Are Pigeons Tough to Bring Down ?

[wll2506]

My buddy had a ~ 40 yard shot and smacked a good size pigeon very hard, the smack at that distance was louder than his LDC'd air gun. He was shooting JSB Jumbo Heavies as I do. These pellets are in the 21+fpe range at that distance. His gun is shooting them in the 850fps range.

We both heard the very loud smack (a very solid hit) and we turned away to put his gun in my vehicle to retrieve the bird knowing he was hit hard !, When we got to the spot he hit him, the pigeon was gone !!! We looked around for about 20 minutes and found nothing except a quarter size circle of blood where he was hit.

He and I were stumped ? I'm wondering if something got him before we reached him, I did not see any Hawks or Owls There were plenty of Ravens in the area, but this is less than 3 minutes time from hit to at the pigeons location !

JSB's are pretty soft lead and I would have though that bird was a downer ! The bird was facing him and it looked like a chest/body shot.

Are pigeons tough bird to bring down, I never thought so ?

wll2506

 

[Oklahoma_Guy]

Probably hit him in the crop or the curve in his neck. Watch Ted's video about pigeon anatomy. I have shot a few pigeons in the crop and the wrong spot of the neck and they fly off wounded. 

 

[1kshooter]

I have lost over a dozen pigeons to birds of prey this year...before they hit the ground a few times! and another 8 or so to barn cats within 1 minute or less of impact ...so I am going with good hit stolen bird! 
Jonathan

 

[Ghostmaker]

He probably just exploded. Lol

 

[wll2506]

"Oklahoma_Guy"Probably hit him in the crop or the curve in his neck. Watch Ted's video about pigeon anatomy. I have shot a few pigeons in the crop and the wrong spot of the neck and they fly off wounded.

Maybe, but Boy Oh Boy he was hit hard, from 40 yards you could hear the sound of a solid hit, a real solid hit, and he went backwards - last I looked he was starting to roll off the roof
.

wll2506

 

[gunsnknives]

Might have been an opportunistic cat out to steal your booty and valor. ;-)

 

[Monkyshine]

I shoot lots of different birds with my .25 @ 823fps. Any bird hit below breast (gut shot) will fly every time. Maybe only 30y or so. I checked large piegons taken at 60y that fell over and one that flew 30y. Pellets always goes through. 30y flier was hit low and had intestine hanging but still flew a bit. I see the same in starling shots. Guess I wanted to say they are not hard to bring down at all.

 

[wll2506]

"Monkyshine"I shoot lots of different birds with my .25 @ 823fps. Any bird hit below breast (gut shot) will fly every time. Maybe only 30y or so. I checked large piegons taken at 60y that fell over and one that flew 30y. Pellets always goes through. 30y flier was hit low and had intestine hanging but still flew a bit. I see the same in starling shots. Guess I wanted to say they are not hard to bring down at all.

I'm going to take a guess that is what might have happened. As the hit was very loud and solid, it could have been low below the breastbone. The thing is, it was no grazing shot and there was no flapping of wings right after the hit.

I'm sure he is in some Coyotes, Ravens, or Owl's stomach now.

wll2506

 

[Simshaz]

I always shoot them in the head, neck or back into the spine. Chest shots they can fly off and drop later. I will go with a stolen decision as at 21 fpe he should at least hit the floor. Did you not watch it drop

 

[SDellinger]

I've found if they fly away with legs hanging down they're dead. Hit in the back or high in the body is usually good. From the front hit upper chest or head. Wish I had something to shoot in western WA. Have fun, Scott

 

[wll2506]

"Simshaz"I always shoot them in the head, neck or back into the spine. Chest shots they can fly off and drop later. I will go with a stolen decision as at 21 fpe he should at least hit the floor. Did you not watch it drop

He was hit so hard he went backwards and was rolling down the ledge of the roof, we both took our eyes off of him as we "KNEW" he was a goner to put the gun in the truck and then go get him ... what a surprise not to find him !

wll2506