What’s the difference between dove hunting and pigeon hunting?
There are large differences in how doves and pigeons fly and behave. This will make your hunting trip a challenging and diverse experience.
Hot barrel dove shooting combined with passing pigeons and “English style” pigeons over decoys offer you much more diversity and fun.
Let’s compare the flight and behavior of both species in detail.
The Flight of the Dove
The eared dove (Zenaida auriculata) has very fast flight with rapid wing beats. It usually flies at low altitude when heading toward the crops and in large flocks of hundreds of birds in continuous streams. That’s why we speak of the “fly way” — it forms a kind of aerial highway.
The dove is a more confident species and continues flying through the same area despite gunshots. That’s why dove shooting is referred to as continuous — one shot after another without stopping. Dove hunting demands quick reflexes.
The Flight of the Pigeon
The pigeon (Patagioenas maculosa) has more powerful than fast flight, with deep, measured wing beats — it’s a flight with more inertia. However, it can change direction in abrupt zigzag patterns, which makes it very challenging.
Pigeons reproduce at a much lower rate than doves, so they’re always found in smaller population sizes. While they do fly in groups, they do so in flocks of five to thirty birds. They are highly intelligent and suspicious.
How Do Pigeons Behave During the Hunt?
Pigeons change their flight line with gunshots — they change altitude, analyze the danger carefully, and attempt to circle the blind. It’s a bird that “learns quickly” when disturbed.
On the other hand, they respond very well to the presence of decoys and execute large turns and flight modifications when attracted by them. They can also vary their speed and trajectory with great ease and block their wings open, descending rapidly toward where the decoys are set.
All of this makes the pigeon a great attraction for the hunter, who must employ their best hunting skills: remaining still in the blind, detecting wind direction and intensity, and only moving at the exact moment of pulling the trigger.
As a final distinction, we would say that doves demand quick reflexes, while pigeon hunting demands strategy.
It’s not very common to find both species in large populations in the same area. That’s why the combination of unlimited dove shooting and consistent pigeon hunting in the same lodge is undoubtedly a memorable experience for the hunter.
Founder & Owner of South Pioneers Lodge
After scouting in 9 provinces in Argentina Ramiro found the most exceptional area arround the world for pigeon and dove hunting.
Along more than 20 years hosting hunters the lodge becomes synonym with unparalleled dove and pigeon hunt, top notch accommodation and a gourmet argentine food expereince.