Bandtailed Pigeons

[4Falls]

JUst looking for a little advice. Thought about taking a day off and try to harvest one or two of these. Any tips?

 

Ill be trying either 8 or 6a.

[Havasuhunter]

Use #6 shot and don't underestimate their speed. I've only hunted them in Nor cal on my buddies property, but they like to be near saddles and peaks with plenty of wind. They are very fond of radio towers way up on peaks too. Not sure what food source they are using where you will be hunting, sure that will be key. Seems they were always traveling about 50mph when we hunted them.

[Big Browns]

Good Luck!!!!!

[4Falls]

I picked up the sarcasm Big Browns. I take it these things are tough. Maybe I'm dreaming and should just wait for squirrel season.

[jim]

find a pond in 6a that has oaks on it and you should find some. Acorns are the ticket extremely fast birds.

[ThomC]

What do Band tail pigeons taste like? Better than barn pigeons?

[DesertBull]

What do Band tail pigeons taste like? Better than barn pigeons?

 

Cant be any worse than doves

[BigMoqui]

Here is my experience with band tails.I have hunted them three times in three different years in three different places. All three times I scouted and found birds where there was both water and acorns. Also large snags of ponderosa were a key it seemed like. I'm talking really tall dead trees. They liked a great look out way high up. My total for these three trips and probably 20 hours of hunting was exactly zero birds and two spent shells. I would recommend number six shot and high brass at a minimum. I am actually using some three inch magnum pheasant loads I found the next time I go out. No other bird hunting including turkey reminds me of a big game hunt as much as these bastages. Have fun and post pics if you get lucky.

[Havasuhunter]

 

What do Band tail pigeons taste like? Better than barn pigeons?

 

Squab and polenta my nor cal friends made was awesome. Mountain pigeons eating a wild diet are great.

 

Cant be any worse than doves

Here is my experience with band tails.I have hunted them three times in three different years in three different places. All three times I scouted and found birds where there was both water and acorns. Also large snags of ponderosa were a key it seemed like. I'm talking really tall dead trees. They liked a great look out way high up. My total for these three trips and probably 20 hours of hunting was exactly zero birds and two spent shells. I would recommend number six shot and high brass at a minimum. I am actually using some three inch magnum pheasant loads I found the next time I go out. No other bird hunting including turkey reminds me of a big game hunt as much as these bastages. Have fun and post pics if you get lucky.

They are usually easy to glass because they like high spots with lots of 360 view. Peaks with snags, radio towers etc. as said above, actually killing them is a challenge. The other problem we had is they'd fall a 1/4 mile away with there flight speed, wind at there back and falling off steep slopes. Had to really plan our shots to maximize recovery.

[Surefire]

Anybody hunting them here in New Mexico? I hunted them many years ago around 1981 after I came back from an assignment in Spain where I had hunted the European rock pigeons that migrated through the mountain passes in the Fall. Great fun pass shooting those high flyers. When I went out in 1981, I found several flocks of band tails high up in some pines somewhere north of Silver City that were flying back and forth. I located near some high pines and managed to bag one! Have been out a few times here in NM over the last 10 years after elk hunting in October but have not seen a single bandtail. Maybe I'll try again this year. Had a great 5 days shooting doves so that's got my interest peaked again. Wish I could find someone who would like to try it here in NM.

[jim]

I use to see them all the time down by saddle mountain lookout on the pueblo park area. That whole range across to potato patch useally has them depending on acorn crop.

[wildwoody]

I SEE THEM ALL THE TIME HERE IN 22

[hoghntr]

Use to see them on the feeder all the time in 22. Problem I saw was they use lookouts like quail and will fly if a mouse farts! Good luck! water seems like best bet.

 

 

I would like to elaborate more... THESE BIRDS ARE FREAKS! Watched for many hours while on coues stands and not 1x did I ever understand why they would freak out and fly! maybe where ghillie suit while hiding in a blind and eating bird seed and ya might have some luck seeing them but as for shooting some.. forget about it....

[.270]

I shot 2 today. Used my bolt action .410 bear stinger. 2 1/2 inch 8 shot. Shot 2 shells. Got 2 bandtails. Going to get them stuffed and put em in the rafters of the Nuevo Rancho Neglecto. Season lasts another week. Lark.