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Any advice on pigeon eradication?

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Over the past several years I've witnessed a few stray pigeons turn into a extremely large flock of pigeons. I'd like to reverse that trend. 

Does anyone have any advice as to how to accomplish this within a fenced-in residential setting? 

 

I know that the Red Ryder bb gun won't do it - except with a perfectly placed head-shot, which is a low-percentage proposition since these darned pigeons bounce their heads around too unpredictably. 

Therefore a deadly/debilitating body-blow is the best option.

 

A slingshot maybe? If so, any suggestions on a brand/model?

Small inexpensive bow?

Any other suggestions (other than poison or a claymore)

 

I'm looking at a range of about 30 feet  (+/-).

And I'm not looking to maim and injure (which would result in a slow death). I want a one shot one kill(*) method.... within a fenced-in residential setting - so a "quiet" method is a must (which eliminates the AR, unfortunately : P ).

 

Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

(*) If not an instant/quick kill, then at least a heavily debilitating blow that would allow me to finish it off at the site where it was impacted. In other words: no chance of "flying away" once hit.

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Pellets

 

Could you be a bit more vague?? ; )

 

Btw, I don't think that a pellet gun is going to be any more effective than steel bb's. Pigeons are HUGE!

I want to drop the bird at the site, not just use it for target practice.

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google "air rifles", plenty of powerful BB guns on the market these days

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Could you be a bit more vague?? ; )

 

Btw, I don't think that a pellet gun is going to be any more effective than steel bb's. Pigeons are HUGE!

I want to drop the bird at the site, not just use it for target practice.

.177 or .22 caliber pellet gun.  I would have mentioned that they would need to come out of a gun but we all know that shooting pigeons with a pellet gun is illegal...right? :scout:

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They are rats with wings. I know you are not, so who is feeding them. a neighbor?  They will not hang around if no source of food /water.  They hate capsaisin (from hot peppers), spray some around and they will leave.

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but we all know that shooting pigeons with a pellet gun is illegal...right? :scout:

 

Pigeons aren't a protected species. They are considered an invasive species. I'm uncertain as to the exact letter of the law, but I'm of the understanding that they are considered legal game that require no licence or permit.

 

As for where they can be exterminated, well, that's a different story. but I'm pretty well sure that a residential backyard is off-limits for any kind of BB gun + discharge in the state of NJ.

Therefore it appears that the rather loud .177 is a non-option for me in spite of the legality/illegality of pigeon protection. I would need something no louder than a BB gun.

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I would recommend getting a hawk. :sarcastic:

 

Yeah, I already got one of those. So far the hawk and I are tied at 1 pigeon apiece. Although in all fairness to the hawk, it's taken out many other species of birds in the interim. The hawk isn't species specific, but I am.

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They are rats with wings. I know you are not, so who is feeding them. a neighbor?  They will not hang around if no source of food /water.  They hate capsaisin (from hot peppers), spray some around and they will leave.

 

Actually they are being fed. Well not the pigeons specifically, but birds in general. My neighbor has feeders in his backyard and I have feeders and a small pond in my backyard. So it's a veritable wildlife sanctuary here (residential style)...... which is what draws the hawk to visit regularly. Unfortunately the hawk is non-selective when it comes to which bird it kills/eats.

 

Btw, the neighbors own birds (the large squawky kind), so I need to be able to do my deeds within the confines of my fenced-in yard or else they will get butt-hurt and call the authorities. Therefore I need to be pretty "quiet" about it. 

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Call your local health dept. Many towns have ordinances against feeding wildlife. Feeding birds is feeding wildlife so you may be able to stop the food source. Are the pidgins getting inside your home or just on the outside? If they are just outside put up some bird spikes where ever they land. FYI sling shots are illegal in this shit hole of a state

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Actually there is no legal hunting of pigeons in NJ. In NJ pigeons are actually a protected species. Michael Patrick Carroll ® actually has had a bill in Leg. to remove them from the list but it has gone nowhere in past leg sessions. I actually confirmed this with him today.

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Actually there is no legal hunting of pigeons in NJ. In NJ pigeons are actually a protected species. Michael Patrick Carroll ® actually has had a bill in Leg. to remove them from the list but it has gone nowhere in past leg sessions. I actually confirmed this with him today.

 

Ok thanks for the info. That wasn't my understanding, but you obviously have a knowledge of the situation that I do not have.

And of course we can't hunt disgusting pigeons.... this is NJ. What was I thinking?!?!?! 

Anyway..... I won't hunt anything. I'll just treat 'trespassers' as trespassers instead.

 

(this state blows!) 

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The only pigeon I ever shot was with an air rifle. I didn't want to kill it. So I just pumped it 3 times and aimed at the head, assuming there would be some drop at that low velocity. There was drop alright, DRT.

 

How TF can you not be able to kill a pigeon with an air rifle?

 

BTW I would consider HCN, take proper precautions. You could poison them with food, but that always means other birds/animals will eat the poison food.

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I would recommend getting a hawk. :sarcastic:

This might actually work. I thought about putting up some perches for pest control, but looking into it, hawks have such a varied diet that it really doesn't do any good. But if there is one thing they love, it's other birds. And pigeons are big, dumb, slow, tasty, out in the open, and practically have targets on their backs.

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When I was an exterminator years ago there was a product called Avitrol that was used to control pigeon populations. You still need a license to get it in NJ and is legal if used properly. The problem is when you are in high populous areas people will start asking questions as to why pigeons are dropping out of the sky. Its a PR nightmare and that's why a lot of exterminators don't use it anymore on any of the city roof tops. Someone in the area probably had a coupe or was feeding them at one point but once they are established its difficult to get rid of them. You can play with trapping, exclusion, etc. but its a just a big headache. 

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This might actually work. I thought about putting up some perches for pest control, but looking into it, hawks have such a varied diet that it really doesn't do any good. But if there is one thing they love, it's other birds. And pigeons are big, dumb, slow, tasty, out in the open, and practically have targets on their backs.

 

 

I find that the hawk tends to pounce on Junco's most of the time. Followed by Mourning Doves and then Blue Jays. 

The pigeons are very skittish and quicker than you'd actually think. 

I suspect that the pigeon that the hawk had gotten was one of those that I had previously injured. Because unless you get 'em in the head, they seem to take the hit and then fly away. At least that's my experience with the lever-cocking bb gun that I have. I've seen the hits, but aside from the headshot, they always fly away. And since it's not my intention to shoot to injure, I was hoping to find a more immediately lethal solution. Those birds are big, and the Daisy simply ain't cuttin it.

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Seriously. I've killed stuff bigger than a pigeon. Not sure where all this is coming from. If you think you need head shots, just bait them.

 

It's not that I "think that I need head shots". It's my actual experience that proves this. I've seen (and heard) the hits. But the Red Ryder has not killed - or even noticeably injured - the pigeons that I've dealt with (aside from the one headshot). Otherwise I wouldn't be here asking for advice on other options. 

 

Whatever. I'm a jarhead. So I think I know my way around a rifle and a target. So if you don't want to believe my empirical experience, then don't. I already explained that I can't use anything louder than this little Red Ryder. And I've already explained that I don't want to use poison. So move on to another thread if my stated experience thus far does not ping your own understanding of the situation.

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Wiat a minute. Red Ryder? OK, just MY experience, but that thing can't even shoot through soda cans, right?

 

I thought you were talking about a regular toy air rifle. Like a Daisy 880 or a Crossman. Not up on the latest Red Ryders, but check the velocity vs. regular consumer airguns. I'll move on, but I'm not trying to agravate you. Just trying to help. I suggest you look into a regular air gun. And if you can handle HCN, it is not persistent like solid poisons. Just don't kill anyone (or yourself) by accident, check around first and protect yourself.

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