Sepelkyyhky pigeon hunting season opens in Finland on Aug 10

The Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute announced that the annual sepelkyyhky (rock pigeon) hunting season begins on Monday, 10 August 2024. The bird has become Finland’s most abundant game species, with a stable harvest of about 250 000 birds per year since 2010.

The most recent season recorded a harvest of roughly 326 000 birds, making it the most taken game bird by Finnish hunters. The hunt is carried out mainly on open fields, forest edges and even in urban parks, requiring only modest equipment. Hunters use decoys, feed, small‑calibre rifles and often dogs to locate the birds. “Sepelkyyhky’s abundant numbers and easy hunting arrangements have made it a favourite among hunters,” said Jörgen Hermansson of the institute.