we have had millions of them roosting here in the winter..they got so bad the city bought some propane cannons to try and scare them off..finally got a crop duster to fly over the roost and spray something on them at night that would make them freeze to death..I bought a tube extender for my 12 ga.1100 and it would hold 8 shells..we would shoot them in the feedlot til the barrel would almost melt..you couldnt dare touch it..
starling hunting
- Thread starter tiercel45
- Start date
DOGCALLR
New member
Starlings are great to practice your wingshooting. I shoot 12ga. traploads, full choke, all through the spring and summer. Haven't found a better place in my area than a hog lot. It's back and forth between feeders all day long. Don't discount useing a simple blind, say a piece of camo burlap strung on electric fence posts. It's light, cheap, and will get more birds in range once they start to smarten up. And in my opinion if you can get good at knockin down starlings, you can connect on anything that flies. Happy Hunting!
Welcome to the forum Dogcaller.
Didn't starlings come from France????? .........
Oh England, ok.
Anyway, I like my 20 ga. mod 37 Winchester best for this.
I work around a farm shop and outbuildings where they nest and break up thier "housekeeping" routine when I get a chance.
One day, got two with one shot.
Red letter day with a red letter Winchester!!
Three 44s
Didn't starlings come from France????? .........
Oh England, ok.
Anyway, I like my 20 ga. mod 37 Winchester best for this.
I work around a farm shop and outbuildings where they nest and break up thier "housekeeping" routine when I get a chance.
One day, got two with one shot.
Red letter day with a red letter Winchester!!
Three 44s
son_of_rocky
New member
Usually around this time of the year the larger dairies here will hire a critter gitter to come in and poison them.
Last year they had such a flock one neighbor poisoned them and the starlings flew over to another farm to roost at night and died. The next morning the guy turned on his silo unloader and it plugged up with dead birds. They were laying six inches thick in his silo!
Shooting them is more fun but we can't put a dent in the population.
SOR
Last year they had such a flock one neighbor poisoned them and the starlings flew over to another farm to roost at night and died. The next morning the guy turned on his silo unloader and it plugged up with dead birds. They were laying six inches thick in his silo!
Shooting them is more fun but we can't put a dent in the population.
SOR
tripod3
New member
Starlings have a built in survival instinct. When they sense the population declining they will lay another clutch, often increasing numbers higher than before being hunted. They can fly 40 mph and up to 60 miles one way each day for food. Thanks to some smart fool bringing them here, we will have an endless supply of targets. I have killed many doubles & triples with the shotgun using 12 guage modified #9 shot. My all time record is 4 with one pellet. I was sitting near a leaky riser when 5 starlings landed in line for a drink. One got away.