What Is The Ultimate Pigeon?

Endless rain has kept the farmers’ drills firmly in the shed so far this year, but eventually spring drilling will begin and hungry pigeons will descend upon the newly sown seed to gorge themselves.

There are few birds that expose your shooting quite so much as pigeons and doves, especially if you’ve just spent four months shooting driven birds. They arrive like missiles, jink like fighter jets, and when the stars align, can turn a day in the field into something spoken about in hushed tones in the pub. 

Yet “pigeon shooting” can mean wildly different things depending on where you are in the world: a grey morning under a UK hide; a South African horizon of big arable expanses with rock pigeons burning across it; or Argentina, where doves can make the sky feel busy in a way you simply don’t experience at home. But, we have to ask which offers the best option?

William Powell Sporting offer trips to both Argentina and South Africa, and they’ve helpfully provided Top Trumps-style sort of ratings for the woodpigeon, rock pigeons and various dove species found in Argentina so you can decide which is right for you.
 

The acrobat: African rock pigeon - Bloemfontein
 

If your definition of “sporting” involves birds doing aerobatics at pace, rock pigeons are guaranteed to get your heartbeat racing. That 10/10 agility rating isn’t a joke: these are birds that pivot on a pinhead, using wind, contour and pure bad manners to make you shoot where they aren’t. Not for nothing are they known as the ‘African grouse’.

According to our friends at William Powell Sporting they ‘present guns with a variety of shots no other winged quarry is capable of’ and on their day they combine the volume of shooting that argentine doves offer with the challenge of late season scottish grouse.

And because this is largely flighted shooting, there’s plenty of fieldcraft required, not only from the outfitters but from the guns too - allow a pack to spot you and they’ll flare away. Once the first shots are fired, the starbursting bird will leave you miles behind.

On the “why we’re here” side of things, the conservation/crop protection angle is strong: this is practical assistance to farmers in arable areas. The “local scenery” score (6/10) acknowledges what it is: broad farming country rather than the romantic bushveld you might associate with South Africa.

But don’t worry - what it lacks in extracurriculars is more than made up for if you’re fond of a braai and a glass of good wine. And on value for money, it’s a clean 10/10.

The swarm: Eared dove - Argentina
 

When it comes to dove shooting in Argentina, the headline stat is the one you already know: Volume 10/10. This is the world’s benchmark for high-volume shooting: reliable, consistent, and capable of giving you that curious feeling of being both delighted and slightly baffled.

Speed and agility sit at 6/10 apiece: this isn’t about a single bird humiliating you with aerobatics. It’s about rhythm, shot selection, staying smooth, and keeping your head clear as you settle into repeated, high-quality opportunities.

There’s a craft to it: how you stand, how you mount, how you keep your swing honest when you’re a few hundred shots into the day and your arm feels like it might drop off.

The conservation score (6/10) reflects the modern reality: in many places birds are actively encouraged into the shooting areas, and some crops are planted to entice and hold big numbers.

But if you’re looking for a trip that pairs iconic shooting with serious culinary standards (you can almost taste that Argentine steak!) (10/10), excellent wine (9/10) and very agreeable weather (8/10), Argentina is hard to beat.

Extra-curricular options score a healthy 7/10 too, which matters if you’re travelling with non-shooting guests or simply want the trip to feel like a cultural experience.

Value for money comes in at 9/10, firmly in “dangerously justifiable” territory.

The Dark Horse: Woodpigeon - UK
 

Connoisseurs of shooting know that the ‘humble’ woodpigeon can mix it with the best of them. It isn’t going to compete with Argentina on numbers, and it isn’t going to deliver the same aerobatics as rock pigeons. But for pure shooting joy with a rich thread of fieldcraft running through it our own UK woodies are hard to better.

The advanced fieldcraft and the decoyed style are defining points - getting that pattern and hide location *just right*, having the patience and discipline to take only the decoying birds.

With even a light breeze pigeons can be properly fast (Speed 8/10) and surprisingly varied. The second barrel at a bird flaring away is a shot hard to replicate with any other species.  

The “flavour” score (8/10) is well-deserved: taken seriously in the kitchen, woodpigeon is one of the great wild meats: simple, rich, and full of flavour. Local scenery also sits at a reassuring 8/10 because, let’s be honest, our countryside does “pleasant” extremely well, even when the weather does not.

Weather/climate gets a very British 5/10, which is another way of saying “pack a waterproof and a thermos of tea”.

But here’s the kicker stat: Extra-curricular 9/10. Because it’s home. Because you can finish a morning flight and still make the school run. Because your favourite pub is involved. Because your dog knows the drill. And because “value for money” is a resounding 10/10, which is what happens when your international travel budget remains intact and your shooting is still excellent.

The verdict?

We’re going to remain firmly perched on the fence - it all depends on your individual tastes. Do you prefer pinotage or malbec?  Pace and agility or volume? Beef or… well, beef? A hide in a hedge, perched on an old crate with only the spaniel for company, or a hide with a coolbox full of cold beers and a local ‘bird boy’ to call the birds for you? In the game of Columbid Top Trumps, everyone’s a winner.