Fr.mike
172 posts
Sep 09, 2006
6:34 PM
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Hello everyone(been sooooo-busy so I havent been on for a wile)-Well I had my first fly yesterday and I got a WOPPING 19 pts. Yes ladies and gents you heard it right 19 pts. It was pouring down rain and let up--I flew 11 birds.When I let them out in a break(light rain)-I dont think the loud thunder helped the points much niether did the double hawk attacks two days earlier(they stayed up just over two hours) They flew the time on fly day Aprox-32 min but round and round they went-FAST-The judge-Brian M. said they looked scared. One was doing some nice rolls but when she came out of the roll she was flying south and the kit flying North LOL-LOL ! I didnt have alot to work with my first year so I flew what I had.Resedent coopers kept me light on birds BUT-I am already planing next year. So far the ups and downs hawk attacks etc. keep it interesting for me! I am almost possitive I have attenton deficet--If its to easy I get bored real fast--not knowing what the heck is going to happen from day to day is right up my ally(P.S.-sorry about the spelling --I quit trying years ago and to tired or lazy to check it) anyway its been great fun and all I have to do is get 20 pts. next year and I will have improved!
Fr. Mike
Last Edited by Fr.mike on Sep 09, 2006 6:35 PM
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motherlodelofts
894 posts
Sep 09, 2006
8:18 PM
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Great Job Mike, check out my last years W/C fly ,you smoked me LOL all part of the game buddy ,it is good no matter what.
Scott
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Santandercol
289 posts
Sep 09, 2006
8:20 PM
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Hey Mike,
Good to hear from you!Sounds like you're still in the game there.Yeah,the ol preds can sure mess up your kits scoring.Got a Merlin hanging out around my place last couple days.He doesn't catch any but sure breaks the kit up.
Have 23 of my own birds(Neible and Barretts)flying pretty good,and just last week picked up enough birds from some freinds to make a kit of 14 and another of 23.Having fun training the new ones.If the preds don't hit too often,should be a contender for the WC fly next spring.
Good luck with your birds.
Yours in the Sport,
Kelly.
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fhtfire
570 posts
Sep 09, 2006
8:29 PM
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Hey Mike,
Don't feel bad..in 04 for the fall fly..I got 18pts...It just shows that my 04 kit would have beat yours in a race..LOL!! That is just part of the game. You could have the best kit in the WOlrd and on that one day..they can make you look bad...lol!! You put the birds up..and that is what counts. I love the feeling before I open the door...that feeling of impending doom..LOL!!
I have my first club fly this Saturday and I know that my birds are going to look like shit...most of them look like a plucked chicken! They are still in the moult pretty hard. I had to put two of my best spinners in my young bird team just to get some good food and a little rest....they don't want to fly...anyway...its a start and look at it as your first 19pts of the 300 you will score next time!!
rock and ROLL
Paul
Last Edited by fhtfire on Sep 09, 2006 8:29 PM
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Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
790 posts
Sep 10, 2006
4:04 AM
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Good job Mike. I heard the hawks had been hitting you so bad that you thought you may not even have enough left to compete with.At least they flew the time.I hate it when my birds can't make the time any day I fly.The Moult is the worst time to fly in.They are just unpredictable.
I still havn't heard any other results from our region.Maybe I will hear today when they come back here to get Brian's car before heading to Western Pa to do the last flyer.Don't know what time that will be.LOL.
Again you done great and still looking forward to meeting you sometime. David
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Velo99
613 posts
Sep 10, 2006
5:56 AM
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Good Job Mike!
This spring my first priority was to not DQ and learn the ropes. No DQ on either fly so I considered it a moral victory. We didn`t have any DQ`s here in the Panhandle with three new guys flying. Only way to go is up.
Sounds like you were flying under some pretty adverse circumstances. Nice!
----------
If they don`t kit,they don`t score.
Color don`t roll and peds don`t fly.
It`s a comp thing,understand?
V99
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smokey
17 posts
Sep 10, 2006
6:56 AM
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congrats mike.hope to get my feet wet some day to.
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Fr.mike
173 posts
Sep 10, 2006
10:51 AM
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Thanks Scott-I will keep trying! Hay Smokey--Just do It ! thanks also to you Kelly. David -The last I heard you are the man ! scotty R. I believe got something like 4 pts. under you. I havent heard anything else .V99 keep posting I try to read them all.I have already taken everything out of the kit boxes-I dont want to start over with 6-7 pair. I now have 18 pair with a few left overs --6 pair of Rubys and 12 pair of agent/Reed birds. The hard part is deciding which birds to use as fosters and which pairs to focus on??? I lost somany birds to hawks--banded I believe 49 and ended up with 23-out of those only half were starting to have some decent rolls.So as I see it this comming season will be my real begining .I believe I will need to band at least 100 birds to keep the preds satisfied and still put up a 20 bird kit. that is a kit that I can chose from -unlike this year,flying 11 birds out of 23.It is also my goal to have larger groups of birds of about the same age,and fly them together instead of flying birds together that are months apart. Its really hard to make decisions in the air when you have birds that are flying together--some hatched in Feb. and some April-May.Out of the 11 I could only pinpoint 3 that seemed to have the goods-I wouldnt really have put any of them in the breeding pen without more observation but as I see it I need to get my volume up first and get the birds in groups that are hatched within a couple of weeks of each other . when I do that--Its my plan--to find out who in the breeding loft (that is right now)-is producing the highest percentages and focus on them and use everything else as fosters--Fly every thing else then really pair down the year after that.I knew it was going to be at least 3-4 years before I had a basic handle on who was who and what was what--thats If I dont do anything stupid--which is highly likely LOL!
Thanks again too all
P.S.-What do you think of my basic plan? what would you do ?
Fr. Mike
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Santandercol
290 posts
Sep 10, 2006
8:55 PM
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Mike,
It definately takes some time to figure out what you've got and who to breed off of.I have 3 good pairs I know(one Barrett's and the other 2 Neibles)and three more pairs of Neibles I bred from this year Apr,May,June,July I'm yet to see them 3 pairs offspring show a roll.Next year,I'll keep breeding the same pairs but using fosters so one round=one kit.Much easier to train that way.Having different aged birds in the same kitbox during training is a real pain.With all these new birds I was given,I've really got my hands full flying 3 kits.Gotta keep 'em hungry to make sure they come in quick so can get the next kit up.The more birds flying,the more undesirable attention is brought on.Let's see if I can pull at least one full kit through the winter with all these hungry preds around.Flying as late in the day as possible seems to be when the preds are the least hungry or successful.Yesterday,it was only a little merlin hawk,but today there were 2 then a big grey sucker showed up either a peri or a gosshawk and he got one for sure,one of my mealy's.For breakfast.Then another BB for brunch.Two outta sixty ain't bad I guess.Oh well,the fun is worth it.The successes do make a guy feel good.
Kel.
Last Edited by Santandercol on Sep 10, 2006 9:00 PM
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rollerpigeon1963
99 posts
Sep 12, 2006
7:27 PM
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Mike,
All you need to do is fly your young birds more. Get them to work as a team. Play with the feed and flying time. But try and use older birds instead of young ones. They are easier to handle once you get an idea what your doing.
Now with hawk attacks its hard to get a grasp on your birds. They are on the edge and sometimes a butterfly will scare them into a fast fling stiff mode. Especially when they was attacked within a few days of your fly date.
Mike around here it is very hard to fly the World Cup. Because its usually the first week on May. So to get the birds ready I have to have them in the air by March 1st. There is still snow on the ground and the sharks are plentiful.
If you keep having problems with coopers get with Ron Rebhan and make a trap like his. But use live pigeons in the bottom. Just feed and water them in there. The shark cant get to them so they will be safe. But use a cull just to be on the safe side.
Mike once you get a handle on the birds you could use your holdover birds for fosters. During the winter months that you can't fly. Like I use them from Feb to April and in April I get them back in the air. That way if they happen to raise a round. You could fly the youngsters and get a better idea what will work with what.
Good luck with the birds they will come around with a little time.
Your good friend Brian Middaugh
P.S I love your metal work. You have some very good skills. Again best of luck and cant wait to see what you do next year.
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