Season dates and bag limits for game birds are listed on pages 14-16. A shooting hours table is located on page 13. Season dates and bag limits can change from year to year. Oregon has a Northwest Permit Goose Season with special regulations. Information about this season is located on pages 18-20. With dove and quail seasons beginning Sept. 1, some waterfowl seasons extending through January, and spring turkey available through the end of May, game bird hunting in Oregon is almost (but not quite) a year-round activity. Band-tailed Pigeons prefer forest edges-open sites bordered by tall conifers, a habitat type often found in city parks and suburban developments. In the early breeding season, mineral springs and tidal flats become important. Towards the end of the breeding season, many birds migrate to higher elevations to feed on ripening fruits.
This pigeon shooting calendar will help you plan your pest control. Pigeon shooting is popular all year round, although the spring months are often the best for those seeking sport after the end of the game bird season. The most important factor is knowing when to shoot pigeon, and over which crops. This useful pigeon shooting calendar will guide you through the year.
PIGEON SHOOTING CALENDAR
January
Go pigeon shooting over rape and any frosted root crops such as potatoes, carrots, sugar beet and turnips if you have them.
February
Rape, again, is a strong draw as the pigeon’s core diet. Maize and other cover crops if chopped or ploughed in. And in hard weather, frosted crops such as cabbages, cauliflower and sprouts work well. Early spring clover can
be a big draw.
March
Rape will more or less sustain pigeon this month. As the soil warms, watch all spring drillings. Clover should be dragging them in by now for some sustained pigeon shooting.
April
Late spring drillings and peas can prove fruitful for pigeon shooting. Tree buds, especially ash, can be great this month.
May
A tricky month in the pigeon shooting calendar, with a lot around to tempt them. Peas and spring-sown rape, which will just be showing. Barring surprises, a sticky month to get under the tap.
June
Again, this month can be a difficult one in the pigeon shooting calendar, unless they’re belting the peas or seeds. That said, last June produced
some amazing bags over fields of failed rape, an opportunity not to be missed.
July
Once again, peas, either growing or harvested, but also laid cereal crops, especially barley or wheat at that milky stage.
August
Harvest time. Breeding pigeon will be on rape and almost any harvested crop. If hot and dry, remote drinking areas can be good places to find pigeon not busily engaged in attacking the crops.
September
Oregon Bird Hunting Regulations
Similar to August, so don’t overlook any freshly ploughed and harrowed land.
October
A difficult month in the pigeonshooting calendar owing to the weather. Be vigilant with autumn drill but also with wild foods such as acorns and beech masts.
November
A lot depends on how much wild food is on offer, how well any autumn drilling crops have grown and the timing of harvests such as beet. If wild food is bountiful they seldom leave it.
December
Rape, mainly towards the month end, as other offers will exist. The odd stubble field may still drag a few in.
Egyptian farmers raise more than 70% of the squabs on a global basis. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Squab Production
Pictures Of Pigeons Birds
Domesticated pigeons (Columbia livia domesticia) are raised for racing and ornamental purposes and for meat production mainly as young birds (squabs). The ancient Egyptians were one of the first to produce squabs for the table and this practice spread to Rome and Medieval Europe. Today, Egyptian farmers raise more than 70% of the squabs on a global basis.
They grow at a rapid rate and have a prodigious appetite, and depend on their parents to provide nourishment in the form of ‘crop milk’ which is stimulated by the hormone prolactin (as is also done by some other avian species such as some flamingos and penguins). The composition of the milk changes as the squab ages. Initially it is high in fat and protein with high levels of the essential amino acids. Production of crop milk declines and ceases in the female earlier than in the male which allows her to lay two more eggs and to incubate them, assisted by the male.
Eggs will hatch at 17 days. In a breeding season, which is September to January, one pair of pigeons will produce 12 to 15 squabs, each weighing about 500 g at 24 to 28 days of age when lactation has already ceased and they have full feather cover. Dressing out is about 350 g, although this will vary with the breed. The meat is dark in colour and similar to that of duck meat.
Squab Production in Australia
The industry has grown from about $6.2 million in 2002 ( 680,000 squab/year processed) to close to $11 million today. There is an Australian Poultry Squab Producers Federation which has members in most of the states. These family-run farms typically have 500 to 1500 breeding pairs, which produce 6,000 to 12,000 squabs per year. Some rely on outside processing plants to process their squabs and others rely on other game bird producers to market their already processed squabs. They are held in breeding pens or lofts with wire mesh or solid floors with wood shavings and holding 20 to 30 pairs. The pen is either closed or with an open flight area depending on the climate. They are best suited to dry, temperate conditions. There are two raised nest boxes per pair to accommodate the two squabs still being fed and this also allows for the hen to incubate her eggs for the next hatch.
Pigeons are housed according to age. Young birds of similar age are kept together, as are first time breeders.
There are several different breeds, which are often cross breeds, used for squab farming but the White King (750 to 850 g) crosses from the United States are the most favoured. The slightly smaller Red Carneaux from France is also used in breeding programs. Breeding pigeons are left to their own devices when it comes to nest building and pine needles, straw or wood shavings are left in a pile in a rack. Pigeons are sexually mature at about seven to eight months. The female will breed for approximately eight years and the male for five years. Pigeons are usually given a choice of grains, legume seeds such as peas and whole or oil-extracted oil seeds with access to grit and minerals and vitamins. As their nutrient needs will vary with the stage of lactation and when incubating eggs, the birds will alter their selection of feed ingredients. Some producers feed their pigeons a formulated, pelleted diet with whole grain available separately.
Oregon Game Bird Pigeon Season 2
It takes about 3 kg of feed for parents to grow one squab to 500 g. As crop milk is initially very high in water, pigeons need about one litre per day for five birds and there should also be water separately for bathing. Some producers maintain that crop milk produced by the lactating pair for no more than 10 days and that the parents then regurgitate grain to feed the squabs. The squabs are sent to the processing plant at about 28 to 32 days and dress out at 200 to 500 g. The price of grains has risen to the extent that few new farmers are now entering the business, which is only marginally profitable, although there is no shortage of consumer demand, mainly from the Asian population. Chinese and French restaurants are the main customers and squabs can be bought in some farmers’ markets.
Provided the pens are kept dry and clean and management is of a high standard, bird health should not be a problem. Weak and unhealthy birds should be removed immediately. However, the roundworm, Ascaridia Galli, is a common internal parasite, and lice and red mites are external parasites in pigeons. Chronic respiratory disease, pigeon pox and coccidiosis are sometimes seen in birds. Silkiness of feathers is an external indicator of peak bird health.
Oregon Game Bird Pigeon Seasons
Information kindly provided by Dr. David Farrell