# Falcons and Hawks



## Smithen (Jan 4, 2011)

Just wondering if anyone has kept any hawks or falcons. I have been thinking about getting into it but I want to make sure I know everything I can before I do anything.

Tyler


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## egyptiandan (Jan 4, 2011)

Your going to have to find a falconer in the state of Ohio and apprentise with them. Than they recommend you for the federal permit. It's an interesting hobby, but expensive to do it right.

Danny


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## Tortuga_terrestre (Jan 4, 2011)

Ok, it took me a while to find..but here is an old thread on falcons.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Old-pic-of-one-of-my-falcons


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 4, 2011)

That's me. I was a falconer and my dad was a falconer. That's my Prairie falcon, Mira. She was very high-strung, but that's how most falcons are. 

I don't know the specific rules in your state, but Danny is spot on. You'll need to find a sponser. The DWR may be able to supply you with a list of people in the state willing to sponser you or the statewide falconry organization/club would be willing to help I'm sure. Falconers are normally very nice and willing to help. If you were in Utah, heck I'd even sponser ya. In most states you do that for 2 years and until you are 18 (if you're over 18, then you just do the 2 years.) You're looking at getting 2 licenses, one state and one federal. If you're going to trap your own bird (recommended when you're starting out by the way) you'll also need to get a capture permit. Before you can be licensed you'll have to have someone from the DWR come down and inspect your facilities. This inspection is a joke and usually the inspector has no idea what the things are/do on his list so it's moreso a chance for you to chat with someone who knows absolutely nothing about the sport if they are open for conversation. For this inspection I needed to have a scale, a hawk house with 8x8 rooms (I think the rooms had to have a couple specified perches), waterdish, glove, jesses, leash, swivel and I think that was about it. 

Once you have a sponsor, licenses, etc then you'll be an apprentice falconer for those 2 years. You're limited to having 1 bird at a time at this level. Most states will only let you have a red-tail hawk or a kestrel, but some (alaska I believe is one of them) will let you have a goshawk.

After the 2 years are up you move up to the general level. If I remember right, it's 2 birds at a time and the only restriction is no eagles (don't quote me on that). Owls I believe are allowed now, though they're not that great for falconry IMO. After so many years (like 6 or 8 or something) or being a general class falconer you can apply for master class. Master class has the least restriction wise, can have the most birds at one time, and at this point you should know quite a bit about falconry. Any general or master class falconer can sponsor you.

I got to general class before I got out of it. I had 2 birds during those times. 1 male redtail and 1 female prairie. My dad had 1 peregrine and 1 peregrine/gyrfalcon hybrid. The peregrine was an absolute sweetheart and a delight to have around. Aside from my redtail he was my favorite bird we ever had. My redtail was "puppy-dog tame" if there is such a thing. I often carried him around bare-handed and I could let him out into the yard and he'd just follow me around, flying from tree to tree just watching me, not wanting to lose sight just incase I had some treats in my bag. Very friendly and surprisingly personable.

The hybrid however was a nightmare. I hated that bird. Very ornery and very intelligent (which makes it worse cause you know he's just trying to get at you). He took a swipe at me one night and I kid you not I nearly booted him to the moon  Thankfully I have enough restraint to remember that he's a federally protected animal and the government doesn't currently need any birds on the moon. My redtail was struck at my face, but it was my fault as I was wearing a hat he'd never seen and he was scared of it and confused about what had happened to me head. When the hybrid struck it was cause he was tired of me putting him on the scale to weigh him and it was as if he did it just to send a message that he was the top-dog.

My prairie was always high-strung. She never really calmed down and this was toward when I was getting out of it, so I should have spent more time working with her to overcome that. As it was she was fully trained though. Came when called, not scared of me, responded well to lure-flying and everything. She was just always jumpy, kinda like she never let her guard down fully. 


The book you want to read is North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks by Beebe and Webster (I think those are the authors). The newer editions are okay but the 4th edition was the edition where they really hit the nail on the head. It doesn't cover newer things like telemetry but it contains everything you need to know about falconry and is actually a fun read. They teach falconry through stories about their experiences with different birds.

If you do go through with all the licensing and hassle of getting started and making/buying your equipment then it's a very rewarding and very demanding sport. After all, you're training little athletes and some of the fastest animals on earth. You'll need to be able to weigh, log and feed them every day at around the same time. Most days you will want to take them out and fly them for their exercise. It's an entire daily regimen that you need to live by (in high school it was difficult for any of my friends to understand why no matter where I was or what I was doing at 4 or 5 I had to go home to feed my bird.) 

Once they're trained though you can take them hunting which is awesome. There's a partnership that you and your bird participate it. Your bird will either be on your fist or in the air and you're job is to tramp around and scare up some prey. You both work together and when it all works out it's like you both achieved something great (although your bird will NOT want to give up your half of the prey). You don't have to hunt, but most people get into the sport for this reason. It's a much better way of being out in nature than blasting a duck with a shotgun. This way you participate in nature and watch it all play out first person.

If you thought finding a tortoise vet was hard, wait until you have to find a falcon vet (we were lucky enough to have 1 an hour away who was himself a falconer  very lucky). For most things/situations you will be relied on to research and provide care. Once you're a falconer you're part of a very very small minority which works against you in this and other senses. Last count I heard was that there were 5000 falconers licensed nationwide.


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## Tom (Jan 4, 2011)

Great post PB. I've messed with birds of prey a bit, but never made the time to get licensed. I know and hang out with so many people that are licensed, that I would just hang out and help them with their birds. I absolutely love it. I can tell from your words that you do too. When I win the lottery and don't have to work anymore, falconry is high on my list of things to do.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 4, 2011)

It really is an awesome awesome sport. But for now the demands are too high so I've had to get out of it. Sucks being a student, there are a lot of sacrifices you have to make to get an education. Lately I've been a bit worried that even the torts may be more of a responsibility than I should be taking on at this stage of life but I really am not wanting to let them go. 

On a brighter note, how lucky are you Tom? I've met less falconers than you can count on your fingers. You say you help them, does that mean you've experienced having one come screaming down at you just to "lightly" land on your hand yet. The first couple of times you have a hawk fly to the fist is an amazing experience, nothing else like it in the world. Can't even tell you how worried I was that they were just going to keep flying and plow me over (and 1 did once now that I think it over. My redtail was paying attention to something else or something. Flew headfirst right into my chest, quite a shocker.) They really are awesome to work with. Someday I'd like to get back into it but for now I just have the memories. What kind of birds do your friends keep?


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## Tom (Jan 4, 2011)

I've gotten to fly several red tails, a kestrel, a barn owl, and whiteback, cinereous, cape, king and turkey vultures. I got to work the ground lure for a Tawny eagle. I got to hang out with a martial, golden and bald eagle, but not fly them. Been around a few other odds and ends too. I've also flown crows, ravens, pigeons and lots of parrots. Loved every minute of all of it. Looking forward to the next opportunity.


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## Smithen (Jan 5, 2011)

Wow thanks for all the info. Makes me want to get into it even more now. I am planning on waiting for a bit though because I am in college at the moment and after college I'm not sure if I will be living in Ohio or Colorado so as of right now I am just doing all the research I can.

Tyler


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 5, 2011)

Fair enough, read that book. If you're still interested in it when you finish then you'll probably really enjoy falconry. Also feel free to pm me whenever if you have any more questions.

Tom, you make my experiences sound downright domestic. I'm not even familiar with some of those birds. Hawks are my favorite, very mellow and relaxed. Except goshawks, they aren't that personable.


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## Smithen (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks PB, I plan on going and getting the book on my way home from school today. I'm sure I will probably have more questions so you will probably hear from me at some point lol.

Tyler


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## Tom (Jan 9, 2011)

PeanutbuttER said:


> Tom, you make my experiences sound downright domestic. I'm not even familiar with some of those birds. Hawks are my favorite, very mellow and relaxed. Except goshawks, they aren't that personable.



PB, you are the expert. I've just been lucky enough to get to dabble while working with the real experts. I've never caught my own, manned it, and trained it to fly and hunt from scratch. My jobs takes me around some neat stuff, but I rarely get to go too far into it. I envy YOU'RE experience.


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