THE RACING PIGEON.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 204, 29 August 1928, Page 16

THE RACING PIGEON.

METHODS OF TRAPPING.

TOPICAL JOTTINGS.

The speed in trapping a returning racing pigeon, so that the official racing ring may be taken from the leg and placed in the automatic clock for recording the time of the bird's arrival, is not only a question of training, but depends also upon the system of trapping.

Tihe methods adopted might briefly be stated a« a landing board and bolting wire« of a movable type or fixed type. They may lead into a box-trap or may lead directly into the loft. The fixed bolting wires usually lead directly into the loft and fixed so that the birds cannot fly ,up from the floor and through them, being placed fairly close together and at a slight angle. The wing, therefore, strikes the wire first, and before the feet can obtain a hold upon the edge of the lighting board. There is the double system of movable bolting wires, which first allow access into the trap box, from where the bird has again to pass through a second set of bolting wires into the loft.

One of the disadvantages of a boxtrap is that, owing to the shape, a returning bird usually lands directly on top and has to waste time in dropping to the landing board before entering.

As the saving of time is the essence of quick trapping, it is doubtful if any variety of box-trap can be recommended, but, where any fancier prefers to allow a few seconds, the handling and feeding of a returned racer in the trap has its advantage by preventing other birds in the loft from disturbing it while feeding. Some Continental fanciers feed and water their birds, when racing, in the trap, to ensure their becoming familiar with the svstem.

Of all the methods adopted for quick trapping, ths system of a direct drop from the landing board into the loft might be considered the best, a* this entails only one possible drop on to the loft top and then to the landing board. Where a bird is well trained and where the landing board is made sufficiently wide, there is very little to be gained by the building of a steep roof. The loft roof should be the means of the bird* obtaining their daily sun bath and rain bath, as well as a recreation grour.d for the period they are allowed their daily flight, and quick trapping is achieved just as well after a bask around on the loft roof, as by calling them in immediately after landing from their daily training flight. In the shorter races it is not unusual for birds to fly around the loft several times before landing, and despite every effort to bring them down, on days of fast velocities, Khia trouble may be experienced, owing to the racers being verv fit.

As mentioned in last week's article, a strange object causes an imount of uneasiness with a returning racing pigeon, and this specially applies to the racing pigeon clock, which, if placed in a prominent position within the loft will cause the bird to pause before entering the loft to examine the strange and ticking object. For this reason, fanciers are advised to place the clock within a nest. T>ox. or some such place* out of sight, but very close at hand.

The presence of the owner "within the loft, though not like.l bv the more nervous birds, is tolerated, provided they are accustomed to quiet handling, but again, on race day when, the birds returning are in a more or less fidgety condition, the fancier should keep in the background of the loft as quietly as possible.

Feed should bp quickly hut silently scattered on the floor, and, the other birds have been previously well fed, there will not be any undue noise caused bv the loft birds {looking for the grains. An odd bird may fly down, but this w advantageous as the. incoming bird will trap much quicker when seeing a loftmate feeding. Topical Jottings. Ad\ 'ice has i.;>en received of the cancellation of "The Australasian Pigeon Keeper" weekly paper, after several years of publication. The racing pigeon column of the "Auckland Star" will, therefore, be of added interest to the many fanciers. Another addition to the breeders of pure Ollerenshaws is reported. Mr. Pountney, of Hamilton, has purchased a pair of stock birds of this noted strain and intend* increasing the number by further selection from the loft of a wellknown Auckland fancier. It is reported that the well-known local fancier, Mr. W. Watson, will shortly be entering the hobby again, after an absence of several years. The strain of racing pigeons bred by this breeders have earned a reputation in Australasia and England, as the premier racing strain in New Zealand. The worthy descendants of Challenger and Goldmine, of which Mr. Watson still retains selected hirds, should prove able competitors in the longest distance races from the Souih Island.