# where to shoot a pigeon



## hunter boy (Oct 4, 2014)

hi i'm going pigeon hunting soon and i am wondering if anyone can post a diagram of where to shoot a pigeon and there vitals.


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

Heres a link - http://asaicoloft.com/asaicoloft/Images/anatomy-bird.jpg

The head is what you want. A neck shot as just as well. If you want the vitals go for the crop. You are using a barrnet slingshot, so i dont think you will be enough accurate to care about vitals or head, just aim at the chest preferbly from the front and shoot.


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## slingshooterPT (Feb 22, 2014)

I aim for the neck when I´m a bit far, when I´m close I always shot for the head!! I would not consider aiming for the breast because pigeons have so much muscule on that part!


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

slingshooterPT said:


> I aim for the neck when I´m a bit far, when I´m close I always shot for the head!! I would not consider aiming for the breast because pigeons have so much muscule on that part!


i have taken many shots on pigeons and killed them with a chest shot, i take chest shots only in long distances. What you want is to hit the breast bone or to hit close to the breast bone, that is where you will make the most damage.


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## Nicholson (Sep 25, 2012)

A .45 leadball will smash right through the breastbone of a spruce grouse and that causes incapacitation long enough to get it, idk I don't give em a chance to get up after a shot. And you could hear the bone break, when I hear that sound I know I caught it. Good looks on shots deserve to be aimed right below the head for me.


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## slingshooterPT (Feb 22, 2014)

WoodPigeon said:


> slingshooterPT said:
> 
> 
> > I aim for the neck when I´m a bit far, when I´m close I always shot for the head!! I would not consider aiming for the breast because pigeons have so much muscule on that part!
> ...


I agree with you WoodPigeon a chest shot on the chest bone will took them, but I prefer to poit for the neck, if I hit hight I hit the head, if I hit low I hit the part betwen the neck and chest!


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

slingshooterPT said:


> WoodPigeon said:
> 
> 
> > slingshooterPT said:
> ...


I see what you are saying, but thats the same, if i shoot high then i hit the neck if low then i hit the chest-guts. I do shoot them in the head in 20 meters, beyond 20m im shooting them in the chest.


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

Honestly, as an old bird hunter, shoot them anywhere. The average size of ammo compared to the size of a pigeon is giant. Even if you miss a vital area the trauma is so great I suspect you won't have any trouble. A head shot is best because the breast is actually good eating.


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## THWACK! (Nov 25, 2010)

Winnie said:


> Honestly, as an old bird hunter, shoot them anywhere. The average size of ammo compared to the size of a pigeon is giant. Even if you miss a vital area the trauma is so great I suspect you won't have any trouble. A head shot is best because the breast is actually good eating.


Why do you hunt old birds?

I thought the young birds are more tender.


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## oldstevie (Dec 7, 2013)

Winnie said:


> Honestly, as an old bird hunter, shoot them anywhere. The average size of ammo compared to the size of a pigeon is giant. Even if you miss a vital area the trauma is so great I suspect you won't have any trouble. A head shot is best because the breast is actually good eating.


have to agree with this

as long as you are using large enough ammo and are not too far away

i have had 44 lead pass through woodpidgeon breast muscle causing a humane kill

i find the slingshot more effective than a uk legal air rifle for this


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

oldstevie said:


> Winnie said:
> 
> 
> > Honestly, as an old bird hunter, shoot them anywhere. The average size of ammo compared to the size of a pigeon is giant. Even if you miss a vital area the trauma is so great I suspect you won't have any trouble. A head shot is best because the breast is actually good eating.
> ...


You shot a WoodPigeon ? Bastard !


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## oldstevie (Dec 7, 2013)

WoodPigeon said:


> You shot a WoodPigeon ? Bastard !
> 
> oops
> 
> ...


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

oldstevie said:


> WoodPigeon said:
> 
> 
> > You shot a WoodPigeon ? Bastard !
> ...


He asked about it in the forum and members told him that with the stock barrnet bands he will need heavier ammo, it seems that either he dosent have a resource for other ammo or he just really want to try this setup.


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## oldstevie (Dec 7, 2013)

ok

i did not realise he had been given this info already

thanks


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## Nicholson (Sep 25, 2012)

As old stevie said a body shot with a slingshot and .45 cal lead downs them better than a .22 cal rifle body shot. with a .22 cal rifle I only do head shots


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## Sharpshooter II (Apr 15, 2014)

Head ,neck and sometimes the crop area is where i tend to aim and hit them.


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

THWACK asked about shooting young vs. old pigeons. (My quote function doesn't work on the SSF).

Honestly, if you really want to eat a lot of pigeon you really do want the young birds. So, if you are serious, what you do is not shoot them. You figure out where they are roosting and you go in at night with a flashlight and find them on the nests. We used to do this as a kid. There was a local flour mill on Puget Sound and under the dock a bunch of pigeons used to hang out. We'd go in at night and pick them off the nests (adults too) and bring them home. My parents finally made us stop because they started taking over our old garage.

It's amazing the little bits of info floating about in our heads.

winnie


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

Winnie said:


> THWACK asked about shooting young vs. old pigeons. (My quote function doesn't work on the SSF).
> 
> Honestly, if you really want to eat a lot of pigeon you really do want the young birds. So, if you are serious, what you do is not shoot them. You figure out where they are roosting and you go in at night with a flashlight and find them on the nests. We used to do this as a kid. There was a local flour mill on Puget Sound and under the dock a bunch of pigeons used to hang out. We'd go in at night and pick them off the nests (adults too) and bring them home. My parents finally made us stop because they started taking over our old garage.
> 
> ...


I think are very wrong there mate, shooting roosing birds its like shooting a pig in a cage - its shooting, not hunting.
I never shoot the young squab because they dont carry much meat. I let them grow. So if you really want to get a lot of pigeon meat you go for the old ones.


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

I went back and read my entry and I suppose it could be interpreted that I meant shooting birds at night while they are roosting though I did say: ..."what you do is not shoot them". What I didn't make clear is that, if it is pigeon meat you want all you have to do is reach up and take them off they're roosts. No need to shoot them. Just grab them.

Even young pigeons are fairly tough though.. Older pigeons are really tough. The best time to harvest them is just before they start flying.

winnie


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## zippo (Jul 9, 2014)

Winnie said:


> I went back and read my entry and I suppose it could be interpreted that I meant shooting birds at night while they are roosting though I did say: ..."what you do is not shoot them". What I didn't make clear is that, if it is pigeon meat you want all you have to do is reach up and take them off they're roosts. No need to shoot them. Just grab them.
> 
> Even young pigeons are fairly tough though.. Older pigeons are really tough. The best time to harvest them is just before they start flying.
> 
> winnie


Thanks for the clarification, that makes more sense.

it really doesn't matter for me if the pigeon is a little tough, but its just me.


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## roirizla (Dec 3, 2010)

Winnie said:


> Honestly, as an old bird hunter, shoot them anywhere. The average size of ammo compared to the size of a pigeon is giant. Even if you miss a vital area the trauma is so great I suspect you won't have any trouble. A head shot is best because the breast is actually good eating.


That's a great effort. Looks tasty


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