Pigeons needed to train a bird dog.

[mwelliott]

My family and I rescued a Brittany mix puppy from North Carolina and I thought it would be a good idea to train him to be a gun dog. Training a bird dog obviously takes birds and I found, or so I thought a cheap and easy tool for training... the lowly pigeon. I had the wonderful idea that I was going to trap feral pigeons to use for my training. Being a law abiding citizen I phoned the state DNR and asked if there was a license required to trap these flying rats. Much to my surprise the lady on the phone said I did not need a license because they aren't even considered wildlife. What a relief, I couldn't bear the thought of paying a nickel to trap these pests. I ordered my trap and prepared myself for the pigeon bounty I was about to receive.

Waiting for my trap to arrive I realized I was going to need something to hold the birds after I trap them. Something safe, something that would separate me from their deadly droppings and razor sharp claws. All kinds of ideas raced through my mind from a cardboard box to a pvc cube. It didn't need to be fancy, these are pigeons for heavens sake, I kept reminding myself. I would use the birds and then dispose of them because they were just pigeons. I ordered some plans online, looked around on some gun dog sites and got all the information I thought I needed.

The only problem was I did not have a place to trap them. NO FERAL PIGEONS could be found near my home or even close. My plan had started to unravel. My pvc prison was empty and my dog was untrained. I gave up and decided I would buy some pigeons. At the time I felt like I had decided to buy locusts or some other pest that people pay to exterminate. But, my dog needed to be trained so I found a place to purchase them. I drove downtown with cash in hand to buy some birds. My plan was to buy a handful of pigeons, put them in a cardboard box and get home and use them.

That's when everything went sideways.

This unassuming "feed store" or so I thought was tucked into the middle of the block on pretty little street right outside of downtown. As I walked though the door of the shop a little bell rang over the door, you know the kind that lets people know you are there. And a smell hit me, it smelled good... like licorice. The store was small, in the middle of the store were 50 lb bags of feed and grit piled high and on the whole right side of the store were cages from floor to ceiling with birds. I walked up to cages filled with all kinds of pigeons. There were fat ones, skinny ones, birds with fluffy legs, colorful ones and plain ones and it hit me...

I have never actually taken the time to look at a pigeon.

These weren't cages filled with training tools. These were cages filled with beautiful, intelligent animals. Animals that really are extraordinary. I spent the next hour talking to a man who started with birds in the Army Air Corps and now spends his days on his stool talking about what he loves to his friends hanging out at the store. I left empty handed and with a heavy heart that I actually considered using this animals in the way I was planning. To make a long story even longer... I scrapped the pvc prision, found this site and built a real home for the birds I will be picking up tomorrow in hopes that I make them as happy as they have made me building their house. Thank you, thank you for all the wonderful people on here sharing their experience and knowledge . From what the man in the store started to the wealth of information found here I have grown as a person and look forward to a wonderful new hobby which I afraid will turn to an addiction.

Mike

[Tilly]

I was scared for a few minutes there, Mike. I almost didn't read your post.
I'm glad you are a smart man and an honest thinker.
Enjoy your birds.

[TAWhatley]

Hi Mike and Welcome! Your title had me scared there too! I'm glad you realized that pigeons are wonderful birds and are going to be providing a wonderful home for some! Please keep us posted on how things go with you and your soon to be feathered friends! You know .. there isn't a thing in the world wrong with just having a dog as a pet .. it doesn't need to be a hunting dog, a water dog, an agility dog .. it's fine to just have a beloved pet dog.

Terry

[samuri_spartan]

LOL!!! The whole time i was reading the first part i was thinking "holy cow man this guy is gunna get ripped to shreds". I had this giddy feeling cause i couldnt even imagin what LTarheel, or Tawhatley, or the rest of us pigeon lovers were going to say. Im glad these wonderfull little birds caught your heart as they have the rest of us. Good luck!!!

CHristopher,

P.S. Thank you for the laugh. It make my night.

[Charis]

Not another one, I thought, when I saw the title to this thread. I almost passed it by too because I didn't want to go to sleep mad.
GOT ME!... LOVED IT!... WELCOME.

[SueC]

Ditto to the comments above. You gave us a good laugh.

I'm so glad you changed your mind!

[Lovebirds]

One of the first threads I see this morning. I'm going to be gone all day, so my first thought was, I'll have plenty to read this afternoon!! This person is either VERY brave or VERY stupid.
I'm glad I took the time to read the whole post. I almost didn't.
You're story is wonderful, and I KNOW that you will be VERY glad that you made this decision. We'll certainly look forward to your adventures with the birds and be ready to answer any questions you might have.
You know, if this sort of thing could happen here on PT once a day, heck even once a week, the world would be a better place.

[Trees Gray]

Ditto on everything that has been said-as I had the same reaction,.... and by the way....welcome to Pigeon Talk!!! Please do keep us updated and pics too, if possible!

[Pidgey]

Whew! But, "all's well that ends well!"

Pidgey

[Feefo]

I am glad your conversion took place so quickly and healthily. Thank you for sharing, I hope visitors that read this thread will also see pigeons in a different light.


Cynthia

[KIPPY]

I had no desire to read this thread till someone pm'd me.

What a wonderful story to start the day. Thank you Mike for being you, I wish there where more people like you.

[TheSnipes]

Well Mike from your post it sounds like you had an epiphany. Please post some pictures of your new "bird home" and of course, of its future residents. If only every pigeon-hater could experience this kind of up close& personal conversion.

(I'm afraid I'm still chaffing a bit at the MD DNR's position on the matter, though... )

[AZWhitefeather]

Welcome to Pigeon Talk, Mike.

I logged on very soon after you posted & as I began reading your thread, my thoughts were not pleasant.
By the time I got to the end, I was thrilled to see your view of pigeons had changed.

There is such a positive side to these wondrous birds & I'm so glad you've found it.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do post them.
We would enjoy updates (with pictures, if possible) when time permits.

Cindy

[EgypSwiftLady]

Welcome Mike,
Like so many others I had to read your post Just because of two words
"DOG TRAINING". Those two words raised my hackles and I started snarling,
as I continued to read I realized that maybe there was a true caring soul writing this post and I am glad to say there is.

Let us know what kind a pigeons you get and we always enjoy photos.

[Maggie-NC]

Hi Mike, and a big welcome to the forum. We're very happy you joined and shared your story.

You have discovered what many of us already knew.....pigeons are terrific. You will find they have individual personalities. They can be very sweet, or shy or plain old cantankerous, but they're all different. You may have many that look just alike but after you've been around them a while, you can tell them apart by the way they act. They bring our family great joy (and sometimes sadness when one passes away) and I know my life is richer for being their friend and "mama".

I hope that, after you get yours and get to know them, that your feelings for them will only deepen.