Forest pigeons and hunt them

Dove hunting - dove, pigeon etc. the Description, methods of hunting, stuffed, profiles. Successful hunting of wood pigeon in the fall. Before leaving for the winter, the pigeons gather in large flocks.

From a small number of species of game birds there are three species of sport-hunting of birds squad of pigeons - the wood pigeon, stock dove and the turtledove an ordinary. They are valued mainly as the object of sports hunting. However, some hunters do not recognize it, however, the hunter is available.

To shoot on the fly stock dove or pigeon, birds with a very loud and rapid flight, and with rather dense pen cover, manages only experienced shooters capable of hitting the bird.

Hunting for larynx is easier. Doves ordinary, nomadic considerable flocks on the plantations of sunflowers in the South of Moldova and Odessa region in autumn are quite interesting for hunting. Hitting doves with buckshot ¹ 6-7, and the wood pigeon, stock dove, No. 5. The meat of wild pigeons juicy and tasty, especially in autumn, when they are before flying to accumulate sufficient fat reserves.

But, despite the attractiveness of hunting doves, with the aim of preserving and increasing their population, local hunting organizations are obliged to adjust the terms of hunting, and the possibility of it at all. In areas dominated by coniferous and mixed forests, places of mass nesting wood-pigeons, hunting should be regulated, and in the spring when the arrival time is generally prohibited.

Forest pigeons are not only the object of hunting, but also decorate the forest.

A large wood pigeon wood pigeon (withouten), and in Ukraine it is called priputen, reaches a length of 40 cm and weighs up to 600 g. the Plumage of the wood pigeon, grey chest with pink shade, on both sides of the neck white spots. On the tail have broad, dark ribbon. The wood pigeon inhabits coniferous and mixed forests. High trees with dense crown are the favorite places of its nests. The nest is always located on the side branches. It is composed of twigs and shining through, when viewed from below. Returning from wintering in the second half of March, pigeons are broken into pairs. The courtship of the wood pigeon dove very peculiar. In an excited state, the male courting the dove from all sides. At this time, the feathers on his neck dissolved, tail at half-mast. Suddenly, he breaks off the branch, soars up to 15-20 meters, takes place on a former place, having made a kind of "victory lap". This is the mating display of the male. The pigeon generally sits on the top of a tall tree, then far heard his droning voice: "ghuu-juju-hhuu-juju". A skilled tracker will immediately notice the roaring in white pigeon for these sounds.

Wood pigeon feeds on various grasses, legumes, weeds, and berries of mountain ash, honeysuckle, wild rose, green acorns. Among our pigeons, one pigeon produces feed not only on earth, but on trees. On the field he is going to feed in the morning, the second time - before the evening. Chicks grow quickly and at the age of four can already independently produce food. In Ukraine, except for the steppe zone, it lives everywhere.

Hunting wood pigeon in autumn can be quite successful. In late summer broods swarms begin to fly to the meadows. Sometimes these flocks number several dozen birds. They gradually get used to seeing people and are therefore less careful. In the morning they are also calmer than in the evening. Knowing all these habits and having studied places of feeding in the wood, the hunter will always be able to execute the norm of shooting of pigeons allowed by rules of hunting. In the fall, during the departure for the winter, the wood pigeon is collected in quite large flocks. Making stops, selects oak trees, as the oak leaves are retained much longer than in other trees.

The second representative of the wood-pigeons - stock dove, it is less than the pigeon, has a length of 33 cm, the Number of the stock dove is much less population of the wood pigeon. Looks similar to rock dove, but differs from it in its white beak and dark repica. Spring arrives early pigeon; in an average strip of Ukraine appears in the first decade of March, and in the South even at the end of February. Stock dove loves mixed forests and groves, the deaf avoids forest areas. The nests are usually in tree hollows. But there are fewer hollow trees every year. Without finding the hollow, the birds migrate to other places, wasting time nesting. This is one of the reasons for the decline of the stock dove. Sometimes he builds the nest in a convenient recess of the wood, but never twice in the same nest does not display Chicks. The dove is very attached to his dove. They are a solid pair. The stock pigeons are very caring parents, in moments of danger dove never leaves the nest, risking to die with the nestlings. Pigeons feed on the ground seeds of cereals and weeds. Stock dove - a wonderful decoration of the forest and those birds must protect aesthetic value. The weight of the stock dove is barely 350-400 g. Owing to its small size hunting little profitable. Large flocks on flights stock pigeons are not, and often flying in pairs.

Third, although the magnitude of the fifth representative from the order of the pigeon, found on the territory of the European part of the USSR and many times more numerous in comparison with the previous two, is the turtledove an ordinary. The size is a small bird, 26-27 cm in length, its weight, even in the fall, after feeding on the "free bread", barely reaches 120-140 g. This is a very nice and pretty bird. The gentle and pleasant voice of the turtledove is widely known. Soft and subtle shades of the plumage, the color of coffee with milk, make this bird particularly attractive and it's hard not to admire her. Distinguished by its scaly pattern of back and white oblique stripes on the neck. Returning from wintering in late April, doves begin building nests. In deciduous woods or even shrubs can you find a nest of sticks, very rare, as if hastily built and not unlike the nests of their relatives. In the same way as other pigeon birds, pigeon lays 2 eggs, incubation lasts 14-15 days.

Doves perfectly walk the earth. They feed on different seeds. The male is very nice cooing. Sounds "turr-turr-turr" testify that somewhere nearby there is a nest of a Gorlitsa. He look for it, doves sometimes abandon their nests. They feed on seeds of weed herbs. In the South of Moldova and Odessa region during the autumn flight there are quite a few flocks. And then hunting them is quite successful. Flying turtledoves quickly and deftly, which is the only salvation from numerous enemies. But of course in those quantities, which are described in the old literature about birds, their already not meet. A. Bram there are indications that the huge flocks of doves literally covered the field during the flight - "each branch, each stone sits a dove".

Now the main task is to preserve the number of these wild birds that live among us.

In gardens and parks found in separate pairs collared dove. It differs from the usual smaller size and very clearly visible on the back of the neck black stripe. It is not a hunting ground. This is a living decoration of our parks.

There is another member of the squad dove - dove. The plumage of the rock dove differs from its congeners by the white tail coverts. It is often found in peri-domestic condition in the villages and nests in buildings. Its weight is small-250-350 g. Gray pigeon-resident bird.

In the book of the American biologist Sally Carriger devoted to behavior of animals, there is such phrase - "I believe that everyone writing about animals has to have courage to admit personal addictions". I, following this, I confess. My addiction is pigeons. All life pigeons. But I do not rule out the possibility of hunting pigeons-as one of the wonderful sports. But pigeons have few and therefore hunting them is strictly limited. However, in some events, it would be possible to make very exciting.

Now the city has bred a lot of feral pigeons. They become a natural disaster for urban architecture. If they catch that it is not easy to take out into the countryside and force yourself to get into the weeds "bread", the hunting community would have found such an exciting hunt other types of wild hunting birds would lose interest to them.

Should hunting organizations to test this recommendation.

Hunting should be passionate and exciting, not disappointment, wasted time.

Hunting the wood pigeon, video: