George R.
272 posts
Jan 23, 2010
3:22 PM
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Whats your take on people who continue to Fly even when the BOP are getting thier Birds on a Daily basis?
Are they doing the roller Hobby a Favor By allowing the Hawks to Hone thier Skill at catching Rollers on a Daily Basis?
Are they providing a easy Meal for the BOP ?
Are they the reason why the Hawks dont migrate out of the City anymore ??
I got a call today from a Guy wanting to Buy some Birds and he told me he only has 3 Birds that he Bred from last year out of a Hundred he said the Hawks have been eating them on a daily basis.
Last Edited by on Jan 23, 2010 3:46 PM
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donnie james
895 posts
Jan 23, 2010
3:58 PM
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hay george,
when ever i start having bop trouble i lock mine down until spring or if the bop starts in the spring i lock them down until mid summer no the game warrens should do some thing with the hawks i guess the hawk migrates out of the city it seems to me their more hawks in the city of late tell that guy to start locking his birds up and he wouldn't loose so many............
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Donny James
"Fly The Best And Cull The Rest"
"Saying One Thing;Doing Its Another"
"Keep Your Head Planted In The Sky And Wings Spanned Wide"
1996 Piedmont Roller Club Lifetime Achievement Recipient
Portsmouth Roller Club Participation Award System Recipient 1994 '96 '97 And 2000
2001 Limestone,Ohio Sportsman's Club Lifetime Member Recipient
2002Portsmouth Roller Club Certified Judge
2004Portsmouth Roller Club Lifetime Member Recipient
"Miss Portsmouth"NBRC/90/J311 Rusty Dun Check Self Hen First Bird To Get Certified In Portsmouth Roller Club History With A Score Of 53 Judge By Joe Roe The 1993 World Cup Winner And John Bender The 1994 World Cup Winner
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Bill C
475 posts
Jan 23, 2010
9:31 PM
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I think that most guys in my area lock up when it is that bad. However I do have a friend who flys pretty much year round and loses his share of good birds.
I've been locked up since the fall fly. I do think you attract them and they will stay in an area and build a nest where they find plenty of food to raise their yonng.
If we could collectively lock down, even homer guys we could really help the problem. but getting a job done like that is next to impossible. Hiding your birds like Paul and Tony have said really helps but I have not and do not have a problem unless I fly birds in winter. I was flying 8 late hatches but i even locked them up too.
You could talk to a guy if he is a friend but I have to say at this time, " To each his own " because I dont want anyone telling me what I have to do. but I do not mind guys telling me what they think about a situation. Bill C
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Windjammer Loft
1052 posts
Jan 24, 2010
7:01 AM
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This "IS" a problem. Unfortunately,from November 2008 to the prestnt is the first time I've had to lock down my birds since I got into rollers 6yrs ago. I will say that I have flown them afew times though. Since they were so "not" use to flying,when a BOP did apear,it went hungry. My birds were all over the skies and not kitting too well, thank God....lol I might have lost about a dozen birds all year. But the future looks good. It won't be long before they will be gone for another several months, for some "Good" sky time... lol
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Jan 24, 2010 7:04 AM
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Sound Rollers
190 posts
Jan 24, 2010
8:32 AM
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Well let's see, if the guy down the street is feeding the hawks he might be doing you favor, if I see a BOP it will be a No Fly Zone at my house.
John
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weissman379
15 posts
Jan 24, 2010
1:59 PM
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So George did you sell him any birds, so he can continue to feed those dam BOP? I have only lost a three, one of those I think was a rolldown since I got back into rollers in april of last year. This guy down the street who has had rollers for 30 years,who I met in Sept. had approximatly 60 kit birds now only has about 15 birds left. And I ask him why do you keep flying your birds? He tells me that he has to have them in condition for comp. And he's supposidly my mentor. With advise like that I'd rather just have this site as a mentor. All the good advise I have gotten is from this site.
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brudahpete
489 posts
Jan 25, 2010
6:02 AM
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Sometimes I think we are our own worse enemy! I put a screen over the wire on my loft recently. I used to have BOP sitting on top of my loft every morning eyeballing my birds. Haven't seen one in two weeks! It is nice to not have them harrassing them all day!
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http://www.freewebs.com/brudahpete/
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
3864 posts
Jan 25, 2010
6:38 AM
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Hey brudahpete, after the shock and awe of Operation Highroller, several responsible and newly responsible fanciers began to look for solutions instead of caterwauling over the wrongs of the Feds. I began to encourage many who called me to begin covering their lofts open screens and fly pens with tarps or wood walls. Eliminate the targets and watch the BOP begin to fade away. Some took the advice to heart and began to see many positive results.
I can see that this may not be a solution for everyone, but many have reported excellent results. Roller fanciers have to come to terms with what works best for their environment and implement precautions, although there are many who have said it is useless to try and do anything, that is their choice.
My loft is in the countryside and I have few problems. Have lost less than a dozen since 2005. Will you have the same results? Who knows, but setting up a soup kitchen is guaranteed not to work.
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
Your Own Custom Telephone # Bands
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Ballrollers
GOLD MEMBER
2346 posts
Jan 25, 2010
7:59 AM
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Tony, brudahpete,
I couldn't agree more with the precautions you have taken. It may look nice to see birds in a fly pen screened to the sky but all it does in most cases, is to become a BOP magnet. Many of us have to do things differently if we hope to enjoy our birds if even for a limited number of months throughout the year.
If BOP can easily see your birds, you may need to rethink your construction. The use of visual barriers, overhangs, tarps, wooden fence, etc., may help lessen, calling attention to your birds by unwelcome visitors. Good idea.
Cliff
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brudahpete
490 posts
Jan 25, 2010
1:12 PM
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I seem to only have BOP problems from late October through April. Mostly prairie falcons and an occasional cooper hawk. I haven't lost many rollers at all due to my vigilance as a bird keeper, I just don't want the BOP to get in the habit of hanging out at my loft! My Monson Bellnecks are highly visible as they are extremely white, I had to do something.
I have seen how Thomas S. Monson built his lofts with wooden louvered panels instead of wire. Sure is a really nice look but way pricey for me. Home Depot had some really inexpensive screen so it has sufficed.
I agree, the odds would be stacked against anyone who tried to defy the law. There's always more than one way to skin a cat! I'm fortunate to be one of only two roller guys within a 100 square mile area, as long as it stays that way or the others use the same precautions, I think that the problem will be minimal. Great subject BTW.
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http://www.freewebs.com/brudahpete/
Last Edited by on Jan 25, 2010 1:20 PM
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maxspin
377 posts
Jan 25, 2010
1:40 PM
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Tony,
I came to the same conclusion on my own. My loft is built with a steep pitch roof with lots of ventilation built in. I did not build the fly pens that I had originally intended. It may not be best for my birds, but I do not have coopers hanging on my loft.
Now the falcons…… that is a whole other can of worms.
Resident, non-migrating, nasty killing machines……
Keith
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