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18 May 2014

Numbers of Wild Pigeons Nesting in Wisconsin

From the Hudson (Wis.) Star and Times.

In company with Geo. Martin, we went out on a pigeon shooting expedition Friday and Saturday of last week, visiting the "pigeon roost," near Beldenville in Pierce county, about 12 miles above River Falls. In about four hours shooting we bagged a full buggy load of pigeons, 184 in number.

We had often heard of "pigeon roosts," (which is the place where they congregate to build their nests and raise their young,) but had never seen one before. The stories we have heard, have evidently exaggerated the truth. We had often heard that the pigeons where they nested would be in such great numbers, and would build their nests so thickly upon the trees as to break off large limbs. There is nothing like this out at Beldenville. We should judge there was an average of a dozen nests to each tree. The roost is said to cover an area of not less than 15 to 20 square miles, and as the trees are very thick, it will be seen that there must be a great many of the birds. When we left the nests were generally built, and perhaps a few of them contained eggs.

The birds are in countless numbers. You can hear them for a mile, the noise sounding like a heavy wind roaring through the woods. As they were all old birds, of course they were rather wild, and kept on the tops of tall trees, just about difficult enough to get to give zest to the sport of shooting them.

Any of our readers who wish "fun alive," in the shooting line, and like ourselves are desirous of

May 26, 1875. The pigeons. How and where they are nesting - the numbers. Eau Claire Daily Free Press 3(122): 1.