# live pigeons



## gundog3664 (Feb 19, 2010)

Does anyone know where you can buy live pigeons?


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## M&K's Retrievers (May 31, 2009)

Pigeons 'R Us??


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## Mark L (Mar 22, 2010)

Try calling the local exterminators. If they trap pigeons like some around here do, they may be happy to get rid of them.

Just a thought.


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## bucks&drakes (Feb 21, 2010)

I found some on craigslist Jackson MS yesterday.


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## gundog3664 (Feb 19, 2010)

o thats a good idea, wasnt thinkin about that


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## Christa McCoy (Jan 29, 2010)

Find out who raises the birds for the local HT and FT. Thats where I get mine. Plus I train with them


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Ask area feed stores who's feeding pigeons.


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## M&K's Retrievers (May 31, 2009)

Rick Hall said:


> Ask area feed stores who's feeding pigeons.


I've found that people who are feeding pigeons, don't take to kindly to folks training with them.


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## muddin (Feb 14, 2010)

M&K's Retrievers said:


> I've found that people who are feeding pigeons, don't take to kindly to folks training with them.


its like asking the lady whos feeding the deer out of her hand, can i shoot that? lol


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Doubt the little old ladies are feeding pigeon or laying pellets. Know those who do are usually glad to sell some birds to help defray feed cost. And that's one way folks looking for training birds have found mine.


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## Uncle Bill (Jan 18, 2003)

A dandy source I used to use was the homing/racer pigeon club. They are frequently culling their numbers, and aren't squemish about how those 'culls' are being used. And those birds are great for training...especially as live flyers.

Make sure you are throwing those 'fliers' with a clipped wing. I found the coop owners didn't appreciate those 'culls' returning to their coops because your gunners had missed and they flew away. 

Unlike the barn pigeon variety, that will usually just join up with the first flock they come to, most 'homers' will continue to fly until they reach their familier coop. 

BTW, shooting a thrown pigeon is one of the most difficult shots even a proven gunner will be tested on... don't be surprized if 'misses' occur frequently, so pull the flight feathers on one wing, so the bird won't go too far before coming down and you can walk it up later.

UB


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## gundog3664 (Feb 19, 2010)

haha yea, thanks

so you just pull a couple feathers off


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## PackLeader (Jan 12, 2009)

Here is how you clip a bird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Z4zom8xts


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## M&K's Retrievers (May 31, 2009)

gundog3664 said:


> haha yea, thanks
> 
> so you just pull a couple feathers off


Like Charlie Daniels says in the Geico ad, "That's how it's done, son"


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## Uncle Bill (Jan 18, 2003)

gundog3664 said:


> haha yea, thanks
> 
> so you just pull a couple feathers off


 
If you get some real "racers" or "tumblers", you'll need to pull the 7 main flight feathers on ONE wing only. Don't do it to both wings...the bird will adjust. What you want is to disrupt the equilibrium...the birds balance.

Find a trainer that has experience with this, is my suggestion. That "You Tube" illustration won't hack it. might be adequate for the "pet" foo foo birds, but on these pigeons, doing that will only cause them to take a rest after a couple miles, rather than their normal 50 or so.

Good Luck.

UB


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

While I agree that a homer clipped as lightly as in the video will go a long way, I've not found that one wing or two makes a lick of difference if one actually removes the primaries or clips them very short. (And, no, they won't bleed unless they're still in the pinfeather stage.)

Since I have my own loft, my missed fliers go home, and I only clip or pull feathers on birds used for other purposes, with the "clip" or "pull" decision resting on how long I want the bird to remain flightless. Clipped pigeon feathers won't be replaced until the bird's next normal molt, which is late Summer for adults. But pulled feathers will be replaced with new ones that allow flight in roughly a month.

Here's a photo in which a pigeon's primaries have been marked:









and another with them pulled:









Again, however, whether one wing or two, that bird isn't going to get far at all, so someone wanting to use it as a shot flier would have to leave more feather than I've shown above. Here, by example, is how far the above bird got when tossed more up than out, first with one wing pulled, then both:









Bird was tossed from beside the dog, and the distances were similar enough that I didn't bother with a second photo.

Here is a photo of a temporary flight inhibitor I've used that will allow more flight and may suggest a starting place for feather removal on fliers to be shot:









And just 'cause I'm already in the photo file, here's an example of "wing locking" as used for into to live birds that can't flog a pup:










Binding at the wing bases such as shown in the first two photos is another way to accomplish the same.


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