Pigeon hunting from stage: To catch them, you even agree to sleep in the car for a whole month. But not only that, to have them inside your hinge you are also willing to set up risky scaffolding.
Talking about hunting pigeons from the stage, these are the experiences that hunters go to meet. These are risky experiences, of course, but also full of emotions that are impossible to forget. Pigeon hunting from stage has a long tradition, especially in some Italian regions such as Tuscany. In others, such as Sicily, this practice has, however, fallen into disuse. The stage, in fact, is one of the many hunting techniques with which it is possible to capture and shoot down wood pigeons.
These migrants can be hunted either with the stalking hunting than with the wandering one. The real emotions are felt, however, during the hunting from the stage, the only one able to put a strain on the hunting skills of the hunter.
Who hunts i pigeons in a rambling way, it often does so for reasons of time or for the lack of desire to engage in an activity that requires commitment, sacrifice and training. Not all hunting enthusiasts think the same way, however, and those who have already practiced this type of hunting speak of emotions never experienced before, of fun and strong adrenaline rushes that make hunting from the stage one of the best. absolutely.
But why is wood pigeon hunting so popular? The interest in this hunting practice stems from the fact that it is a typical aerial hunt, in which a scaffolding (the stage) must be set up above the branches of a tree, where cages and stations with birds will be mounted. a call for wood pigeons.
In order to spot and hit the game, the hunter, in turn, will have to reach the scaffolding by means of steps well fixed on the ground and close to the trunk. Often, the hunter's post is located several tens of meters above the ground. Shooting from above is very risky, but if the scaffolding is well fixed, it can also feel like you are touching the sky with your finger. If then, in addition to "touching" the sky, you are able to shoot down a good number of wood pigeons, then success and fun are guaranteed.
Wood pigeons are not unprepared birds, but the stage, if set up with care and skill, can become a very attractive bait for these migrants. Belonging to the same family of pigeons and doves (order Columbiformes, family Columbidae), the Wood pigeons have a more elongated body than other similar species, with a blue-gray plumage and wine-colored undersides. There are no morphological differences between the two sexes. The body of these birds is about forty-three centimeters long, which become about seventy in the wingspan phase, for a total weight between four hundred and six hundred grams. Over the years, the wood pigeons have almost completely lost their migratory habits, becoming a resident species.
Generally, their nesting occurs throughout Europe, with the exception of the colder areas. Wood pigeons overwinter in the winter months, while, in Italy, they migrate and nest irregularly. The ideal habitat of this species are the woods, but also the urban centers. Wood pigeons' nest can be placed right on trees or buildings. It is usually set up in a frugal way, with simple intertwined branches. Equally frugal is the feeding of these migratory birds: plant remains and, occasionally, some invertebrates.
Nothing, on the other hand, is further from being frugal than setting up the stage, considered, perhaps, the most demanding and important part of the wood pigeon hunt.
Il stage, as already mentioned, is mounted between the branches of the trees, camouflaging it with the remains of plants and leaves. This scaffold also includes plungers and racks within which decoy birds will be placed. Usually, to hunt wood pigeons, palpa pigeons and leaflets are used, also called "sighting laughters". These are birds that are trained to spot wood pigeons. The first, placed on the pistons, will flap their wings as soon as they spot the game, the second, placed on the rack, after sighting will begin to turn to bring the prey closer and allow the hunter to fire a few shots. The stage must contain, between the branches of the tree, a rectangular plane, from which the hunter must position himself and shoot. The floor will be reached via some steps. Just below the floor, a cage is fixed containing the suitably trained lure lures. These birds, as soon as the hunting enterprise starts, will have to be released to attract the game.
The stage, in the aerial part, ends with a floor made up of a series of steel tubes connected together to form a square or a rectangle. These tubes will need to be tied to the branches of the tree with laces. It is not recommended to use iron ties or twine which can strangle and kill the plant. The binding must be firm, in order to hold the scaffolding in place, always consisting of a series of steps with steel tubes that start from the ground and that surround the entire height of the tree. The steel pipes should not be driven into the ground, but must be fixed by adding the feet. The tubes to be used are the innocent ones (the most robust), to which steel cables that will form the various steps of the stage are fixed. The cables should be tightened and loosened every year, based on the size of the plant that will host the station. If you are using one meter pipes (long pipes are less stable) you can make holes in the ground of at least 90 centimeters, where you can add a throw of concrete. This scaffolding will be a kind of shed. On the upper floor, to camouflage it, parts of the tree and remains of other vegetation, such as cedar and laurel branches and leaves, will be added. Below the stalking floor, that is, in the steps immediately below, the cage with the sighting lures will be positioned and fixed. The pigeons must be freed and placed on plungers (rods with circular tops) in the front part of the top, while in the back a wooden rack will be placed where the leaflets can be turned.
Pigeon Pigeon Hunting: To implement this structure, you must first identify the right place, ask for authorization from the eventual owner of the land and from the provincial hunting and fishing office. The latter will issue a renewable annual license for stalking.
La wood pigeon hunting begins between October and January. In Italy, some Regions have extended the hunting calendars for this species until February. The 2012/2013 migratory flows of wood pigeons seem, in fact, to be more delayed than in previous years. If the stage works properly, the wood pigeons will leave the flock and position themselves exactly in the direction of the shot. To hit them best, it is recommended to use selective single-trigger over-and-under shotguns with automatic extractors or automatic shotguns with adjustable stock and extensions. The over-and-under with 76 cm barrels and interchangeable chokes are also ideal. The dimensions of the chokes depend on the shooting distance, but also on the cartridges used. In stage wood pigeon hunting you can also use over-and-under with a 71 cm barrel and three-star chokes, that is, with a half choke. Some hunters recommend the full, one-star choke, because the pattern is denser and more compact. But the result will always depend on the distance of the shot and the cartridges used and therefore, for hunting wood pigeons from the stage, it is better to bet on the safe side, that is, on the interchangeable chokes.