rt
Full Member
Posts: 274
|
Post by rt on Mar 13, 2005 19:50:49 GMT -5
I always like to hear about how people got into falconry, I found out about it on the internet, it seems to be a secret to most people. I always thought the pemits would be too hard to obtain to own a raptor if I knew now what I diddnt know then I would be a master falconer right now.
|
|
|
|
Post by Weasel on Mar 13, 2005 20:12:37 GMT -5
I became interested in foul cannery way, way, way back three years ago. I used to sit at my ranch and watch raptors all the time as they went about their buisness. I was amazed by the things they could do while hunting quarry, be it a rabbit or a dragon fly, I loved them! Then one day I went with some friends to a place called Scarbourogh fair. At this medival fair they had a raptor demonstration. The guy that ran the show talked a bit about falconry and some of the things neccisary to get into this sport.....By the time he finished, I was sure it was much to hard. I started looking it up on the internet and found that it had a small but dedicated following here in the states. Every site I visited said the same basic thing....Get the info from the state wildlife department and contact you local falconry club. I did both and soon was visiting a few falconers houses. I then tried to contact as many of the falconers nearby as possible....One after another they said "To busy" or "I don't take on apprentices"....This was before I even fully decided to become an apprentice...They just assumed that's why I called. Finally I called a another local guy who was only about one mile from my house and he invited me over to visit. We got together several times when I finaly asked him if he would sponsor me. He was hesitant as I came in so quick without any experience in the field. Eventually, after repeated questioning by him, he agreed to do it..........The rest is history......... ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Tiercel78 on Mar 13, 2005 22:59:49 GMT -5
Well..hum.. I was introduced to falconry at the age of eight. My dad and I where on our why home from somwhere. There where some fields near the house and one day came across a man flying a hawk. My dad stoped the car and we introduced ourselves and where invited to come and watch anytime. After many visits were invited to his house where I started to learn more about the world of falconry. This went on for two or so years and in this time fell in love with Raptors. This man was in the military at the time and had to move when I was around age 10. Two years went by and was at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. We where going through the expo tents and came across a Bird of Prey show put on by Last Chance Forever (bird of prey conservancey). I started to learn more about falconry and how to care for raptors from John Karger (master falconer/project director) and just time working with birds. I volenteered at the project till I was 17 and was offered a job on staff as a Road Tech. This job primarily consisted of the care and conditioning of program birds while doing shows. Though, at home the job changed to help with all projects routines. At age 19 I decided to make a change of lifestyle and joined the military. After five years I just now finding time to aquire my licences and bird. Though everywhere I been I have been drawn to raptors and falconers. Have been all over Euroupe and seen things I probally would of never seen. Gyrs in Iceland, Goldens in Scotland, Shaheens in Turkey and Peregrines in Spain. I have four more years in the Navy then I'm done. So,the best job that allows time for falconry and a place that has plentiful game is where I will be.-Zach
|
|
|
|
Post by ccrobbins on Mar 14, 2005 10:04:57 GMT -5
It is really my wifes fault. She was all over me to take off work one Friday to go to the local home and garden show......So after a while I said o.k. and we loaded up and went. Now my wife knows that I am nuts about birds, I mean any birds. There is something very soothing about them. While we were at this show my wife said "look at the HUGE bird". I looked and it happened to be a GH Owl. We were all just dumbfounded that it was sitting there looking at us. Just my luck a bird rehabber was at the show on Fri. only to try and get people to donate. It was On the Wing Again. They were some of the nicest people I had ever met. I just could not fathom why these people were so passionate about Falconry. They had 4 or 5 hooded RTs and a really well traind K. bird. I asked how I should go about getting involved and they said as the wise Weasel has mentioned...."join your state club". I did and "now you know the rest of the story!"
|
|
|
|
Post by bobdale on Mar 15, 2005 15:08:22 GMT -5
My father was a TV repairman. We went to a man's house in the country to check his set and Dad determined that it wasn't his TV but his antenna that was faulty. (This was back in 1959 and i was 7 years old, mind you.) The antenna was mounted on the man's barn and as he opened the huge barn doors i was amazed to see literally hundreds of raptors nailed to them, each of them missing a foot. I asked what they were and the man said "chicken hawks". He was trapping them and turning in the foot for the bounty that was placed on these vermin species.
I felt a deep sense of gloom and loss at that ditressing sight, not to mention the nausea from the stench. What an ignoble death suffered upon such magnificent birds.
Ever since then i've watch raptors fly free and delighted in the reality that they escaped the hunter's traps.
When i was about 14 or so the local game warden made a presentation on raptors to my Boy Scout Troop. As fate would have it, he was interested in falconry, too. I think our enthusiasm melded into a good partnership. We got an RT and with no one to help or advise us, we manned it and hunted rabbits all year with it. Next came a coop... then college for me and retirement for him... Then rehab work and now, i'm an apprentice all over again. Live is truly circular ;D
|
|
Austin
Junior Member
Without wisdom knowledge is lame
Posts: 160
|
Post by Austin on Mar 15, 2005 22:39:43 GMT -5
Having grown up in the mountains of the eastern part of the US as a child we lived in the wooded areas. As a boy I had a pet pigeon that would follow me and land on my head and chase me as I rode my bicycle down the road. This brought my interests to birds. On the Walt Disney production they had a movie about a boy who had found a pergrine falcon and nursed it back to health, well that movie over whelmed me. From that time foward I have always watched and admired the hawks and other raptors and thought only falcons could be possessed by people legally. Over the next thirty years I raised pigeons and it wasn't until several years ago I was looking on the net for an answer to a cooper hawk problem I was having. I went to a site where there was Iowa falconers and there, read the laws about possessing raptors. My life from the point was in fourth gear all the way with the trottle wipe open, and, here I'm today totally addicted.  |
|
Minca
Full Member
Posts: 389
|
Post by Minca on Mar 15, 2005 23:06:24 GMT -5
My life from the point was in fourth gear all the way with the trottle wipe open, and, here I'm today totally addicted. hehe, must've been one of the older falconry mobiles. They come in hot rod six speeds now! |
|
|
|
Post by Weasel on Mar 15, 2005 23:08:49 GMT -5
hehehehe....his was a three on the tree!
|
|
Austin
Junior Member
Without wisdom knowledge is lame
Posts: 160
|
Post by Austin on Mar 16, 2005 11:41:22 GMT -5
Ha Ha That's right! three on the tree, and four on the floor and,,, two in the back, if you don't believe me ask Bob Dale, he would also know, tee, Hee, He. ;D ;D ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Weasel on Mar 16, 2005 12:17:03 GMT -5
Not trying to be off subject, but my wifes grandfather has a three on the tree truck at our ranch called old blue........I looked like a first time driver trying to operate that d**n thing..!
|
|
Minca
Full Member
Posts: 389
|
Post by Minca on Mar 16, 2005 14:06:51 GMT -5
First stick I learned on was a three-on-the-tree. I got that thing stuck in second so many times it was rediculous. But I know how to pop it out of second now and have help other nonmechanical ladies that have had the same problem ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by bobdale on Mar 21, 2005 17:06:27 GMT -5
My wife is 18 years younger than me. Just for $h!t$ and giggles and told her to drive one of our families delivery trucks around to the side of my father's house... it was a 1964 ford p/u with a 3/tree. She came back and asked what the third pedal was for  . |
|
|
|
Post by bobdale on Mar 21, 2005 17:08:11 GMT -5
Ha Ha That's right... four on the floor and,,, two in the back, if you don't believe me ask Bob Dale, he would also know, tee, Hee, He. ;D ;D ;D (I can't believe i'm saying this) Git er done!!! |
|
|
|
Post by Weasel on Mar 21, 2005 17:10:59 GMT -5
YES!!! We finally got Bob to speak redneckish!!!   |
|
|
|
Post by bobdale on Mar 22, 2005 13:21:27 GMT -5
|
|
.