Falconry

[Flatlander]

Howdy folks,

Anyone here ever seen a falconer hunt with his/her bird(s)? I had the opportunity to go to a national falconry meet a couple of weeks ago with a friend of mine whose father is a falconer and trainer of birds. It was a blast. We were hunting game birds.

There's really nothing quite like it. This was my first time observing the sport, but I'll definitely take the next opportunity I get to go out and watch this event. (I'm the dude in the blue jacket)

 

[SFC JeffJ]

We have some friends that rehabiltate raptors. They are such beautiful animals. It's always a pleasure to be around them and handle them ocassionally. It's a lot of work though, but I'm glad some people do it!

Jeff

 

[Kacey]

I've never had the chance, but it you do more, I would love to hear about it. Beautiful birds you two are holding.

 

[Drac]

Saw a special about a major airport that uses falcon's to help keep the runway areas free of bothersome birds that usually wind up getteing sucked into the engine...Those are BEAUTIFUL BIRDS in that picture..

 

[Jade Tigress]

Wow, that is sooo cool. I have seen demonstrations of falconry, which I have loved, but to actually participate in a hunt must be an amazing experience. I'm jealous.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Here is a falconry joke that our friends told us.

If you see someone with scratches all over his arm, he handles falcons.

If you see someone with a pale hand and forearm, he handles hawks.

How do you tell if someone handles eagles?
He has an eyepatch.

 

[Flatlander]

Saw a special about a major airport that uses falcon's to help keep the runway areas free of bothersome birds that usually wind up getteing sucked into the engine...Those are BEAUTIFUL BIRDS in that picture..

I might have met the guy who owns that company at the meet I was at. He also owns and flies the bird that flies out of the tunnel at the beginning of all of the Seattle Seahawks home games. Super cool guy.

 

[mrhnau]

Is anyone familiar with the history of Falconry? I wonder how hard it is to train birds? That would be an awesome hobby I've always loved birds of prey... as long as they are not preying on me! hehe

Just found this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconry

 

[Jade Tigress]

Is anyone familiar with the history of Falconry? I wonder how hard it is to train birds? That would be an awesome hobby I've always loved birds of prey... as long as they are not preying on me! hehe

Just found this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconry

Hmmmm, makes me wonder the same thing. How hard are they to train, and how do you teach them? Besides, where do you even GET a falcon???!!!

 

[mrhnau]

Hmmmm, makes me wonder the same thing. How hard are they to train, and how do you teach them? Besides, where do you even GET a falcon???!!!

I did some quick research after I wrote this. I was not able to find out too much about how they train, or the difficulty level in training. Apparently you can even work with Owls! How cool is that!

There are a -ton- of regulations, since almost every kind of bird of prey is protected to some degree. Have to have proper facilities, enough land to fly around(don't want a bird of prey in an apartment!), and a license. I think there are different degrees of license too. You first need to be an understudy for a year or two, then after 5 years on your own you can get some kind of masters license. I think its controlled locally by state/county.

Apparently you need to work with them on a near daily schedule and provide fresh food. They are strictly carnivores, so you need fresh meat!

There are breeders around, and some are captured in the wild. Some people even go get eggs apparently

Anyways, I learned alot just looking around. I started with the links at the bottom of the Wiki link I posted neat stuff!

 

[Tez3]

http://huntingsociety.org/falconry.html

Try this site. Those birds are beautiful! Lucky you!

 

[tellner]

It varies from State to State, but it's always difficult, lengthy and complicated. Basically, you have to have a permit/license. To get one you have to go through a (long) apprenticeship and learn everything about the birds from care and feeding to training and housing then pass an exam. There are standards for how the birds have to be housed and cared for and the species and number you may have, how they may be hunted and how they may be taken from the wild. Since the last time I looked barn owl, screech owl and turkey vulture have been removed from the list. It's probably just as well. Barn owls could be kind of cool, but if you're lucky a screech owl could bring you a really big grasshopper. Vultures? Let's just say that you could have a profitable sideline finding dead cows for ranchers. But beyond that I really don't want anything that a turkey vulture is interested in

If you've ever kept birds you know that they require a lot of time and attention. That goes double for birds you hunt with. There's a reason falconry is "The Sport of Princes". You have to be well off to afford the facilities and the time - yours or a falconer's - to care for the birds.

 

[Tez3]

In historical times you had to have a certain rank to fly certain birds.

http://www.r3.org/life/articles/falconry.html

 

[Tames D]

Awesome.

 

[tellner]

It's pure fantasy. I'll never have the time or the money. But I'd love to do falconry. Start an apprenticeship at the zoo. Get a Red Tail Hawk because they're hardy and human tolerant. Some day work up to General or Master Falconer and have a Golden Eagle and a Great Horned Owl. :fanboy: More modestly, a barn owl and a hawk.

Can't do it without building a mews and becoming independently wealthy. And the birds would kill the cats and snake or vice versa. That would be sad.

 

[mantis]

Howdy folks,

Anyone here ever seen a falconer hunt with his/her bird(s)? I had the opportunity to go to a national falconry meet a couple of weeks ago with a friend of mine whose father is a falconer and trainer of birds. It was a blast. We were hunting game birds.

There's really nothing quite like it. This was my first time observing the sport, but I'll definitely take the next opportunity I get to go out and watch this event. (I'm the dude in the blue jacket)

i have when i visited KSA