Woodpigeon Hunting in Scotland

Shooting days for woodpigeon with Macintyre and Thomson

Woodpigeon are a serious agricultural pest in the UK, but make great sport for the rough shooter, and are lovely to eat.

Woodpigeons feed on crops all year round and there is an estimated national population of approximately 10-20 million. The population is largely non-migratory but can be swelled (some estimate it doubles) during the winter months with incoming migrants. Shooting is a most effective means of control.

There are two principal methods used to shoot pigeons: using decoy dummy pigeons to attract the birds to a specific area of the field where they are shot from a hide, and also roost shooting where the birds are shot by waiting guns as they return to their roost. However, on a walked up shoot they can be encountered and their fast elaborate flight makes the woodpigeon a great, and challenging target.

Woodpigeon can be shot throughout the year hunting all year round.