Trapping Pigeons

[Uplandbum]

I was thinking about trapping a few pigeons this weekend and taking them east to work my dog. Does anyone know if it is legal to trap pigeons in the city and then use them to work your dog? Also, is it legal to shoot the pigeons? Are there trapping/hunting/seasonal limits that I need to worry about?


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[Bmcox86]

It's legal to trap and shoot pigeons, their considered an evasive species by the state. Check the city ordinances though incase there is something for the area your trapping them in

[Uplandbum]

Thank you for the heads up!

[wildweeds]

Word of advice,expect some flak over it,try your best to hide the trap,or try to trap in a non traffic area.I got read the riot act over it down at the port here by the port manager,He didn't know any of the rules and spouted off that it was illegal,I needed a trappers license,that I was tresspassing(Was public dock) etc.So on and so forth,he opened my trap and let all the birds in it out.I know for a fact that the port up here spends 6 figures on bird abatement contractor per year.I'd suggest getting a printout or letter from someone at the WDFW concerning pigeons to have on you.Another guy I know who was trapping in the other harbor in town had to deal with the local police force on the issue and the policemen called in the gamewarden to make a ruling.

[Uplandbum]

Do you know if there are regulations on the types of traps that may be used? Is it required to purchase a wire mesh trap that has a one way door or are other methods, i.e. fishing net, ok? I live close to downtown Seattle and have pigeons around my apartment building. I was wondering if I could get away with just catching a few in a fishing net?

[wildweeds]

Catch em anyway you can,if your wandering the street with a fishing net your going to get the cops called on you.Guarantee it.I got the cops called at the peir by some bunny huggers.That was a shortlived day,They read me the riot act,called the cops and I just loaded up my trap and went home before they got there.Spocking out a buisness that has lots of pigeons hanging around it and getting permisson to set a trap on the roof is a good way to be inconspicuos yet effective.

[Revwrangler]

How do you trap them? I'd like to check this out for working my dog.

[quadrafire]

Andrew Zimmern on a TV show Bizzare Foods ate them on one episode. Very tasty it sounds like.
So after your dogs are done with them, you will have dinner!

[Revwrangler]

Andrew Zimmern on a TV show Bizzare Foods ate them on one episode. Very tasty it sounds like.
So after your dogs are done with them, you will have dinner!

That was my thoughts, but don't even know what kind of traps I need.

[quadrafire]

The guy he was with was whacking them with rocks. Throwing stones under a bridge if i remember right.
Can't imagine they would be hard to catch with any kind of walk in trap.
Or the 'ol pellet gun when no one is watching.

[Revwrangler]

Ya but a pellet gun under a bridge is a little hard not to get noticed.

[quadrafire]

Ya but a pellet gun under a bridge is a little hard not to get noticed.

True..........Might be hard to explain that one.

[quadrafire]

Off topic a bit but maybe not. (you may need to know to bait them)
What do pigeons eat? There are boatloads of them in the city of Spokane, have no idea what they eat in the urban areas??

[Revwrangler]

My understanding is they will eat just about anything. But I have been told just basic bird seed works.

[wildweeds]

Use something high visibility,cracked corn is good,it's what I've used,popped popcorn I've been told works.Lay a bait pile,they find it,put the walk in trap over that same spot a few days later and lay another bait pile,wire the  bob doors on the trap up so they get used to walking in and out.Next day lower the bobs freshen the pile and trapper ON!That's the optimum way to geter done.I've trapped em cold by inserting a homer bird into the trap as a bait bird,and had em start going in to the feed pile and other bird in about 20 minutes of trap circling/testing the scenario.

[BurleyDog]

great advice by wildweeds.

I trapped them in the past. Its easy to get permission from businesses that are affected by them - silos, roof tops, etc.

The trick is to get them used to the trap and thinking its safe. To do this set the trap for multiple days without enabling it. Then on the day that you want to trap them its easy. Simply enable the trap and watch it. When 2-3 birds are caught go and collect them and continue to watch the trap. Its best to monitor it in case of ravens, crows or other predators. Also if there are a bunch of disturbed birds in there the others wont go in.

Its just like how the state bands pigeons.

Also - the trap needs to be in an open area. They wont go into shadows, etc.

A fishing net works but is really slow and hard.

[L-ofalab]

You can catch them by hand on a very dark night because they are afraid to fly. Use a flashlight to find them and keep the light in their eyes to temporarily blind them. Just grab them and put in a cage. I have done this for many years.

[clockwork]

I used to use a salmon net to catch them under the maple valley bridge and the bridges over the cedar river trail at night. I also would buy them from the livestock auction at the enumclaw sales pavillion.

Legal or not, people wont like it if they see you.

[Song Dog]

we just catch them by hand at night. They would be roosting in an old shed and we would go in and grab them.  They don't like to fly at night.  They are really good eating also although I'm not so sure about the ones that live in the city.