Gun Dog Forum

So I decided I wanted to save some money and trap some pigeons to get my GSP started on birds. Built some standard traps with bobs. Know plenty of people that want to get rid of the pigeons in their barns, put the traps out left the bobs up so they can get used to going in and out, only problem is they haven't gone in. I know they are there, I see them everytime I go check on the traps they just haven't been in mine yet. I still have the bobs up, until it looks like they have eaten some of the bait. I guess my question is how long does it take for these pigeons to find the bait, Im using corn and sunflower seeds. Also do you leave the trap on the ground? I did leave some bait in front of the trap too. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

They may have a food source and have plenty to eat already. I had a farmer that used to catch pigeons for me. He would go up in his loft where there were pigeon nests that he could reach. He would monitor the nests and wait until the young pigeons were nearly ready to leave the nest. Then he would just catch them out of the nest by hand. This fellow caught me several hundred pigeons over the years.

Find out where the roost then go back after dark with a net and get them at night. I hate climbing around in a barn at night but it works.

Try a different food...I had the same thing happen and I ended up netting them at night. Now that I look back on it I should have tried a different food source to bait them. Might have worked

I'm just finishing my trap this week so this post has me worried. I hope I have some good results.

How long have you left the trap out? How large is the trap? I've made mine 3'x4'x2' and I'm not putting any crossover strut on top to give the greatest impression of open space that I can. So mine's exactly the size of this commercial trap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tbqq0Ct0Wc

However, my bob door has seven bobs that are 10 inches tall. I made them from tomato cage wire. I welded them to a 1/2 inch nut, drilled the nuts with a 1/4" bit. slid them over a length of 1/4" rod and used cut pieces of bic pens for spacers. I'll post a pic or two after I finish it this evening.

I've read one person saying to use cracked corn for bait but another cautioning against that because of catching unwanted "bleep" birds. That dude says that whole kernel is best because only pigeons eat it. I guess we'll be learning together! I'll keep you posted~

I was also just reading that a solid floor or no floor is best as they prefer not to walk on mesh. For what that's worth. I have an old roll of hardware cloth...perhaps I'll try that for a floor.

FYI - I've heard cracked corn is not good for pigeons. Some folks steer clear of it because it's quick to get moldy and is said to cause canker...?? Check it out.

The commercial pigeon feed I have used does not have whole corn or cracked corn in it.

Thanks for the info. I'm stopping at the feed store today so I'll see what they have. The farm birds I intend to trap are eating their grain. It would be nice to fine something unique that they're nuts about.

heck with all that trap nonsense, go to a park, take some bait feed the pigeons up close and grab those suckers by hand... I can usually pick up 5-10 in a half hour only costs a loaf of bread. Yes, I know that you shouldn't feed them bread but its a one time thing just as bait and if you'd like use bird seed if you'd like just as effective.

if these tards can do it, you can too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rsx98FSvA

NEhomer wrote:Thanks for the info. I'm stopping at the feed store today so I'll see what they have. The farm birds I intend to trap are eating their grain. It would be nice to fine something unique that they're nuts about.

Why don't you buy or borrow some of the Farmers grain? You know the birds like that.

NEhomer wrote:Thanks for the info. I'm stopping at the feed store today so I'll see what they have. The farm birds I intend to trap are eating their grain. It would be nice to fine something unique that they're nuts about.

If you really want to try something they love buy some Saflower but not sure it would be better if they have never had any.

My trap is out and baited with black oil sunflower. This is my second attempt. I tried once right before the cold days of winter set in.

If it dont work, I'm building one of these:

https://youtu.be/zH9iLz9IfAY

AZ Brittany Guy wrote:

NEhomer wrote:Thanks for the info. I'm stopping at the feed store today so I'll see what they have. The farm birds I intend to trap are eating their grain. It would be nice to fine something unique that they're nuts about.

Why don't you buy or borrow some of the Farmers grain? You know the birds like that.

I just might but I'm thinking that they can get all of that they want by flying in and out of the silo.

We'll see.

I'm trying to trap them 'cause I don't live near any cities.

I have 2 traps out right now. The first one I built is 18 inches by 36 by 36. After setting that one up I decided it was bigger than I needed. I have corn and black sunflower seed out. I've had one out for 4 days and the other out for 3. I left the bobs up , which I made out of T shaped plastic pieces and used little wooden dowels to hang down, I just haven't had any pigeons in there yet. I know there are pigeons in the barn, I see them everytime I check the trap. I'm hoping that i'm just being impatient and that when I check them again tomorrow all the corn will be gone and I will set the trap and have a dozen pigeons by sunday. Here's to hoping

NEhomer wrote:

AZ Brittany Guy wrote:

NEhomer wrote:Thanks for the info. I'm stopping at the feed store today so I'll see what they have. The farm birds I intend to trap are eating their grain. It would be nice to fine something unique that they're nuts about.

Why don't you buy or borrow some of the Farmers grain? You know the birds like that.

I just might but I'm thinking that they can get all of that they want by flying in and out of the silo.

We'll see.

I'm trying to trap them 'cause I don't live near any cities.

The silos do not have grain in them.

AZ Brittany Guy wrote:Find out where the roost then go back after dark with a net and get them at night. I hate climbing around in a barn at night but it works.

X2.

They like purina sport pro 20 50 dog food. I tried trapping. I had a all wire cage with 2 sets of bobs. Someone stole it. Later found birds for $3.00 ea and all I need. Just fed milo and wheat 50/50. Currently birds are raising lots of squabs and dog has lost interest in pigeons. Raising a batch of bobwhites for training.

I can't catch a pigeon for the life of me..... Not sure why they are still up there. I'm wondering if I should take the trap out of the barn and put it on the ground near the barn, or hang them up in the barn somewhere a little higher so they can find it easier. Really at a lose right now. About time to get the ladder and the net.

Just finished my trap and have permission to trap a farm. You have me worried.

Did you make your trap or purchase it?

They have been eating the seed from mine. I put it up off the ground on topn of an abandoned chicken coop. There are pigeon droppings evident. I will check it tomorrow morning.

Went and checked my trap and i caught a few doves. Should i use em or let em go.

hmmmm, interesting. I don't know if they're used. Not sure if they're protected.

I dropped the bobs on my trap this afternoon. It may have been too early but there is some disturbance of the bait and there's been several birds right there on the ground near the trap when I pull up.

if i use em they arent going to be harmed. Im just gonna launch em.

I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem.

No pigeons yet?

Doves are game birds which would technically be illegal to possess wouldnt they? Unless there is no dove season where you are?

Just thinking aloud.

Quail are game birds also and you can use them. I will probably let em go and keep trying for pigeons.

getzapped wrote:Quail are game birds also and you can use them. I will probably let em go and keep trying for pigeons.

Good point.

I think legally you have to have bands on the quail if you are going to use them.

Hmmm... i should probably look into that.

So, what type of animal is capable of tearing chicken wire of off wood, fit through a four inch hole and demolish 2 doves? I ser the trail cam up to see ifnit comes back. Nothin but feathers left.

weasel, snake

Dont really have any weasels around here. I think a snake wouldnt leave feathers all over. It looks like some massacred a.down pillow out there. I was thinking maybe an possum but dont knownif they attack live amimals.

getzapped wrote:Dont really have any weasels around here. I think a snake wouldnt leave feathers all over. It looks like some massacred a.down pillow out there. I was thinking maybe an possum but dont knownif they attack live amimals.

There are mink and weasels in that area that would do just what you described. Also skunk, possum, and coons but they wouldn't get through a 4 inch hole I doubt. It wasn't a snake.

Ezzy

So has anyone actually caught any pigeons yet? I'm still trying. I moved my trap to the top of the hay elevator, which is located near the top of the barn, inside. I know they, or something has been in there. I've been rebaiting every other day for over a week now leaving the bobs up so they get real comfortable going in and out and the bait is gone everytime I go up there. One question I have is, when you put your trap out are you better off setting it inside the barn, or outside somewhere near the barn??????? Good luck to everyone, I'm really hoping I have a pigeon or 5 in my trap today.

I am resetting my trap today, and I will be repairing my cage at home and building a stand for it so it is off the ground from these two guys below.

culprit 1
https://youtu.be/d2TEvVaxrkg

culprit 2
https://youtu.be/3JloP3iB8zM

Summer is always a tough time to trap pigeons. Nesting season. In the winter whole corn works, especially with a couple bait pigeons inside. The trap needs to be on a roof of some sort that no vermin can get to. Good luck!

I gotta say....I would have given up and bought birds by now lol!

I had permission to trap on top of a truck stop off of I-70. There were so many pigeons there, I was catching easily twenty a day, every day. I'm pretty sure I was catching the same ones more then once, as I didn't have the heart to simply euthanize them. I would use them, give them to buddies to use, or what-have you, and I'm guessing some flew back to their homes. Some may not have, I don't know. I know that I put some zip ties on a couple of birds, but never caught those birds again.
After a while, I lost permission to trap there because they wanted to poison the birds.
After that happened, they realized that poisoning pigeons in a major truck stop where birds were dying in front of people and crashing into their cars was a bad idea. But the damage had been done.

I've tried trapping in a couple of other spots, but I never had the success that I did out there.

With all of that said, I can try to help out as best as I can, if you have questions.
Jjklee, i'm curious to see if you caught any birds.

Good luck.

Before my trap was stolen, I was trapping at a feed store. To much feed around and I didn't do well. To catch roosting birds, I use a small tactical flashlight that flashes on and off rapidly at night. Works great. Pigeons don't even move

Stopped by yesterday and talked to one of the young farm hands. He said he was sure the owner wouldn't mind if I tossed a shovel full of the hayfeed from the cow's feeding trough into the trap. Dozens of birds take off out of the trough when I stop by. I asked if the cows cleared it out each day and he said yes so hopefully, when there's no more in the trough, they'll seek it 20ft away in the trap.

Since it's been placed there a week I just let the bobs down for the heck of it. If they eat the bit of feed that's outside the trap without entering, I'll wire 'em up again. I just want to minimize how much of the farmer's feed I use.

NEhomer wrote:Stopped by yesterday and talked to one of the young farm hands. He said he was sure the owner wouldn't mind if I tossed a shovel full of the hayfeed from the cow's feeding trough into the trap. Dozens of birds take off out of the trough when I stop by. I asked if the cows cleared it out each day and he said yes so hopefully, when there's no more in the trough, they'll seek it 20ft away in the trap.

Since it's been placed there a week I just let the bobs down for the heck of it. If they eat the bit of feed that's outside the trap without entering, I'll wire 'em up again. I just want to minimize how much of the farmer's feed I use.

If you really want to minimize it buy some corn and use that. It just might keep the farmer happier and give you a place to trap a lot longer.

So you haven't had anything eating your bait? My bait is gone every 2 days and I keep catching doves. I caught 2 more today and one laid an egg in the trap.

I have used corn ezzy and only tried a shovel full of the feed hay with permission.

Didn't get a chance to check it yesterday but the bobs are up. I'll check today to see if anything went inside. So far, I've had the corn placed outside of the trap eaten but the large amount inside hasn't gotten much attention. How much they need to become comfortable with the trap and how much they're satiated with what's abundantly available is what I'm trying to figure out. Before too long, I may seek another location but this place has so many birds.

take a fishing pole tie a loop in the line so loop can slide open and tight make the loop about 1 or2 feet place it on the ground put bait corn or what ever.. the birds will start eating and walk in the loop jerk like you are going to catch a big fish you will catch birds.. but they will get wise to it you will have to move to another area good luck

Found all of the corn gone inside and out of the trap so in case it was pigeon work, I rebaited with corn and dropped the bobs yesterday. The hay feed was scattered about as well. I think the pigeons just pick away the stuff that's in the hay and don't actually eat the hay itself. I'll check again today.

Gave up trying to catch, just bought 8 of them for 6 bucks a piece. Wish I would have just done that to begin with. Built a coop and used my trap as the aviary, at least I finally got some pigeons in it.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. Just too much feed around the farm for them. Saw a flock go behind a building in town but upon investigating, discovered that they belong to someone with a coop.

I've been netting them as of late and catch a few each time. Gonna go in again tonight with a buddy with headlamps and nets. They're really easy to catch when blinded by the light.