THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY SITE.  TELL OTHERS OR COPY AND PASTE THE WEB SITE AND EMAIL TO A FRIEND.

PIGEON RACING IS DYING IN THE USA BUT ONLY BECAUSE THE FANCIERS ARE NOT DOING MAJOR ADVERTISING.

THE NATIONAL LEADER ARE DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO PROMOTE THIS GREAT HOBBY.   HERE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL LEADERS POOR MANAGEMENT  THE AMERICAN RACING PIGEON UNION (ABOUT 6,200 MEMBERS), ARE ONE OF TWO NATIONAL BODIES OF PIGEON FANCIERS.  THE AU HAS ABOUT $640,000 IN THE BANK.  YES, YOU HEARD IT RIGHT.  THIS HUGE AMOUNT IS JUST SITTING IN A BANK EARNING WHAT, 1.5% INTEREST.  IF THE NON-BUSINESSMEN OFFICERS, HAD PUT THE AMOUNT IN (STOCK SYMBOL) GGEYX WHICH EARNED 34.79% IN THE LAST YEAR, OR CMSCX = 40.94% OR ALVOX, 33.58%,  THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.  I HAVE BEFORE ME 125 MUTUAL FUNDS THAT EARNED 32% OR MORE IN THE LAST YEAR.  IF THESE NON-BUSINESSMEN HAD PUT THE $640,000 IN ONE OF THESE MUTUAL FUNDS A YEAR AGO, TODAY THE AU WOULD HAVE $902,400.  YOU SAY O' WE COULD LOSE ALL OUR AU MONEY.  WRONG!  THEY ARE MANY INVESTORS, IN THESE FUNDS WHO HAVE MILLIONS MORE THAN THE AU.  THEY DID NOT LOSE A DIME.  THE STOCKS IN THE MUTUAL FUNDS COULD DECREASE IN VALUE BUT THE MUTUAL FUND MANAGERS ARE EXCELLENT MONEY MANAGERS.  THEY ARE PAID ON PERFORMANCE.   YOU ARE A FOOL IF  YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INVESTMENT IN THE STOCK MARKET TODAY!

EVERY YEAR THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS NATIONWIDE ARE SHRINKING.  EVERY YEAR THE AU OFFICERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUBLISH THE NUMBER OF DUES PAYING MEMBERS IN THE AU.  ADULTS RACE PIGEONS, CHILDREN OBSERVE LOFTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.  CHILDREN HAVE NO MONEY.  ADULTS HAVE MONEY.  PIGEON RACING IS A CHEAP HOBBY.  YOU BUILD A LOFT AND BUY BIRDS.  ONCE A YEAR YOU BUY A NEW PAIR OF BREEDERS.  THIS WILL LAST YOU TEN YEARS.  YOU BUY AN ELECTRONIC TIMER.  A NEW ONE WILL COST YOU $700 TO $1000.  A USED ONE IS CHEAPER.  THE TIMER WILL LAST YOU 7 - 10 YEARS MINIMUM.  THIS IS A CHEAP HOBBY ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT IT.  A 50LB. BAG OF FEED COST $25 IT WILL FEED 30 BIRDS THREE WEEKS.  17 TIMES DURING ONE YEAR YOU WILL SPEND $25.  THAT IS $425 ANNUALLY TO FEED 30 BIRDS.  THAT IS AN EXTREMELY CHEAP HOBBY!  MY LIQUOR BILL ON A FRIDAY NITE IS......... WELL, WE BETTER NOT GO INTO THAT, MIGHT BE CHILDREN READING THIS!

HOLD AN AUCTION WITH EXCELLENT BIRDS.  (AN EXCELLENT BIRD IS ONE THAT PLACES IN THE TOP 10% OF A RACE, THREE TIMES OR MORE DURING ONE RACE SEASON) TAKE THAT AUCTION MONEY AND PAY FOR ADVERTISEMENT IN A LOCAL PAPER/MAGAZINE THAT REACHES SEVERAL THOUSAND FOLKS.  MAKE IT A FULL PAGE AD.  PUT LOFT AND CLOSEUP OF A PIGEON.  THE AU SHOULD HAVE DEVELOPED FULL-PAGE ADVERTISEMENTS FOR CLUBS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO USE IN LOCAL ADVERTISEMENT.  BUT NO, THEY ARE NOT BUSINESSMEN!  GOOD BUSINESSMEN KNOW HOW TO EARN MONEY, AND BUILD A BUSINESS!

I JUST GOT WORD OF THE IF'S CONVENTION RACE ON THE EAST COAST.

THIS IS MY COMPLAINT:

WHY IS THE HANDLER GETTING 40%, THEN GET TO KEEP THE BREEDER'S BIRD?  THIS IS NOT RIGHT.  IF THIS HANDLER GET TWO OR MORE BIRDS ON THE DROP OR IN RACE WINNERS TIME HE IS MAKING A GOOD SUM OF MONEY.  WHY SHOULD HE BE ALLOWED TO KEEP A $1000 PIGEON.  IF THE BREEDER PAYS FOR THE RETURN SHIPPING, HIS BIRD SHOULD BE RETURNED TO HIM. 

DOES A HANDLER NEED 40% OF THE WINNINGS?  I THINK IT CAN BE REDUCED TO 20% OR 25% AT THE MOST.  OR THE HANDLER COULD TAKE A CHOICE, TAKE 40% AND WINNINGS OF THE BIRD OR TAKE THE BIRD AND NO PERCENTAGE OF THE WINNING AMOUNT.  SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

ONE LOFT RACES:

WHY IS THE PERCH FEE NOT RETURNED TO THE BREEDER MINUS $25 HANDLING FEE?  WHY SHOULD ONE LOFT RACE HANDLERS MAKE $100,000 OR $700,000 ON ONE RACE.  THIS IS MONEY IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.  IT IS LEGAL THEFT OF THE PIGEON BREEDERS.  IF THE BIRD IS LOST OR KILLER PRIOR TO THE 100 MILE ACTIVATION RACE THEN REFUND THE ENTIRE PERCH FEE MINUS THE HANDLER FEE OF $25.  THAT SEEMS FAIR TO ME, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:

I HAVE TO LAUGH WHEN SOME FANCIER STATE THEY WERE FIRST OR WON A SUM OF MONEY.  THEY DID NOT TELL YOU HOW MANY WERE ON THE DROP.  SOME SAY THEIR BIRD WAS 80 SECONDS AHEAD OF THE FIRST DROP.  THEY DID NOT TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE 30 MORE ON THE LANDING BOARD WHEN THIS FIRST BIRD WENT THRU THE TRAPS.  THEY WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT HIS BIRD CAME ALONE AHEAD OF THE LARGE FLOCK, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

99% OF ONE LOFT RACES THERE ARE MULTIPLY BIRDS ON THE FIRST DROP.  IN FACT, I HAVE SEEN THE FIRST DROP STILL CIRCLING WHEN A 2ND GROUP ARRIVES.  THEN THEY MIX UP AND WHO KNOWS WHICH BIRDS WERE IN THE FIRST GROUP.  MAYBE ONE OR TWO OF THEM WERE VERY THIRSTY AND DROPPED/TRAPPED IMMEDIATELY WHILE THE REMAINING BIRDS IN THE FIRST GROUP GOT MIXED UP WITH  THE 2ND ARRIVING BIRDS.

MY SUGGESTION;   IF YOU ARE GOING TO PURCHASE BREEDERS;

BUY FROM A FANCIER WHO FLYS IN A LARGE ORGANIZATION AND IS ONE THE TOP AVERAGE SPEED WINNERS.  YOU ARE GOING TO GET SOME EXCELLENT BIRDS!


OLR (DA, ONE LOFT RACE) CHARGES $100 PERCH FEE.  THE HANDLER GETS 1000 BIRDS SHIPPED TO HIM.  HE RULES STATE THE BIRDS MUST BE SHIPPED IN MAY 1ST TO JUNE 1ST.  THE LAST AND LONGEST RACE IS OCT. 7TH.  THIS HANDLER HAS HAD THE BIRDS FIVE MONTHS AND SEVEN DAYS.  HE IS PAID $100,000.  HE LOSES 15% OF THE BIRDS AND RETURNS $75 OF THE PERCH FEE.  THAT IS $11,250.  TAKE THAT AMOUNT FROM $100,000 = $88,750 WHICH EQUALS A PAYMENT FOR ABOUT 21 WEEKS OF WORK NOT INCLUDING THE WORK TO RETURN THE BIRDS.  BUT HE COULD GET THE BREEDERS TO GO IN ON AB AUCTION WITH PEDIGREES OF COURSE, THEN DIVIDE THE SELLING PRICE OF EACH PIGEON WITH THE HANDLER.  30% TO THE LOFT MANAGER. 70% TO THE BREEDER.

LETS SAY THE LOFT HANDLER WORKED FOR 24 WEEKS ON THIS OLR.  I DIVIDED $88,750 BY 24 = $3,697 PER WEEK.  THAT IS $528 DOLLARS PER DAY.  THIS HANDLER DOES NOT HAVE A PhD,  HE IS NOT CEO OF A LARGE OR SMALL COMPANY, HE DOES NOT WORK IN ECONOMICS.   HE IS JUST PUTTING ON A ONE LOFT RACE AND MY OPINION RAPING THE AMERICAN PIGEON FANCIERS..... BIG TIME!

NOW YOU REPLY, "HE HAD TO PAY FOR THE FEED AND MEDICATION?;  HE HAD TO PAY FOR GAS IN TRAINING AND RACES.  (TWO OR THREE RACES IS PLENTY.  NO NEED TO HAVE MORE THAN THREE RACES)

I AM NOT GOING TO SITE THE TOTAL COST FOR GAS, FEED, AND MEDICATION BUT I ASSURE YOU IT IS LESS THAN $10,000.  THAT LEAVES A HUGE SUM OF $78,750 FOR THIS ONE LOFT RACE HANDLER. 



YOUR REPLIES HERE:

PUT YOUR REPLY IN THIS BOX.  REMEMBER WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE ON THIS SITE.  ALL AND I DO MEAN "ALL" REPLIES WILL BE POSTED AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT:   Libel is the written or broadcast form of defamation, distinguished from slander which is oral defamation.  LIBEL IS TO THE EYE, SLANDER IS TOTHE EAR;  IS HOW I ALWAYS REMEMBER IT.

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THE SPORT OF RACING THE LONG DISTANT HOMING PIGEON

BY JIMMY L. GETTINGS

April 4, 2022


MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FRIEND, BRAD WOODRUFF, WAS LEAVING PEORIA, ILLINOIS FOR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. HE HAD A SMALL LOFT OF PIGEONS WHICH HE OFFERED TO ME. MY DAD AGREED TO TAKE THE TRAILER OVER AND PICK UP THE 4X5X5FT. LOFT AND BRING IT OVER TO OUR NEARBY HOME. I SAT ON THE HAY IN THAT LOFT OBSERVING THE PIGEONS NUMEROUS DAYS. THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A LIFE-TIME HOBBY THAT HAS BROUGHT ME THOUSANDS OF HAPPY DAYS, SITTING IN MY MUCH BIGGER LOFT, OBSERVING THE PIGEONS EACH DAY.


TODAY AS I HAVE HAD FOR MANY YEARS IS A LOFT 16FT. WIDE, BY 20FT OR 32FT LONG WITH A 5FT. HALLWAY DOWN THE ENTIRE BACK SIDE. THAT HALLWAY HAS A SINK WITH FAUCET FOR WATER. IT HAS A FEEDBEN. IT HAS A MEDICINE CABINET. IT HOLDS MY TRAINING BASKETS/CRATES. I USUALLY HAVE TWO CHAIRS SO THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE THEM END TO END.


MY LOFT HAS FIVE SECTIONS. EACH IS 5FT WIDE BY 11FT. DEEP. MY 32FT LOFT IN CALIFORNIA WAS FIVE SECTIONS WITH THE THREE CENTER SECTIONS 5X11FT. THE TWO END SECTIONS WERE 8FT. X 11FT. I REALLY LOVE THE 8X11FT SECTIONS. IT GIVES HE BIRDS FLYING ROOM INSIDE AND GIVE ME PLENTY OF ROOM TO OBSERVE THE BIRDS. IN THE 8X11 SECTIONS I ALWAYS HAD NEXT BOXES ON THE INSIDE OF THE SECTIONS, THE SIDE OF THE NEXT 5X11 SECTION. YOU CAN MATE OLD-BIRDS AND YOUNG-BIRDS FOR THE RACES SO THAT THEY FLY HOME TO EGGS OR YOUNGSTERS. THEY WILL FLY FASTER KNOWING THIS IS WAITING FOR THEIR RETURN. ALL OF MY LOFTS WERE 6FT, 3INS TALL SO THAT MY 6FT HEIGHT COULD MOVE ABOUT WITHOUT HITTING MY HEAD ON SOMETHING. ALSO AT THIS HEIGHT, NO PIGEON COULD FLY OVER MY HEAD AND BECOME WILD AS THEY WILL DO IF ALLOWED.


I HAVE ALSO HAD 4X8’, 5X8’ AND VARIOUS OTHER SMALL LOFTS. ALL WORKED WELL WITH RACING THE PIGEONS. AS I AGED I DETERMINED THAT THE 16 X 20 OR LONGER WAS THE IDEAL LOFT FOR ME, ESPECIALLY WITH THE 5FT. HALLWAY DOWN THE BACK SIDE.


PART II

YOUR LIFE IN PIGEON RACING BEGINS WITH YOUNGBIRD RACING. THE SEAMLESS ALBUMIN BANDS ARRIVE ON JANUARY 1ST OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AT THE AGE OF 7 DAYS OR ABOUT THE FANCIER PLACES THE SEAMLESS BAND ON THE YOUNG IN THE NEXT. THE YOUNGSTER GROWS AND THE BAND BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE UNLESS IT IS CUT OFF. THIS BAND IS THEIR PERMANENT NAME OF EACH BIRD. THEY WILL CARRY THIS NAME FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIFE. IF THEY BECOME A SUPER RACER, THEIR BAND NUMBER WILL BECOME KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR OWNER WILL ALSO GIVE THEM A NAME, WHICH WILL ALSO BECOME WELL KNOWN FROM THEIR RACING ACHIEVEMENTS.

THIS IS THE SAD PART OF RACING THE LONG DISTANT HOMING PIGEON. THEY FLY THEIR LIFE AWAY FOR THEIR MASTER. THEY BECOME A SUPER, GREAT RACING MACHINE. THEY BECOME VERY VALUABLE. THEY ARE SOLD FOR BREEDING PURPOSES TO SOME FAR OFF FANCIER. THEY BECOME PRISONERS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE. SOME WEALTHY FANCIERS LIKE CHIC BROOKS IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA BUILD VERY LARGE AVIARIES FOR HIS PRISONERS. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SETUP. CHIC’S PRISONERS CAN FLY LONG DISTANCES FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER, OF HIS AVERY. HOWEVER NOTHING BEATS THE OPEN AIR, FLYING ABOVE THE LOFTS, GOING 30 MILES INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE ON A DAILY FLIGHT FOR THE BIRDS. THIS IS ONE PART OF THE SPORT THAT SADDENS ME EACH TIME I THINK OF IT!


YOU ARE NEW, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? FIRST GET SOME YOUNGBIRDS FROM OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE CLUB. IF YOU ARE NEW THEY WILL NOT GIVE YOU FROM THE GREAT BREEDING PAIRS. THEY WILL KEEP THEM FOR THEIR YOUNGBIRD RACING IN THE FALL. IF YOU WANT EXCELLENT YOUNGBIRDS, YOU MUST BUY THEM FROM SOME FANCIER WHO DOES WELL IN THE RACES. HE MAY BE IN YOUR CITY OR HE MAY BE IN ANOTHER STATE. THEIR RACE RECORD IS ON THE AU’S WEB SITE AT PIGEON.ORG. IT IS A POORLY DESIGNED SITE BUT AFTER A CONSIDERABLE TIME SEARCHING, YOU WILL DISCOVER THE CLUB’S RACE HISTORY.


ONCE YOU HAVE A KIT OF YOUNGBIRDS AS WE CALL THEM, YOU KEEP THEM LOCKED INTO THEIR NEW LOFT. YOU FEED THEM ONCE DAILY. AFTER 30 MINUTES OF FEED BEFORE THEM IN SOME SORT OF TRAY ON THE FLOOR, YOU REMOVE THE FOOD. RATHER THAN REMOVE THE LEFT-OVER, I FEED WHAT I THINK IS ENOUGH GRAINS FOR A DAILY FEED. THEN IF ALL IS EATEN WITHIN 15 MINUTES OR SO, I ADD A SMALL AMOUNT. IF MORE THAN A FEW BEGIN FLYING UP TO THE PERCHES, I STOP THE FEEDING. NO MORE IS ADDED TO THE TRAY ON THE FLOOR. IT IS LEFT WITH JUST THE GRIT SHOWING FOR THE NEXT 24HRS. PIGEON MUST HAVE GRIT TO DIGEST THEIR GRAINS. THE GRIT IS STORED IN THE GIZZARD WHERE IT GRINDS UP THE INGESTED GRAINS.


THIS BRINGS ME TO AN IMPORTANT PART OF PIGEON RACING. DETERMINING HEALTHY PIGEONS IN YOUR LOFT. IF THE DROPPINGS ARE NORMAL THE HEALTH OF THE PIGEON IS VERY GOOD. WHAT IS NORMAL VARIES ON THE INTAKE OF FOOD. IN REALITY THE DROPPING MUST BE FIRM WITH A BIT OF WHITE ON THE TOP. JUST KEEP WATCHING/OBSERVING THEIR DROPPINGS, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY MORNINGS AFTER DAYLIGHT. THEY HAVE SAT ALL NITE ON THEIR PERCH. THEIR DROPPINGS ARE DIRECTLY ON THE FLOOR BELOW. LOOK AT THEM AND LEARN IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.


DO NOT WATER FROM ANY CONTAINER THAT ALLOWS DROPPING INTO IT. SOME SWATTERS THE BIRDS WILL SIT ON THE TOP AND DEFAECATE INTO THE WATER. THIS IS A NO-NO. THE BIRDS WILL DRINK THE WATER AND GET COCCIDIOSIS IS AN EASY CURE FOR THIS DISEASE BUT JUST AVOID WATERING FROM AN OPEN SOURCE. THE BEST IS AN EMPTY ONE-GALLON MILE JUG. CUT A 2” SQUARE HOLE IN ONE SIDE, UP 3” FROM THE BOTTOM. THAT WILL HOLD ABOUT 1/3 OF A GALLON OF WATER. THAT WILL WATER ABOUT TEN OR 15 PIGEONS FOR ONE DAY. IF YOU HAVE 30 PIGEONS IN YOUR LOFT’S SECTION, I SUGGEST THREE WATER CONTAINERS. YOU CAN ALSO MIX POWDERED DRUGS IN THESE WATER CONTAINERS TO TREAT FOR ILLNESS.


AFTER THE TWO WEEK TIME PERIOD OF ALLOWING YOUR NEW YB TEAM TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH THEIR NEW LOFT, YOU MUST ALLOW THEM OUTSIDE. THIS IS DONE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF LIBERATION AS WE CALL IT. BE CAREFUL AT THIS TIME OF THEIR LIFE. MAKE CERTAIN THEY WERE FED LESS THAN NORMAL THE PREVIOUS DAY. NOT A LOT LESS JUST SAY 1/5TH OR 1/3RD LESS THAN NORMAL. REMEMBER FEED IS THE KEY TO TRAINING THE PIGEON.


I ALLOWED MY 34 BIRD 2022 YOUNGBIRD TEAM OUT JUST LAST THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2022 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIFE. MY LOFT HAS AN AVERY ON THE LANDING BOARD. THE AVERY HAS A LARGE SCREEN DOOR ON THE SLOPED FRONT. I OPEN IT AND IT STAYS AT THE SAME ANGLE AS THE LANDING BOARD. MY LANDING BOARD IS 3FT. WIDE. NOW THE PIGEON HAVE 3FT PLUS 2FT TO LAND ON AFTER FLYING IF THEY DO NOT LAND ON THE ROOF OF THE LOFT. ON RACE DAY THEY WILL LAND ON THE LOFT THEN FLY THE SHORT DISTANCE DOWN TO THE LANDING BOARD AND TRAP IN. IN CALIFORNIA I TRAINED THEM TO FLY DIRECTLY FROM THE AIR ONTO THE LANDING BOARD AND BAM, INTO THE ONE WAY TRAPS. NO HESITATION IS GREAT RACING ON RACE DAY. THE BIRD IS CLOCKED AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES FROM A RACE DISTANCE. THAT IS EXCELLENT RACING. MANY TIMES THE BIRDS LANDS ON THE ROOF AND SITS THERE WASTING VALUABLE RACE TIME. IT WILL DRIVE A FANCIER NUTS. HE WILL CALL THAT BIRD EVERY NAME IN THE BOOK HOPING IT WALKS OVER THE ANTENNA WHICH IS IN FRONT OF THE ONE WAY TRAPS.


THAT ANTENNA AS WE CALL IT WILL RECORD THE ARRIVAL TIME OF THAT PIGEON. ONE THING I DID NOT TELL YOU IS THE RACING PIGEON ALSO WEARS A RACE BAND.

SOME FANCIER’S BIRD HAVE TWO BANDS, ONE ON EACH LEG. OTHER JUST HAVE A SEAMLESS BAND THAT HOLDS A RACE CHIP ALSO. NOW DAYS THE SEAMLESS BAND WILL ALSO HOLD A RACE CHIP THAT RECORDS IT’S RACE ARRIVAL TIMES ON A COMPUTER STATIONED IN THE LOFT.


LETS GET BACK TO FIRST TIME OUT. PLAN ON THIS DAY. NO STRONG WIND. NO LOUD NOISE, NO BIG GANGS, NO DOG BARKING. NO NOTING BUT QUIET AIR ABOUT THE LOFT THIS FIRST FEW TIMES OUT.


IF A ON THEIR FIRST FEW DAYS, YOUR NEIGHBOR LETS GO OF A FIRECRACKER, THE BIRDS GET SCARED AND TAKE FLIGHT. THEY COULD TAKE OFF AND GET LOST. YOU COULD LOSE HALF OF YOUR TEAM. THE FIRST FEW DAYS THEY WILL COME OUT AND GO ON TOP OF THE LOFT, LOOK ABOUT AND PICK THEIR FEATHERS. BE WATCHFUL FOR A HAWK. THEY ARE SNEAKY. THEY WILL FLY INTO YOUR BIRDS LIKE YOU WERE NOT THERE. THEY ARE BRAVE. STAY OUTSIDE WALING QUIETLY AROUND THE LOFT. SIT IN A CHAIR IN FRONT OF THE LOFT. MAKE SURE YOU CAN SEE THE BIRDS ON THE ROOF AND LANDING BOARD. AFTER ABOUT FIVE OR SIX DAYS OF THIS THE BIRDS WILL SUDDENLY TAKE FLIGHT. THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. THEY GO UP, INTO THE SKY ABOVE YOUR LOFT AND FLY IN EVERY DIRECTION, LIKE A BUNCH OF CRAZY PIGEONS. I HAVE HAD YOUNGBIRDS COLLIDE WITH ONE ANOTHER KILLING ONE OR BOTH. NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO AVOID THIS. THEY ARE IN A LEARNING STAGE. THEY WILL ONLY DO THIS FOR A DAY , TWO OR MAYBE THREE DAYS. THEN, THEY SUDDENLY BEGIN THE FLYING IN UNISON. THEY ALL FLY TOGETHER IN LARGE CIRCLES AROUND THE LOFT. GREAT, JUST WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. VERY RARE FOR A BIRD TO GET LOST OFF THE LOFT AFTER THIS MOMENT IN TIME. THEY WILL FLY AWAY AND YOU CAN’T SEE WHERE THEY ARE. THEN, SUDDENLY THE LARGE FLOCK FLIES OVER YOUR HEAD WITH A LOUD SWISH, BOOM, THEY ARE GONE AGAIN. YOUR HEART SKIPS A BEAT, A SMILE COMES OVER YOUR FACE. SUDDENLY YOUR RACE TEAM IS ACTING LIKE REAL RACING PIGEONS.


AFTER A FULL TWO WEEKS OF THEM FLYING ABOVE THE LOFT, YOU CAN BEGIN TRAINING THEM. THE FIRST DISTANCE FROM THE LOFT VARIES WITH EACH FANCIERS. I LIKE TO GO JUST ONE MILE AT LEAST TWICE, THEN FIVE MILES AT LEAST TWICE THEN TEN MILES AT LEAST TWICE. THEN 20 MILES TWICE THEN 50 MILES, TWICE THEN TO THE FIRST RACE STATION WHICH IS GENERALLY 100 MILES.


SOME FANCIERS MAKE THE FIRST TOSS AT 10 MILES. IF THEY LOSE SOME THEY SAY IT IS THE BAD ONES, “NO GREAT LOS”S THEY THINK. YOU PUT IN ALL THIS TIME AND ENERGY, I SAY GIVE THE BIRDS A CHANCE. SO SLOWLY AND YOU WILL LOSE ONLY A FEW WHILE TRAINING. SOME HIT WIRES, OR ATTACKED BY LARGER FOWL. STAY AWAY FROM TRAFFIC AREAS WHEN TRAINING. I HAVE HAD TRAINING BIRDS FLY INTO THE SIDE OF A SIMI TRUCK WHILE I WAS FOLLOWING THEM NORTH-BOUND ON I-5 IN CALIFORNIA. IT KILLED ONE OF THEM.


WHEN YOU TAKE FOR TRAINING, MAKE SURE THEY ARE HUNGRY SO THAT WHEN THEY RETURN THEY TRAP IN QUICKLY LIKE ON RACE DAY. THE FIRST FEW TRAINING FLIGHTS YOU MAY HAVE TO PICK EACH BIRDS UP BY HAND AND PUT IN TRAINING BASKET WHICH IS A SMALL CONTAINER MADE FROM ALUMNI OR WOOD. THEY WILL HOLD 15 OF 20 BIRDS DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.


THE REAL PROS DO NOT LOAD TRAINING BASKET BY HAND. THEY TEACH THEIR BIRDS TO LOAD THEMSELVES. IT TAKE A OUT A WEEK FOR THE BIRDS TO LEARN THIS GREAT METHOD.


JUST PUT BASKET ON LANDING BOARD WITH THE SMALL SIDE OPENING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ONE WAY TRAP. AFTER THAT OPEN THE ONE WAY TRAP DOOR. THEN CLAP YOUR HANDS OR HAVE A 3’ 1X2 OR 2X2 AND BEAT IT ON A PERCH OR NEST BOX BEHIND THE BIRD. THEY WILL QUICKLY LEARN TO GO THRU THE EXIT DOOR AND INTO THE TRAINING BASKET. COUNT AS YOU DO IT. AFTER THE BASKET IS FULL, CLOSE THE TRAP DOOR AND THEN GO OUTSIDE AND PUT THAT BASKET INTO THE TRUCK AND PLACE AN EMPTY ONE ONTO THE LANDING BOARD. THEN REPEAT TILL ALL ARE LOADED. I HAVE LOADED 80 BIRDS IN A OUT 10 MINUTES. I NEVER HANDLED ONE PIGEON.


PICK A TRAINING PATH THAT IS THE BEST FOR YOU. IF YOU ARE FLYING FROM THE NORTH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TRAIN FROM THE NORTH. THEY WILL HOME ON RACE DAY LIKE THEY WERE TRAINED FROM THAT DIRECTION. PICK THE EASIEST, SAFEST DIRECT TO TRAIN FROM.


NEVER TRAIN IN STRONG HEAD WIND. YOU WILL FATIGUE THE BIRDS WHICH TAKES MANY DAYS TO OVER-COME. ONCE YOU FATIGUE YOUR TEAM, YOU WILL NOT BE ON THE TOP OF THE RACE SHEET. YOUR BIRDS WILL COME IN BUT THEY WILL BE DOWN THE SHEET.


AFTER THE RACES BEGIN DO NOT TRAIN MORE THAN 40 MILES, TWO OR THREE TIMES PER WEEK. SOME FANCIERS MAKE THEIR BIRDS FLY ABOVE THEIR LOFT FOR 30 MINUTES TO ONE HOUR. EVERY TIME THEY TRY TO LAND THEY WAVE A FLAG. AFTER THEY LEARN, THE FANCIER PUTS THE FLAG ON A POLE SO THE BIRDS LEARN NOT TO LAND. WHEN HE REMOVES THE FLAG THE BIRDS LEARN THEY CAN LAND AND ENTER FOR MIXED GRAINS. THIS IS A GREAT SYSTEM BUT I LOVE THE ROAD TRAINING, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY ARE TAUGHT TO LOAD THEMSELVES.


NOW ANY QUESTIONS:

WRITE ME I CAN ADD TO THESE PAGES!

  1. GETTINGS, COCHISE VALLEY, ARIZONA

ASIALOFT@GMAIL.COM

530-243-6867


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