Is it legal to shoot Pigeons all year round in ON

I asked this of the game warden a few years ago. He was curious why I would want to shoot pigeons. I explained "for training my bird dog".

He said yes it is legal... then quickly added "as long as you have a valid small game licence".
 
Grain fed pigeons are pretty good eating. No idea on legalities though. We shoot them on my buddies farm all the time though - at his request. The record is 17 in one shot with a 12G #4 shot. :evil:
 
Khonhd said:
I asked this of the game warden a few years ago. He was curious why I would want to shoot pigeons. I explained "for training my bird dog".

He said yes it is legal... then quickly added "as long as you have a valid small game licence".
Click to expand...

That is one stupid question for a game warden to ask? We shoot all kinds because the farmer wants them shot, when you have over 100 in a barn they eat a lot of feed, they #### on his equipment, etc, etc.
If you need a small game licence to hunt them then they must be small game, but I can't find it in the regs and a farmer that catches them to sell them at the stock yard must be breaking the law because he does not have a small game licence?
I don;t think you can sell game animals. I think this warden is a bit confused.
 
tracker said:
That is one stupid question for a game warden to ask? We shoot all kinds because the farmer wants them shot, when you have over 100 in a barn they eat a lot of feed, they s**t on his equipment, etc, etc.
If you need a small game licence to hunt them then they must be small game, but I can't find it in the regs and a farmer that catches them to sell them at the stock yard must be breaking the law because he does not have a small game licence?
I don;t think you can sell game animals. I think this warden is a bit confused.
Click to expand...

Totally agree!!!
 
I inquired about this several years ago when there used to be a webpage with an "Ask a Conservation Officer" section. Pigeons were legal to hunt year round with a small game license (with the probable exception of those parts of Ontario where a small game license is not valid from after 15 June until 1st Sept). Just as groundhogs, crows, red-winged blackbirds and starlings aren't game animals but require a small game license, pigeons normally require one as well. I suspect that the MNR would turn a blind eye to farmers and their friends shooting pest birds on their own land without a license (perhaps there's even a legal exception that allows this?), but I'd certainly carry my small game license when seeking opportunities to shoot them in farm country.

I've read articles about shooting pigeons, including an old article in Ontario Out of Doors, and even picked up several decoys from Al Flaherty's.....and might pick up one or two more the next time I'm down there. If anyone knows of good places to go in S. ON or knows of people who'd appreciate the services of one or two responsible hunters, I'd be happy to hear about it.

I'd certainly take home and cook any farm country pigeons I'd shoot, and am surprised a game warden would even ask why someone might want to harvest some!

Cheers,

Frank
 
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