What's the best shot size for bagging hummingbirds?

[notfarnow]

We electrocute them on the feeder.

That's probably not considered "sporting", but much more of the plumage is preserved for our scarves & hats

[TerryBPP]

I kill humming birds by throwing other hummingbirds at them.

[Jim Bremner]

I was having poor luck with all of yaw'lls methods.
































Claymores! FTW

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8426358034969323926&q=claymore%20mine&hl=en

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by RPKESQ

In the collection notes for speciemens at the Smithsonian Museum, the perferred shot size is listed for Trochilidae (i.e. Hummingbirds), "dust" shot which is #12 shot.

I think we should defer to the authorative source; I would trust the good folks at the Smithstonian to have the requisette experience in this field.

So, now that we have covered shot size, what say we move the discussion on to retrievers? Hummingbird habitat can render it not only inconvenient for the hunter to retrieve his quarry on his own, but may actually prove to be dangerous. If the wounded bird clears the fence and lands in the neighbor's pool, for instance.

I've been a lab/golden retriever man all of my life. I have found these breeds to be somewhat oversized for the task. They have a hard time retrieving, without swallowing, such diminutive prey. This will result in not only the loss of valuable meat, but may lead to some very uncomfortable moments for the hunter.

All dogs fart. The first time your loyal retriever does so in front of the wife, or in front of the in laws (or both) and some colorful little feathers come wafting out accross the deck (inevitably right past the occupied hummingbird feeder), you will both have some explaining to do. Trust me; I speak from experience.

So what would be a suitably small (and sneaky) retriever? I'm thinking Jack Russel, or something of that size.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I retain a well-trained grizzly bear for precisely that task.

[dheinz]

I use a standard mouse trap with a red flower as a lure/bait. Hummingbird ribs barbequed are to die for...

[lin7310948]

they are almost as tasty as buzzzzzz....ard! personally, i prefer shooting bumble bees with the old daisy red ryder lever action...standard bb load!

[t951]

To show that you are a true master, you must use chopsticks.......

[p911dad]

The wings are delicious Buffalo style. Of course, you will need 150 dozen or so.. And, caution to you chefs, they cook really fast! Best with blue cheese and tiny celery sticks. Lots of Labatt's Blue to wash them down.

[varmint]

as part of their regalia, the kings of hawaii wore long flowing floor length red capes. brilliantly colored, really something to see.

they were made from the feathers of a chickadee sized bird that lived high in the mountains. each bird had about a quarter inch of red on it's breast. estimated that it took several thousand to make one of the cloaks.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I don't think you should kill hummingbirds.

[Rick V]

Rookies all of you. I use an 82SC for all my bird control issues

This poor fellow required an 80mph shot but I think a humming bird can be had around 35mph

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

I don't think you should kill hummingbirds.

Noted.

[Venetian]

Perhaps a heat seeking missle.

[Jim Bremner]

Sjuan 84,

wtf do you want us to do? is waterboarding the little pricks ok with you?

jeeze I hate mama's boys!

[dentist90]

Just make sure you have a good kill shot. Those things go savage when they're wounded! And don't come between a female hummer and her offspring. Or is that a bear? Can't remember...

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by Venetian

Perhaps a heat seeking missle.

has to be Sidewinder AIM9-P or later
earlier models haven't got good enough seekers

M and R are all aspect, but they just won't lock-on to regular hummingbirds, only on really fat ones. and let's face it, the fat ones don't get airborne, they hide amongst regular chickens...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by svandamme

has to be Sidewinder AIM9-P or later
earlier models haven't got good enough seekers

M and R are all aspect, but they just won't lock-on to regular hummingbirds, only on really fat ones. and let's face it, the fat ones don't get airborne, they hide amongst regular chickens...

With a surplus F-14 and a full load of AIM-54 missiles, you can target 6 hummingbirds simultaneously and take them all down before they get within visual range. Contact your local Class III dealer, he can hook you up.

[9dreizig]

What about trophy hunting them ? Catch em in a plastic zip lock and right into the freezer.. Then freeze dry em and put them right on the mounting plate...

[svandamme]

dude, Aim54's are radar guided, ain't no way will they track hummingbirds
anybody who knows anything knows that...
and if they did, you'de be able to track 24 of them not 6, F14's are better then "6"
I am sure though, that an F-14 would toast Hummingbirds with it's afterburner, with very low flyby's aka the Penny Benjamin maneuver , the admiral's daughter...

y'all should have burned down the Pentagon after they discontinued the Big Cat , ain't nothing like it.. not for Hummingbird hunts, or other prey.