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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775 |
Any one shoot starlings? They have set up house in my leanto attached to the shop...and the barn.. So I decided to shoot a few... The first few were easy...then they wised up....they are pretty smart....they are much harder to hit than doves...dart quicker and tend to stay out of range..
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,760
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,760 |
I love shooting the little bastards, but as you say they are smart.. They wise up fast.. Good luck with killing them..
Molon Labe
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775 |
I'm thinking tomorrow I will put in skeet chokes...make up for the dogging and ducking they do..
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,159
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,159 |
I shoot them regularly too. I use a shotgun when checking bird houses and when possible walking in the pasture but that is all long range as the birds get pretty spooky.
More often I use the 17 HMR and snipe them from a distance as they wander around the cattle. They seem to be less able to realize I am a danger at 100 yards. They do flee when one of them gets hit but I can shoot them all summer long if I am careful. One has to wait until the cows are clear but that elapsed time may be what causes the disconnect between me showing up and the demise of one of the birds.
They are also quite edible- I use them as "filler" in stews. They would probably work well in dove recipes too. Starlings are the "star" of the old nursery rhyme, "5 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie...".
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775 |
I went to 1 oz 9 shot and a mod choke today...little faster load seemed to get there before they could dodge out do the way....still missed my share..... They figured out pretty quick that flying out of the shed was not a good idea.....gona have to get the wife to run them out.... No need for me to try eating one I an not that desperate....our cats are lovin it tho...
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775 |
Little buggers are really getting gun shy.....I luckey to get off 1 shot a day.....they have learned to fly right twards the sprayer or tractor to use it for cover...I have the count to about 5 left...
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,775 |
All gone now.....ain't seen one in 2 weeks
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