Would it be ethical to offer to shoot the pigeon on our allotment ?

**Hazel at the Hill** · 27-11-2007, 10:22 PM

I'd say yes - especially if you eat them afterwards!

**Minty** · 27-11-2007, 10:27 PM

Yeah. I do agree. Stuffed with apple and wrapped in bacon then roasted, they are quite nice. BUT is it right ?

**Alice** · 27-11-2007, 10:30 PM

Not sure what ehical means. Legal maybe ??? But for me, I would say am I growing this for me, or for food for my family, or what the pigeons like to eat. No contest there. If I couldn't deal with them any other way, I would shoot them. But do eat the results- otherwise it is a waste.

**Hazel at the Hill** · 27-11-2007, 10:37 PM

Depends what you mean by 'right', but I'd be in favour for the following reasons:

If you shoot them you are ridding the site of a pest which is eating your crops.
I presume that you don't have a concience about ridding the site of other pests eg slugs - how are the pigeons different
They are not contributing to the site (i.e. butterflies have caterpillars which eat your crop, BUT the butterfly presumably contributes by pollinating things)
If you are eating them too they are not being 'wasted'

Can't see a downside to your plan, really

**Minty** · 27-11-2007, 10:38 PM

Hi guys, i agree entirely. I spent 7 years as a manager of Derbys(as then) leading fish game and poultry merchants ROOMES on sadlergate if any one remembers it. We used to pay a pound a bird if it was plucked and dressed, if it wasn`t then i would do it. If i remember rightly pigeon are really easy to prepare whereas shot game was a nightmare as it ripped your hand to bits.I think the problem might be getting everyone on the site to agree.

**sewer rat** · 27-11-2007, 11:06 PM

Shoot first and ask questions later ! Seriously though, I would deffo shoot the critter but you better check first. Not so much the legality, more to check that none of your fellow allotmenteers have "adopted" the damn thing.

**carlseawolf** · 28-11-2007, 08:26 AM

if there's a time that everyone would agree , it would be now as all there spring greens will be in the process of been eaten by the pests.
Is it right then that's down to your own oppinion and i think as long as they are been eaten then it's fine to cull them as long as they don't belong to a local pigeon club or that could open another can of worms.
I would talk to your site representitive one to one and he might bring it up at the next meeting , and that way you will get the general state of play the way people think.

**lupin** · 28-11-2007, 09:58 AM

Shoot them.

I leave the dead pigeons on my plot, lay them on they back pluck out a few chest feathers and spread the wings.

Its supposed to deter other pigeons.

**bluemoon** · 28-11-2007, 09:59 AM

My daughter had a problem with pigeons living on her house roof - the droppings were a health hazard, especially with her children around - she was told that the only legal way to remove them was by shooting so there's definitely no legal worry. Having said that someone shot a pigeon which 'fell to earth' on our allotment and it was merely injured, so if you're going to shoot them make sure you do it right. I admit they're a pest but that's no reason to cause unnecessary suffering.

**Polly Fouracre** · 28-11-2007, 10:59 AM

You would have to check very carefully that no fellow allotmenteers are around before you start shooting!!(I expect you thought of that already!)

**Two_Sheds** · 28-11-2007, 12:24 PM

Ruddy nuisances. But so are some teenagers.

Yes, pigeons are a pest. However, if you shoot one, another will only move into its territory, so you're always going to be back at square one.

Also, you can't be there all the time that the pigeons are feeding; and how do you know you shoot the culprit? Are you just going to shoot ALL pigeons, guilty or not, on your plot or not?

I don't agree with shooting (you might have sussed that) and I would not be happy if you shot pigeons that were on my plot. I may choose to pellet slugs, but I'm sure you'd be unhappy if I scattered your plot with slug pellets, just in case 'your' slugs were the ones munching my veg; or came on your plot to chop down your weeds incase they seeded themselves onto my plot.

If you want to reduce the pigeon population, their food supply needs to be restricted, and possibly their nest sites. That means not feeding them with crops or with bread/seed on birdtables.
If your intention is to protect your crops, you need to net them. although it's not as much fun as blasting dumb animals to death, I grant you

PS. We're not falling out about this, I just wanted to put my two'pennorth in.

**bubblewrap** · 29-11-2007, 01:56 AM

I have a minor problem a man next to our lottie site keeps .................................................................Yes you've guessed it RACING PIGEONS

**Polly Fouracre** · 29-11-2007, 09:20 AM

Originally posted by bubblewrap View Post

I have a minor problem a man next to our lottie site keeps .................................................................Yes you've guessed it RACING PIGEONS

Do racing pigeons eat your crops?I thought they were all nicely trained birds,let out for exercise,flying round for a while,then back in the loft. I may be wrong though(I often am!)

**bubblewrap** · 29-11-2007, 09:45 AM

Originally posted by Polly Fouracre View Post

Do racing pigeons eat your crops?I thought they were all nicely trained birds,let out for exercise,flying round for a while,then back in the loft. I may be wrong though(I often am!)

I have a very few problems with pigeons but I can't get close enough(As I look like a scarecrow.) to see if they are ringed!!

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