SUBJECT: GPS RACING PIGEON TRACKING
Hi all!
We have been
trying the GPS tracking devices on our pigeons and we are finally learning how
our pigeons come home from Idaho to Montana over the last 100 miles of pure
Rocky Mountain terrain. It is amazing to see pigeons flying across high
mountains at 9,600 feet. Some of the peaks are 11,000 feet high. We are getting
the data of birds taking some very different routes. With the amount of snow on some of these
ranges now they must have an incredible view from up there. (Someday...video!) What we are getting now with via the GPS is
every three minutes we have the location, elevation and speed of the bird,
which then is transferred to the map.
I'm attaching one of the race maps.
What we have
learned so far is that they are not following the roads or rivers and it looks
like mountains are no obstacle to them.
Montana is not a place where we can train pigeons to come home in a
straight line. They need to be trained
from 360 degrees because their venturing into the mountains can guarantee
unexpected conditions and unfamiliar territory.
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| Need a larger image? Click here. |
As Jim
Jenner wrote once about our Montana-bred pigeons, "These are rock-solid,
badass, find-their-way-from-anywhere, long distance mountain homing pigeons, my
friend." Now we have the
proof.
This is just
the beginning of tracking. It will be
amazing to learn more as we move with the technology. I am not associated with the GPS company, but
if you'd like to try it, here is a link to order it. We've found it works well.
Best,
Dusan Smetana
