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Falconer298

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Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Nebraska
Hello,

I’m from Nebraska and I’m a general animal nut. That’s a lie I’m in way over my head! We live on a farm and I’ve been a falconer for 10 years, I breed peregrine falcons, have a flock of racing pigeons, 4 chickens, 2 dogs, ?# cats, 2 hedgehogs, 3 alpacas, 1 llama, a russian tortoise and a baby sulcata.

I’ve thought about getting a sulcata for years but the whole living in Nebraska thing kept me from doing it. I’m a market farmer and after working in our large green houses for a couple years I have an understanding of how I can extend my sulcatas outside time in the shoulder seasons and when it outgrows living in the house I will probably make it larger place inside a heated greenhouse. We primarily grow greens for market and always have a large variety of grasses and leaves for our tortoise’s.
 

Maro2Bear

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May 29, 2014
Messages
14,712
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Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Hello,

I’m from Nebraska and I’m a general animal nut. That’s a lie I’m in way over my head! We live on a farm and I’ve been a falconer for 10 years, I breed peregrine falcons, have a flock of racing pigeons, 4 chickens, 2 dogs, ?# cats, 2 hedgehogs, 3 alpacas, 1 llama, a russian tortoise and a baby sulcata.

I’ve thought about getting a sulcata for years but the whole living in Nebraska thing kept me from doing it. I’m a market farmer and after working in our large green houses for a couple years I have an understanding of how I can extend my sulcatas outside time in the shoulder seasons and when it outgrows living in the house I will probably make it larger place inside a heated greenhouse. We primarily grow greens for market and always have a large variety of grasses and leaves for our tortoise’s.


Welcome! Sounds like a perfect nut to join this Forum. Greenhouses, greens, torts, and a good mix of everything else.

Welcome n Have Fun!
 

Falconer298

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Nebraska
6AE12DF3-A0F5-4C7A-AD16-0C3A0CB97C02.jpg
6AE12DF3-A0F5-4C7A-AD16-0C3A0CB97C02.jpg

I think baby Mo is around 3 months old.
 
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Ray--Opo

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Welcome sounds like you have a nice farm.
 

Cheryl Hills

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Jan 1, 2016
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2,334
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Youngstown, Ohio
Hello,

I’m from Nebraska and I’m a general animal nut. That’s a lie I’m in way over my head! We live on a farm and I’ve been a falconer for 10 years, I breed peregrine falcons, have a flock of racing pigeons, 4 chickens, 2 dogs, ?# cats, 2 hedgehogs, 3 alpacas, 1 llama, a russian tortoise and a baby sulcata.

I’ve thought about getting a sulcata for years but the whole living in Nebraska thing kept me from doing it. I’m a market farmer and after working in our large green houses for a couple years I have an understanding of how I can extend my sulcatas outside time in the shoulder seasons and when it outgrows living in the house I will probably make it larger place inside a heated greenhouse. We primarily grow greens for market and always have a large variety of grasses and leaves for our tortoise’s.
Welcome to the forum. Great place for learning everything tortoise and, other things too. We have some others here that are in to falconers @Tom has red tails he uses to hunt with. You my want to hook up and talk with him too, besides he is one of our very experienced people on the forum.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Southern California
Hello and welcome.

I've got a long running thread on my falconry exploits: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-latest-endeavor.135624/
Feel free to chime in. All advice and tips are welcome. Peregrins are on my short list of birds I want to work with. I'm planning on a kestrel in springtime, a merlin in the fall, and either another RT or a cast of HH for next season. Both of my RTs have been late season females. I want to try an early season male. Caught one this year, but it had eaten a poisoned rodent the day before I trapped him. Meanwhile Harris hawks just sound fun and easy. The Peregrin sounds fantastic too, but I'd have to figure out what to hunt with it. Not a lot of duck slips around here. I have lots of quail in my valley, but no dog for that. Plenty of ringneck doves flying around. Aplomados sound appealing too, due to their versatility, but everyone tells me I won't have it for long. They say I'll find my transmitter in a pile of feathers under a wild RT.

Here is all the sulcata info in one place for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Questions and conversation are welcome. :)
 

Falconer298

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Nebraska
Hello and welcome.

I've got a long running thread on my falconry exploits: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-latest-endeavor.135624/
Feel free to chime in. All advice and tips are welcome. Peregrins are on my short list of birds I want to work with. I'm planning on a kestrel in springtime, a merlin in the fall, and either another RT or a cast of HH for next season. Both of my RTs have been late season females. I want to try an early season male. Caught one this year, but it had eaten a poisoned rodent the day before I trapped him. Meanwhile Harris hawks just sound fun and easy. The Peregrin sounds fantastic too, but I'd have to figure out what to hunt with it. Not a lot of duck slips around here. I have lots of quail in my valley, but no dog for that. Plenty of ringneck doves flying around. Aplomados sound appealing too, due to their versatility, but everyone tells me I won't have it for long. They say I'll find my transmitter in a pile of feathers under a wild RT.

Here is all the sulcata info in one place for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Questions and conversation are welcome. :)

I’ve had a few kestrels, 2 merlins, an aplomado and a tiercel Harris hawk. Lots of RTs, a prairie falcon, three peregrines and a passage gos. Big falcons are great with proper game. Where I live a Red Tail for bunnies and a falcon for ducks and pheasant is easier than flying one goshawk on everything. Plus RTs and Falcons take their prey in more exciting ways than accipiters in my opinion. The smaller falcons are fun but I grow tired of chasing sparrows in a hurry. I’ve put age old advice to the test on using birds you can trap locally. They are there for a reason and seem to work out the best. My sponsor was Into breeding aplomados so I have a lot of experience with them. Awesome on quail, feral pigeons are a blast in the right scenario. Pheasant is a maybe, some females do it well. Can do rabbits but I wouldn’t encourage it. They can catch doves but it’s not easy to make it happen. Tiercels on sparrows is incredible but would get old for me after awhile. I’ve trashed my body beating the brush for hawks, falcon slips are a bit easier going, probably going to stick to big falcons. My female in the breeding chamber is well known among falconers she should make some amazing offspring. I’d fly a cast of HH but my climate is no good for them. My male was quite the killer though and honestly I dislike hunting when it’s super cold so I could see doing it again but only if I had a cast and some other people to visit who had them. Hunting jacks with a big group is way fun! I’ve seen aplomados get caught and killed by RTs, bad day. Friend had one ran over by a tractor. Mine had a red tail grab it and had her on the ground, I got there in time and she had no injuries! I sold her the next week, to the guy who lost his to a RT.
 
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Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Messages
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Southern California
I’ve had a few kestrels, 2 merlins, an aplomado and a tiercel Harris hawk. Lots of RTs, a prairie falcon, three peregrines and a passage gos. Big falcons are great with proper game. Where I live a Red Tail for bunnies and a falcon for ducks and pheasant is easier than flying one goshawk on everything. Plus RTs and Falcons take their prey in more exciting ways than accipiters in my opinion. The smaller falcons are fun but I grow tired of chasing sparrows in a hurry. I’ve put age old advice to the test on using birds you can trap locally. They are there for a reason and seem to work out the best. My sponsor was Into breeding aplomados so I have a lot of experience with them. Awesome on quail, feral pigeons are a blast in the right scenario. Pheasant is a maybe, some females do it well. Can do rabbits but I wouldn’t encourage it. They can catch doves but it’s not easy to make it happen. Tiercels on sparrows is incredible but would get old for me after awhile. I’ve trashed my body beating the brush for hawks, falcon slips are a bit easier going, probably going to stick to big falcons. My female in the breeding chamber is well known among falconers she should make some amazing offspring. I’d fly a cast of HH but my climate is no good for them. My male was quite the killer though and honestly I dislike hunting when it’s super cold so I could see doing it again but only if I had a cast and some other people to visit who had them. Hunting jacks with a big group is way fun! I’ve seen aplomados get caught and killed by RTs, bad day. Friend had one ran over by a tractor. Mine had a red tail grab it and had her on the ground, I got there in time and she had no injuries! I sold her the next week, to the guy who lost his to a RT.
Man, there is a ton of insight in this paragraph...

Glad you are here and I look forward to many conversations on falconry and tortoises! :)


Hey Wade, @wccmog10
and @mrnewberry

We got another falconer here. I'm sensing a trend. Falconry and tortoises...
 

EllieMay

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
9,603
Location (City and/or State)
East Texas
Hello,

I’m from Nebraska and I’m a general animal nut. That’s a lie I’m in way over my head! We live on a farm and I’ve been a falconer for 10 years, I breed peregrine falcons, have a flock of racing pigeons, 4 chickens, 2 dogs, ?# cats, 2 hedgehogs, 3 alpacas, 1 llama, a russian tortoise and a baby sulcata.

I’ve thought about getting a sulcata for years but the whole living in Nebraska thing kept me from doing it. I’m a market farmer and after working in our large green houses for a couple years I have an understanding of how I can extend my sulcatas outside time in the shoulder seasons and when it outgrows living in the house I will probably make it larger place inside a heated greenhouse. We primarily grow greens for market and always have a large variety of grasses and leaves for our tortoise’s.

Welcome!!! We would love to see pictures of your farm members!!! No critter excluded:)
 

mrnewberry

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location (City and/or State)
N.W. Arkansas
Cool! Welcome!

I think falconers like animals and aren’t afraid of scary animals. So, some tend to gravitate towards snakes. Once you are into reptiles all that has to happen is someone let’s you scratch their Aldabra and then it is all over. At least that is how it worked for me.

Man, there is a ton of insight in this paragraph...

Glad you are here and I look forward to many conversations on falconry and tortoises! :)


Hey Wade, @wccmog10
and @mrnewberry

We got another falconer here. I'm sensing a trend. Falconry and tortoises...
 

Chasen

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
339
Location (City and/or State)
Galveston
Man, there is a ton of insight in this paragraph...

Glad you are here and I look forward to many conversations on falconry and tortoises! :)


Hey Wade, @wccmog10
and @mrnewberry

We got another falconer here. I'm sensing a trend. Falconry and tortoises...
When I was 18 my best friend found a couple little white fluff balls on the ground and we raised them up. I had know idea what we were doing, but we knew enough to give them a healthy start. We gave them to a falconer when they got to a point where we couldn't house them anymore. It was a great experience.
 

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Falconer298

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Nebraska
When I was 18 my best friend found a couple little white fluff balls on the ground and we raised them up. I had know idea what we were doing, but we knew enough to give them a healthy start. We gave them to a falconer when they got to a point where we couldn't house them anymore. It was a great experience.

Wow! Imprint cooper’s hawks that close to the face could lead to a terrible experience! They have a history of becoming face grabbers when they get hungry and frustrated you haven’t fed them quick enough in their minds. Wonder how they turned out.
 

Chasen

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Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
339
Location (City and/or State)
Galveston
Wow! Imprint cooper’s hawks that close to the face could lead to a terrible experience! They have a history of becoming face grabbers when they get hungry and frustrated you haven’t fed them quick enough in their minds. Wonder how they turned out.
I was young and inexperienced, but obsessed with wildlife. Always out collecting herps and other critters as a kid. It's turned into a lifetime obsession.
 

wccmog10

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Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
209
Location (City and/or State)
Georgia
Man, there is a ton of insight in this paragraph...

Glad you are here and I look forward to many conversations on falconry and tortoises! :)


Hey Wade, @wccmog10
and @mrnewberry

We got another falconer here. I'm sensing a trend. Falconry and tortoises...

There does seem to be a lot of overlap between reptile keepers and falconers. These two groups must be related in some way :)

Aside from the 3 of us here, I know of several others that are not on this forum. Welcome to the forum, we look forward to hearing about your whole menagerie.

I’ve also been in falconry about 10 years, I’ve flown several red tails, and just recently (3 seasons ago) got started on Harris hawks. We currently have two females in a cast. We hunt mostly squirrels here in Georgia. We will go for the occasional rabbit, but they are few and far between.
 

Falconer298

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Nebraska
There does seem to be a lot of overlap between reptile keepers and falconers. These two groups must be related in some way :)

Aside from the 3 of us here, I know of several others that are not on this forum. Welcome to the forum, we look forward to hearing about your whole menagerie.

I’ve also been in falconry about 10 years, I’ve flown several red tails, and just recently (3 seasons ago) got started on Harris hawks. We currently have two females in a cast. We hunt mostly squirrels here in Georgia. We will go for the occasional rabbit, but they are few and far between.

I liked my Harris, I’m envious of folks who live where it’s more practical to have them. I live flying in big casts with others. I have two mini dachshunds that are the most serious rabbit hunting dogs ever. They seemed to know exactly what their job was from the first time I flew them with a hawk and they respect the hawk when it catches the rabbit. The hawks learn pretty quick too. For a long spell with my last RT, all I did was show up and drop everone off and off they would go hunting while I followed along to pick up the rabbit and bring everyone back home!

It’s a major pain to keep a Harris in our climate. I’ve done it and you worry constantly about keeping them warm enough and then you lose a lot of hunting days to the cold where a RT has no problem with it. So now I have a sulcata to worry about! At least it can just stay inside and I have a pretty sweet setup in my shop with a heated floor. One zone is my office and utility room so it has to stay on with water pipes in the walls and such. Should work pretty well I think.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I liked my Harris, I’m envious of folks who live where it’s more practical to have them. I live flying in big casts with others. I have two mini dachshunds that are the most serious rabbit hunting dogs ever. They seemed to know exactly what their job was from the first time I flew them with a hawk and they respect the hawk when it catches the rabbit. The hawks learn pretty quick too. For a long spell with my last RT, all I did was show up and drop everone off and off they would go hunting while I followed along to pick up the rabbit and bring everyone back home!

It’s a major pain to keep a Harris in our climate. I’ve done it and you worry constantly about keeping them warm enough and then you lose a lot of hunting days to the cold where a RT has no problem with it. So now I have a sulcata to worry about! At least it can just stay inside and I have a pretty sweet setup in my shop with a heated floor. One zone is my office and utility room so it has to stay on with water pipes in the walls and such. Should work pretty well I think.
I've wanted a little Weiner dog for a long time now. I need a little bitty one that can fit down the warren holes and flush up the rabbits. There are tons of rabbits all around my ranch, but the cover is too heavy and they stay real close to their holes and bolt back in at the slightest commotion. So I have to drive 45 minutes up to the high desert where cover is more sparse and the rabbits wander much farther from their warren holes. If I had a good flusher, I would never have to drive anywhere to go hunting ever again. Well... unless I just wanted to.
 

Falconer298

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Joined
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Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Nebraska
I've wanted a little Weiner dog for a long time now. I need a little bitty one that can fit down the warren holes and flush up the rabbits. There are tons of rabbits all around my ranch, but the cover is too heavy and they stay real close to their holes and bolt back in at the slightest commotion. So I have to drive 45 minutes up to the high desert where cover is more sparse and the rabbits wander much farther from their warren holes. If I had a good flusher, I would never have to drive anywhere to go hunting ever again. Well... unless I just wanted to.

I used to hunt the bunnies on our farm but we’ve actually sterilized the area of them. For the moment anyway! We have badgers so I don’t encourage the dogs to go to ground but I literally don’t use a flushing stick when I use the dogs. I just go for a walk with them and enjoy the show. One of my dogs is from Teddy Morits lines, she is good but our older one was just from a pet breeder and you couldn’t find a better rabbit hunter, just couldn’t even imagine a dog doing it it’s job any better. A real nice thing about using them is the rabbits usually go for open space to use their speed, cover is useless with a 10 pound doxie that can run almost as fast in cover and fits most places the rabbit can. When they go for the open the rabbit meets the other member of the hunting party. I thought I’d like doing it with a Gos but I was wrong, RTs put on a good show! I had a really white RT that would stoop and purposely stun the rabbits and then come back to find them before they recovered, he was so much fun. Thought I had to have a Harris hawk so I released one of the most fun birds I’ve flown.

For some reason a thought just popped in my head, will coyotes and foxes mess with adult sulcatas? I will probably build my outdoor enclosure with an area that is fully protected from everything and then make a couple different pastures for it to use during the day when I’m around. Too bad you couldn’t put a falconry transmitter on them track them down later, they probably find trouble.

And here’s my falconry to tortoise keeper connection... I was a falconer first and falconry is freaking intense, I hunt 2-3 days almost all season unless my bird is too full to hunt or the weather is really really bad. The husbandry is intense and the fine attention to detail keeps birds feather perfect and healthy. For me there is nothing relaxing at all about falconry and as soon as a bird is fed it has no use for you until it’s hungry again. They don’t have any fond feelings for you, they cooperate and maybe seem like they appreciate it for the moment, but if they were once wild they likely can feed themselves just fine without you. Falconers know that it’s not about just having an exotic bird, that part passes pretty fast, for me it’s about hunting along side of an apex predator. Tortoises on the other hand, I find relaxing to enjoy their company. I have a hammock hanging next to my russians outdoor enclosure and I love chilling out with a drink while I watch my buddy chow down on stuff and enjoy his space! She gets all excited when I bring her good stuff to eat. Tortoises remind me to slow down and chill out, quit racing through life. I do love building things for my animals so both falconry and tortoise keeping work well for that!
 
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