# Banded pigeon found



## RevDawg (Sep 8, 2009)

My son shot a pigeon yesterday thinking it was a dove. It has a band on it that says, AU 2009 NEW 1909

I google "banded pigeon AU" and am introduced to the sport of pigeon racing. Apparently he shot a homing pigeon. As best I can tell this pigeon started in Delaware. 

Under a link entitled "what to do if you find a lost bird" I learn that these folks are serious and passionate and would probably be irked, accident or not. Nevertheless, this one won't finish the race. I was pround of the shot he made.

What I want to know is this: how do you race pigeons? Has anyone around here heard of this and how does it work?


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## RickD (Sep 8, 2009)

The birds are released  at a certain point and timed as to how long it takes them to reach home..Ive released homers from my cabin as I was headed for home around 300 miles from my house..Thery all made it home..Amazing sense of direction they have


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## gobblingghost (Sep 8, 2009)

My dad has done it for years.  Birds can be very expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!! especially if they have won numerous races. He has had birds fly over 400 miles in a day.  I'll give him the band number and seen if he can let the owner know. they had a race this this weekend for young birds I think it was 150 mile race.


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## Dixiegrouse (Sep 8, 2009)

Piegons taste just like doves just more meat.
Dixie


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## CAL (Sep 8, 2009)

Don't put your son down too bad or let anyone else.It is quite easy to mistake a pidgeon for a dove under the right circumstances.Sun in ya eyes, surprise situation,etc.


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## thomas gose (Sep 8, 2009)

dont be ruff on your boy ive shot tons of pigeons on dove feilds! they taste just like a dove but have alot more meat on them. thats a fatal mistake for a pigeon to make this time of year and you would think that these pigeon racers would take dove season into consideration!


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## Twenty five ought six (Sep 8, 2009)

Anyone that hasn't shot a pigeon on a dove shoot just hasn't been to many dove shoots.

A pigeon is just a big ol' dove.

Nothing at all for your boy to be ashamed of.  It's not like a lot of people who have shot sparrow hawks and claimed they looked just like a dove.

Stepping up a level, pigeon shooting is a great international sport.  The boy may have a future.


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## crbrumbelow (Sep 8, 2009)

I have birds that have won 600 mile races.  I havent let mine out since Friday due to dove season.  Right now is the young bird racing season.  The above mentioned band is the band number for the owners records, the nation club (AU) and the local club (NEW).  

I dont mind a mistake but:




thomas gose said:


> thats a fatal mistake for a pigeon to make this time of year and you would think that these pigeon racers would take dove season into consideration!



Its not too hard for a grown man to tell the difference and youd think these dove hunters would learn the difference.


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## Dupree (Sep 8, 2009)

pigeons are legal to kill, so no harm on your sons part. That is like someone having a pet deer running loose during deer season. Not the fault of the shooter, fault is on the owner.


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## emtguy (Sep 8, 2009)

shoot em...they eat good.

Why would you get on your boy for shooting a legal bird? There is nothing wrong with killing a pigeon.


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## ABAC33 (Sep 9, 2009)

i shot one monday in a sunflower field in rydal, ga.  the only thing on its band was the number 31.  more flew over the field, but they were a little luckier.  and i don't feel bad at all, legal bird is a dead bird.  the owners of these birds should care a little more for when to send them out on races, if they don't want the high percentage rate of them being shot on an opening weekend of dove season.


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## Luke0927 (Sep 9, 2009)

I have homers don't race but I like them they are need to fly and my 2 year old loves to feed them.....There is no limit on Pigeons if they flew over me they would have been blasted too.... don't be ruff on the boy if your not used to seeing them they look like big doves....I'm sure its been feed well eat it!


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## quackwacker (Sep 9, 2009)

I killed 6 monday.  They will all be put to good use!


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## maker4life (Sep 9, 2009)

Cook that sucker up . Folks call them squab and pay big money for them at these "fine dining" restaurants .


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## BRIAN1 (Sep 9, 2009)

Eat that thing man. He has more meat than a mourning dove. Take it easy on the boy, its like shooting ringnecks.

Brian1


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## ericflowers (Sep 9, 2009)

First bird I killed saturday was a white one.  Tasted great!


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Sep 9, 2009)

I've shot a few pigeons before, but never tried to eat one.  I've always heard that they have worms.

A buddy of mine shot one by mistake on a dove field about 3 years ago.  It was banded, and he was scared to death that he'd get in trouble.  I tried to tell him they were legal, but he wouldn't listen.


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## Wood Smoke (Sep 9, 2009)

RevDawg said:


> As best I can tell this pigeon started in Delaware.



Apparently the pigeon didn't look at his road map or see the sign that read _"DETOUR.....DOVE HUNT AHEAD_ ! 

Tell that boy of yours that he's got himself a trophy..... a one of a kind!


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## Murphy (Sep 9, 2009)

The only thing I could see wrong with it is if the Owner Wormed the birds before the flight Might not be fit to eat then ........ That said I shoot every one I see


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## hevishot (Sep 9, 2009)

is there a site you can go to to report one if you find one?..I have one that I found in our barn this weekend that will let you pick it up and is as tame as can be...I recorded the band number but wasn't sure where to look...pretty cool bird.


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## Spurhunter1 (Sep 9, 2009)

Shoot them!!! Legal, and they taste good!


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## Ole Fuzzy (Sep 9, 2009)

I don't think the people that turned that particular pigeon loose could get too upset, he apparently was not that good at finding his way home.  No big loss.

I shoot every pigeon that I see on a dove field.  In fact, over the years, I've shot a lot of them at barns, feed mills, gins, and other places where they are a nuisance.  The owners of those facilities are glad to be rid of them.

Pigeon shooting is done in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and S. Africa in the fields.  Those birds in S. Africa are particularly challenging, very fast and maneuverable.  Shooting "flyers" is a controlled form of pigeon shooting, and the contestants typically use particular guns with it with longer barrels and tight chokes.


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## stillman (Sep 9, 2009)

Greater Atlanta Racing Pigeon Club
http://www.garpc.org/

We found a banded pigeon in our yard a couple of weeks ago. The pres. of the GARPC put us in contact with the bird's owner.


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## crbrumbelow (Sep 9, 2009)

I saw a show  a little while back and they were shooting pigeons.  There was thousands of em.  The shooters where changing guns every few minutes because they would get too hot.  I think they were in uraguay.  They were giving estimated statistics on how much the pigeons consume a day and how they have severely damaged crops.  

Be careful eating race pigeons though.  They are wormed and medicated a few days before a race and I read the instructions on the meds and it clearly states to not eat an animal for 30 days after medicating.  I wouldnt eat them but I dont like to eat doves either.  

There are various antibiotics, wormers and pesticides used in and on race pigeons to make sure they dont bring back diseases or parasites.

As far as pigeons having worms.  Take an average yard chicken and give him a dose of Pyrantel Pamoate or ivomec and see what comes out of him.  Its great.  

Not trying to cause any stink about shooting pigeons.  Just some info for those that do.  Like I said I dont turn mine out on opening weekend of dove season so it doesnt bother me either way.


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## crbrumbelow (Sep 9, 2009)

Oh yea if they arent banded there is a good chance it is a feral pigeon and you shouldnt have to worry about the half life of chemicals in the bird.


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