Enthusiasm and obsession are on the same spectrum. Niche hobbies are fascinating. The men, some fathers and sons, in this video study are mostly of moderate means, but that is meaningless to their dedication. The elder French's dedication and skill sets him apart. Anyone remember the character Marlon Brando portrayed in the 1954 movie "On the Waterfront?" ("I coulda been a contender"..) He unwound with his rooftop loft of pigeons, too. While their were a few pigeon fanatics I recall from my youth, the last pigeon loft I recall seeing was owned by Jackie Hutwagner of Hannahatchee Kennels who used the homers for training his French Brittanys. Gil
My neighbor.....may he rest in peace. First words he ever spoke to me..... "I suspect you like to hunt....Don't you shoot my f-in pigeons, they don't look anything like a danged dove."
''Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.' -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
This was interesting. The fact that they lost so many birds to that race could have many reasons, and I got the sense that that is uncommon. I personally would raise chickens before pigeons, but I appreciate the hobby. I did think about how if I were out hunting and a flock of pigeons was flying about, I'd probably try to shoot some. Odd hobby when there are a bunch of old double barrels lying around and so many corners where they can be stood.
My dad and his brother kept pigeons for my grandfather in the early 1900s. Granddad ran a saloon and a pigeon ring. His shooting pigeons were homers according to my dad. Single barrel shoots at long yardage coupled with well lubricated shooters apparently allowed some pigeons to be trapped more than once. I don't think that my dad or my grandfather ever competed in pigeon racing. A friend of my dad's when I was a preteen kept a loft of pigeons. However, he also kept hawks. I assume the pigeons were used to train the hawks, but I never witnessed that. He would perch the hawks on the back of the front seat of his 1952 Ford Victoria.
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