Suggestion.....place a small thin trail of feed ( like gunpowder in cartoons) to the pile of feed inside the trap. Bobs open at first of course. The birds will eat their way in slowly. Don't need a lot but enough to entice their interest to go inside for the buffet...

[NEhomer]

Well after a futile month of watching dozens of birds all around my trap and not a feather to show for it, I took it away yesterday. Seems that there's just so much hay feed for them they have no interest in corn. One of the farm hands told me that he's just seen rats taking the corn.

I spoke to the owner this week and apologized for accomplishing little more than nurturing rodents! What a wonderful fellow. He just chuckled and when I asked if I could go into the barns to net some he said go ahead any time. I told him that in exchange, I'd replace the pigeon trap with my cage trap.

So last evening we were able to find a loft where about 7 or 8 birds were nesting and managed to snag three of them. Also caught a pair of rats in the cage trap and dispatched them. I might try placing the pigeon trap up in that loft where they nest. It has been out in the open on the ground. I can net some more was well.

Since I don't have an unlimited supply of ferals, I've been reading about carding and pigeon poles so I may try those approaches with the three birds I have to work with this weekend. I'm very excited to begin to expose my setter to birds. He's been bird crazy lately for anything bigger like robins, doves and even ducks we've flushed off the river.

Another option for the bird trap may be to seek out a building roof in town.

[oldbeek]

Nice trap. My experience was like yours but someone stole the trap. If you can get to the pigeon roost, catch them by hand. I have a tactical LED flashlight ( bought at Costco/ 3 for $18.00) One setting is a fast pulsating flash. Shining that light at a pigeon or group of pigeons at night blinds and paralyzes them. You can just pick them up and put them in a bag.

[NEhomer]

Well that's what we've been doing. We found the loft they roost in and we go in with nets and flashlights at night.

I put the trap up in the loft and did manage to get one small bird to join the poult I left in it but it's just not trapping them consistently enough so we've gone to the nets.