WTB pigeons

I've been out of the dog training game for about 10 years and boy have things changed.

I need some pigeons for training. Or chukars. Barn pigeons are fine. Just anything cheap-ish since I'll be "burning" plenty to steady up my dog.

OR, if you have access to an old silo that I can run in with a fishing net, well, I'll bring a 30-rack of Busch latte's as payment.

Thanks!

Within an hour or so of Fargo if possible, but willing to travel.

 

[Kurtr]

I will be in fargo in august running my dog and i could bring some with. 5 bucks each

 

[Duckslayer100]

I will be in fargo in august running my dog and i could bring some with. 5 bucks each

I'll probably take you up on that depending on timing. My dog's hunt test is Aug. 22. Will you be here before that?

 

[Kurtr]

I will be there the weekend before be at the grounds in glyndon mn friday morning the 14th of august

 

[Tymurrey]

If you make it to the bismarck area let me know. Might be able to catch you a few or have a spot i could try. I have chukar chicks coming next week but they probably wouldn't be ready in time. Could maybe try some corturnix quail, they grow fast but not sure if they would be flighty enough.

 

[Duckslayer100]

If you make it to the bismarck area let me know. Might be able to catch you a few or have a spot i could try. I have chukar chicks coming next week but they probably wouldn't be ready in time. Could maybe try some corturnix quail, they grow fast but not sure if they would be flighty enough.

I'd make the trip if it comes to it! Honestly, can't remember finding birds locally being this hard before lol. But it takes birds to make a bird dog, so whatever it takes!

 

[Tymurrey]

I wasn't impressed with chukars, without a launcher they didn't fly and the dog just caught them. The ones i've let go around the farm and have been there for awhile actually fly but the dog has to chase them for a ways. The chukars are nice to get the dogs on birds and on scent but until the chukars are adults and "wild" they just didn't fly. I have pheasant chicks coming too but even after releasing them in previous years if I took the dogs through the area within a couple weeks of release it seems like they would just catch them too. I have been tempted to buy some launchers but never went that far.

 

[1lessdog]

The boys and I would go hit up 3 or 4 grain bins twice a year for a Dog club in Bismarck. There were night where we would catch 200 to 300 in a night. They paid 5.00 a bird. You need a ladder to put something over the lid and a small net and maybe a face mask, as it's pretty dust in the bins. Don't take them all, leave 10 to 20 adults to help raise more for the next time.

 

[Retired-Guy]

Two questions. First, I have never lived on a farm so please excuse the ignorance. How do pigeons get into a grain bid. I would think that the farmer would prefer to keep them out so they couldn't crap all over everything.

And second, how do you handle 200 or 300 pigeons? Did you have a huge cage in the back of your pickup? And then how did you deal with them when you got them home or where ever the final destination was?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Kurtr]

Two questions. First, I have never lived on a farm so please excuse the ignorance. How do pigeons get into a grain bid. I would think that the farmer would prefer to keep them out so they couldn't crap all over everything.

And second, how do you handle 200 or 300 pigeons? Did you have a huge cage in the back of your pickup? And then how did you deal with them when you got them home or where ever the final destination was?

Thanks for the info.

They are old bins the little ones they don’t use any more. I only catch 30-50 and I have a couple bird boxes and and old dog kennel I use to transport them. Trainers have pigeon coops to keep them in also they have pens for ducks to.

 

[1lessdog]

Two questions. First, I have never lived on a farm so please excuse the ignorance. How do pigeons get into a grain bid. I would think that the farmer would prefer to keep them out so they couldn't crap all over everything.

And second, how do you handle 200 or 300 pigeons? Did you have a huge cage in the back of your pickup? And then how did you deal with them when you got them home or where ever the final destination was?

Thanks for the info.

The Dog and Gun club in Bismarck had a trailer made to transport them. It was a tandem axle and would hold about 500 birds. Each compartment held 5 or 6 birds. I would line it up with club, so would catch at night and deliver them in the morning. They stored them in a big barn it had screens on the windows and doors. And they used long bamboo poles with fishnets taped to them to catch them.

Like someone else said, there old bins with the lid off the top. They have no predators as nothing can get out if they get in. Years ago there was part of Horned Owl that got in and couldn't get out.

 

[Kurtr]

The Dog and Gun club in Bismarck had a trailer made to transport them. It was a tandem axle and would hold about 500 birds. Each compartment held 5 or 6 birds. I would line it up with club, so would catch at night and deliver them in the morning. They stored them in a big barn it had screens on the windows and doors. And they used long bamboo poles with fishnets taped to them to catch them.

Like someone else said, there old bins with the lid off the top. They have no predators as nothing can get out if they get in. Years ago there was part of Horned Owl that got in and couldn't get out.

I share the bins with this guy seen him a few times now and he scares the shit out of me every time. He flies in and out of the top.

 

[Tymurrey]

It looks like the bin i was using for pigeon shoots has had the top cover put back on now. I may have to go remove it and see how long it takes my cousin to notice. My great uncle had an old barn he would "raise" pigeons in and sell to dog trainers. We get them in our barn but usually i don't let them last to long now that i live out there because of all the poop.

 

[Duckslayer100]

I wasn't impressed with chukars, without a launcher they didn't fly and the dog just caught them. The ones i've let go around the farm and have been there for awhile actually fly but the dog has to chase them for a ways. The chukars are nice to get the dogs on birds and on scent but until the chukars are adults and "wild" they just didn't fly. I have pheasant chicks coming too but even after releasing them in previous years if I took the dogs through the area within a couple weeks of release it seems like they would just catch them too. I have been tempted to buy some launchers but never went that far.

I don't use chukars until I'm pretty sure my dog is steady for that reason. That's at the end usually, once I've got him 90 percent. If I'm using chukars, I'm planting them outside of a launcher to simulate more of a real-world hunting or test situation.

Yes, finding good hard flying chukars is hard, but it's what they use in hunt tests so it's the best bird to get once the dog is ready for them. But that's why I use pigeons in the meantime. Cheaper and easier to work in traps/launchers. I have two, and it was money well spent.

 

[Tymurrey]

I release most of my chukars in my yard. They aren't scared and will go in the buildings during winter and eat grain with the chickens. Hang out around the house and the yard. Dog will chase them and they will fly eventually but be back later. I had about 20 in my yard all through winter and then they dispersed once spring came. I have a pair i think in my yard yet. Hope some of the others lived and are just nesting for now but i feel they are easy picking for hawks and coyotes.