Shooting pigeons

[crossy67]

Well I never thought I would be posting in here lol.

We have a problem with pigeons and despite our trying to scare them away they keep coming back and shitting everywhere.  Time has come for some drastic action.  Before people start trying to dissuade me from murdering some flying bags of crap please don't bother.  I am an animal lover, I love birds more than most so but having a tiny amount of outside space waking to find our small out doors area covered in pigeon poo from their roostings for one evening is getting a bit much.  We could put spikes up but because of the design of our house it would end up looking like hedge hog and it would cost us an absolute fortune.

I have decided to take drastic action and buy an air gun of some sorts.  I used to be a very good shot with a pistol and would only be shooting up into my own eves so no danger of stray pellets and, as I want a 22 calibre, minimum risk of dying pigeons getting away.  Once hit they are certainly dead.

I have asked the Maire who is very keen for me to start sorting them out, they used to employ someone to poison them until recently.  I think shooting is a far more humane way of dealing with them.

I have been told by one person it's illegal to shoot ANYTHING with an air rifle.  Maybe he is an animal lover too but hasn't had his adoration tested by having parts of his hose entirely covered in guano and still loves all things feathered.

Views please and if any one has any ideas where I could buy a gun in my are please share some info.

Thanks.

Ian

[pachapapa]

Hang'em on the washing line...they'll soon get the message.[;-)]

[Bugsy]

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[Bob W.]

[quote user="crossy67"]Well I never thought I would be posting in here lol.

We have a problem with pigeons and despite our trying to scare them away they keep coming back and shitting everywhere.  Time has come for some drastic action.  Before people start trying to dissuade me from murdering some flying bags of crap please don't bother.  I am an animal lover, I love birds more than most so but having a tiny amount of outside space waking to find our small out doors area covered in pigeon poo from their roostings for one evening is getting a bit much.  We could put spikes up but because of the design of our house it would end up looking like hedge hog and it would cost us an absolute fortune.

I have decided to take drastic action and buy an air gun of some sorts.  I used to be a very good shot with a pistol and would only be shooting up into my own eves so no danger of stray pellets and, as I want a 22 calibre, minimum risk of dying pigeons getting away.  Once hit they are certainly dead.

I have asked the Maire who is very keen for me to start sorting them out, they used to employ someone to poison them until recently.  I think shooting is a far more humane way of dealing with them.

I have been told by one person it's illegal to shoot ANYTHING with an air rifle.  Maybe he is an animal lover too but hasn't had his adoration tested by having parts of his hose entirely covered in guano and still loves all things feathered.

Views please and if any one has any ideas where I could buy a gun in my are please share some info.

Thanks.

Ian
[/quote]

 

Hi Ian,

A .177 air rifle is the ideal tool for the job of <30mtrs bird shooting, and IMO is the most humane method. (.177 has a flatter trajectory than .22, .22 has higher residual energy at range - but that is not important for birds).

However, you have been correctly informed, air weapons are not allowed for hunting in France. Also be aware that air rifles/pistols purchased in other EU countries (like UK) may even be illegal in muzzle energy terms.

To shoot anything, even on your own land/property now requires a permis de chasse.

I would contact a professional pest controller for advice in your situation, there may be legislation specific to that area of expertise I am not aware of.

Best

Bob

Edit to add:

In France the energy limit is 10 joules (7.5ft lbs) in UK the limit is 12ft lbs. I would question whether an air rifle at just over half power of the UK spec. is even humane except at very close range. This velocity comes from the target air rifle shooting olympic discipline which is shot only at 10mtrs.

[crossy67]

Luckily where they tend to roost is on pieces of wood leaving only their tails and their heads poking out either side so I will either hit their tail feathers or their head or neck.  When we were over in January they had been poisoning them, we had one fall of it's perch and die a slow lingering death right in front of our front door, it took all night to die.

Thanks for the info Bob[:)]

[Bob W.]

[quote user="crossy67"]Luckily where they tend to roost is on pieces of wood leaving only their tails and their heads poking out either side so I will either hit their tail feathers or their head or neck.  When we were over in January they had been poisoning them, we had one fall of it's perch and die a slow lingering death right in front of our front door, it took all night to die.

Thanks for the info Bob[:)]
[/quote]

Have you tried purchasing a couple of black plastic crows? Worth a try I would think.

I have a problem with sparrows at my place, balcony was a hygiene hazard. I put spikes up, but the little buggers are small enough to sit in between. I ended up spraying some chicken wire brown to match the rafter wood and using that - and hanging a couple of nesting boxs up on the other side of the house to compensate.

[Frederick]

 

 The flying hawk seems to work well hanging from long pole on  fishing line  in the middle of fields ... Anyway of getting one above where the pidgeons roost ?

http://www.trap-man.com/decoy-bird-scarers.htm

[crossy67]

Some good ideas.  A crow or hawk could be placed on the roof or under the eves.  I did think of tying a cat under there but that might be taking things a little too far[6]

[Théière]

[quote user="Bob W."]

Edit to add:

In France the energy limit is 10 joules (7.5ft lbs) in UK the limit is 12ft lbs. I would question whether an air rifle at just over half power of the UK spec. is even humane except at very close range. This velocity comes from the target air rifle shooting olympic discipline which is shot only at 10mtrs.

[/quote]

That's interesting to know Bob, my old air rifle will have to stay in the UK then (haven't used it for years, think I will Ebay it, if you are allowed to?)

EDIT: no doesn't look like you can sell a working BSA Mercury on Ebay

[Bob W.]

[quote user="Théière"][quote user="Bob W."]

Edit to add:

In France the energy limit is 10 joules (7.5ft lbs) in UK the limit is 12ft lbs. I would question whether an air rifle at just over half power of the UK spec. is even humane except at very close range. This velocity comes from the target air rifle shooting olympic discipline which is shot only at 10mtrs.

[/quote]

That's interesting to know Bob, my old air rifle will have to stay in the UK then (haven't used it for years, think I will Ebay it, if you are allowed to?)

EDIT: no doesn't look like you can sell a working BSA Mercury on Ebay

[/quote]

Ebay is a joke regarding somethings.

In France I buy and sell shooting stuff (including guns) on www.naturabuy.fr and in Germany on www.egun.de I don't know if there is an equivalent in the UK, but would be surprised if there is not.

[sanglier]

The Brit equivalent of naturabuy is gun trader.co.uk - and it's a lot cheaper than naturabuy!

[audio]

[quote user="crossy67"]

we had one fall of it's perch and die a slow lingering death right in front of our front door, it took all night to die.

[:)]

 

[/quote] So why the hell didn’t you put it out of its misery?

[Théière]

Thanks Sanglier and Bob W looks like £135-£145 although I did mod the transfer port so it may be less than that but my word we got some power out of it.

[steve]

Hi Ian,

As I said, talk to the Chasse - they may be able to help. I know Aubetterre well as we have a customer on the main road (possibly below you!) and they are a pain, but dont get in the meard over them!

Steve

[crossy67]

I didn't kill it for a few reasons.  I saw it sitting on the floor as I went to shut the shutters, I nudged it with my foot and it didn't move much.  I thought maybe it had been hit by a car or something and was stunned and might recover by the morning.  The next morning it was squashed in the road. 

.