The woods in Shannon, Oregon and Howell counties are full of pigeons which are being killed by the thousands for shipment to eastern markets. Piedmont, on the Atlantic division of the Iron Mountain railroad, is the shipping point, and from there are shipped every day, from seven hundred to one thousand dozen of pigeons, bringing into the county from $600 to $800 net cash per diem. The birds are sent to Boston and New York, where they sell at $1.30 and $1.60 per dozen. The roosts of the pigeons are from sixty to eighty miles southwest of Piedmont, and the hunters go out in parties of from four to six, provided with wagons to bring in the game. The pigeons are continually moving toward the north, but their progress does not exceed eight or, at the utmost, twelve miles per day. With daylight they leave their roosts in almost innumerable numbers, and after feeding at will during the day, repair to a roost a day's journey further on their way northward. The hunters watch their game settle down and then range through the woods, looking up, and when a body of pigeons settled on the limbs of a pine or oak, outlined against the sky, a half dozen men fire at a signal in the mass. What pigeons are not left on the ground fly away, and the hunters to on following till they get another opportunity for shooting. In the morning all hands are set to work to pick up the game and prepare for the next night's slaughter.
April 9, 1879. Algona Upper Des Moines 13(52): 3.Pigeons in Southern Missouri
The woods in Shannon, Oregon and Howell counties are full of pigeons which are being killed by the thousand for shipment to eastern markets. Piedmont, on the Arkansas division of the Iron Mountain Railroad, is the shipping point, and from there are shipped every day from 700 to 1,000 dozen pigeons, bringing into the country $600 to $800 cash per diem. The roosts of the pigeons are from 60 to 80 miles southwest from Piedmont. — St. Louis Rep., March 21.
March 27, 1879. Washington D.C. Evening Star 53(8106): 3.