Falconry, the sport of the kings

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:45 am

Just wanted to share a few pictures from my 2011 season. For those of you who have resurrected from the old scattergun or fowler, here is a new challenge.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:48 am

A few more...

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:36 am

BTW, can anyone please tell me how to display my attachments outside of the scroll window, so they can be viewed full frame?
Thank you

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:03 am

That's insane! Where are you located. Pictures came up good for me, all you have to do is click on them.

SHORTFAT · Post by **SHORTFAT** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:45 am

OK... That is just COOL!!!

Wait till I tell my wife that I found a new way to hunt and I don't need a new gun to do it...

Thanks for sharing! Tell us more!

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:46 pm

ultracarry wrote:That's insane! Where are you located. Pictures came up good for me, all you have to do is click on them.

Guess I did not know that I had to click on them...lol

I'm located in SO CA, but my play grounds are far from here.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:56 pm

All the dog work and training is the same, but the challenge is having the game,pointer and falcon work as a team.

Preferred game are; sage grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chicken, and huns

Also like flying ducks here in CA

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:00 pm

Pretty cool!!!

Charlie

hettmoe · Post by **hettmoe** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:42 am

Looks like ducks may be a favorite, also...
I've always thought it would be the ultimate to have a gsp point the bird, a lab to flush it,and a falcon to harvest it while I enjoy each animal at it's best...

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:35 am

longwingger wrote:
ultracarry wrote:That's insane! Where are you located. Pictures came up good for me, all you have to do is click on them.

Guess I did not know that I had to click on them...lol

I'm located in SO CA, but my play grounds are far from here.

Play ground looks like N.Nevada or S. Idaho.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:35 am

fishvik wrote:
longwingger wrote:
ultracarry wrote:That's insane! Where are you located. Pictures came up good for me, all you have to do is click on them.

Guess I did not know that I had to click on them...lol

I'm located in SO CA, but my play grounds are far from here.
Play ground looks like N.Nevada or S. Idaho.

Although NW Nevada has a good population of Sage Grouse I have never flown there, I spend 2-3 months every fall away from home and on the road between MT WY ID NB KS and that is where I do the bulk of my falconry for upland game.

llewellinsetter · Post by **llewellinsetter** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:09 pm

I have been trying to get into this for months now, but its a hard hobby to start its amazing to watch the bird work. I want a peregrine falcon, from what i have read there a good bird for our area. any tips on what to do to get started?

Troy08er · Post by **Troy08er** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:33 pm

Awesome pics, how's that new pup going.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:51 pm

Man that is so cool.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:48 pm

llewellinsetter wrote:I have been trying to get into this for months now, but its a hard hobby to start its amazing to watch the bird work. I want a peregrine falcon, from what i have read there a good bird for our area. any tips on what to do to get started?

What area are we talking about? A peregrine falcon is not for the novice, there are easier birds to start with.

You can start by joining your local state falconry association, find a licensed falconer who is willing to sponsor you, take the federal written exam, get your facility inspected and start your two year apprenticeship, after 2 years you can upgrade to a General level licensed falconer. Depending where you are the laws could be a little different from state to state.

Just a warning to you, Falconry is a lifestyle and a full time occupation, if your lifestyle will not allow 4-6 hours (5-7 days a week) of free time to unselfishly devote to the sport, it is not for you. That is for flying one bird, add an extra 2 hours per additional bird/day.

I have ruined my life for the sport, (don't get me me wrong, I will do it again in a heart beat if I could start over again) I have set up my life so I work 6 months out of the year and have between Sep-Feb free to travel and enjoy the sport, and train my pointers.

Where are you located?

Regards,
Vahe

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:53 pm

Troy08er wrote:Awesome pics, how's that new pup going.

The new pup is doing very well Troy, I picked up another one from a breeder in ID, so I have my hands full with 2 pups.
they are such different personalities, and both are looking to be marvelous dogs.

Here is the other one...

How is your's doing?

Troy08er · Post by **Troy08er** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:34 pm

WOW, they look great. What's the breeding behind the ID pup.My females is doing great,awesome personality.

longwingger wrote:
Troy08er wrote:Awesome pics, how's that new pup going.

The new pup is doing very well Troy, I picked up another one from a breeder in ID, so I have my hands full with 2 pups.
they are such different personalities, and both are looking to be marvelous dogs.

Here is the other one...

How is your's doing?

crappieguy · Post by **crappieguy** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:59 pm

Nice pics. I was a falconer in Southern Saskatchewan as well as Alberta, since 1958. Flew Prairie falcons as a kid but as an adult I changed over to Cooper's, Red Tails for rabbits and my all time favorites..Goshawks. It's a super sport. Quit 8 years ago and now I'm back hunting big game and upland game with guns.
Wish I'd had an ATV when I was practicing falconry. I had falconry friends (teachers), that moved to southern Sask., from Calif., strictly for the wide open country falconry.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:17 pm

Troy08er wrote:WOW, they look great. What's the breeding behind the ID pup.My females is doing great,awesome personality.

longwingger wrote:
Troy08er wrote:Awesome pics, how's that new pup going.

The new pup is doing very well Troy, I picked up another one from a breeder in ID, so I have my hands full with 2 pups.
they are such different personalities, and both are looking to be marvelous dogs.

Here is the other one...

How is your's doing?

The sire is Elhew on top and HTA on the bottom, the dam is all Elhew. Although she is 2 weeks younger, she is one birddy little bumblebee.
The Idea is to allow them to mature up, train and work wild birds for a season, and (if I can) keep the better one. The hardest part of all this will be to fold one of them

But they have to fit the program, and if they don't I rather have the kennel space for another one 3 years from now.

Troy are you a field trialer? do you do any bird hunting? do you live around BKRSFD?

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:23 pm

crappieguy wrote:Nice pics. I was a falconer in Southern Saskatchewan as well as Alberta, since 1958. Flew Prairie falcons as a kid but as an adult I changed over to Cooper's, Red Tails for rabbits and my all time favorites..Goshawks. It's a super sport. Quit 8 years ago and now I'm back hunting big game and upland game with guns.
Wish I'd had an ATV when I was practicing falconry. I had falconry friends (teachers), that moved to southern Sask., from Calif., strictly for the wide open country falconry.

Southern Saskatchewan is great falconry country, lots of Sharptailed grouse, and Huns. The problem is crossing the border with 3 dogs and 12 falcons, the cost of health certs and permits is a mortgage and a half. I have considered moving out of CA for the last 18 years too, but work is always a concern.
So for now I work hard and play harder every fall

Troy08er · Post by **Troy08er** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:18 pm

Yes, I'm from BSFLD, about 1 1/2 mile from Bill's house. I do some hunting, done a few NSTRA events in Gorman area,that's were I meet Bill. I would like to do a few walking trails next year,we'll see. I'll start running the pup around some wild valleys in about 2 weeks

,last parvo shot.

northern cajun · Post by **northern cajun** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:21 pm

Very cool

If I had one my woodcock season would be from august to the end of Feb. Wow

very cool

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:42 pm

Troy08er wrote:Yes, I'm from BSFLD, about 1 1/2 mile from Bill's house. I do some hunting, done a few NSTRA events in Gorman area,that's were I meet Bill. I would like to do a few walking trails next year,we'll see. I'll start running the pup around some wild valleys in about 2 weeks ,last parvo shot.

Troy, next time you are around Gorman, let me know, I would love to come and watch and get to know you.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:47 pm

Not the norm, but occasionally the falcon takes a double in one stoop. It is even more uncommon when it happens to be a pair of mallards

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:01 am

I also own a female Harris' hawk, "Lady Cleaver" is a rabbit slayer... The falcons catch feathered game on the wing, hawks and eagles most commonly catch furred game, accipiters can do both.

Ron R · Post by **Ron R** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:37 am

longwingger wrote:if your lifestyle will not allow 4-6 hours (5-7 days a week) of free time to unselfishly devote to the sport, it is not for you. That is for flying one bird,

Just curious but how is it so time consuming, 4 to 6 hours a day. What kind of upkeep do they need that is so time consuming? I was also wondering how much a falcon costs and how are they trained?

BTW, very awesome stuff.

Thanks

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:09 am

Those pics are sweet.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:25 am

Ron R wrote:
longwingger wrote:if your lifestyle will not allow 4-6 hours (5-7 days a week) of free time to unselfishly devote to the sport, it is not for you. That is for flying one bird,
Just curious but how is it so time consuming, 4 to 6 hours a day. What kind of upkeep do they need that is so time consuming? I was also wondering how much a falcon costs and how are they trained?

BTW, very awesome stuff.

Thanks

I am also very curious about this, though I doubt I ever get into to falconry, I am curious about what it takes day in and day out. Can you give us a run down of your day to day life with the birds, training upkeep etc.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:30 pm

Falconry is a game of weight management, each bird has a set weight that they perform the best, it is not about starving the bird, if too low, the bird will not have the energy to climb to the heavens (1200-1800') and wait for you to flush, if too high it may not feel like flying and may act lazy. Just like a competing Olympic athlete performing their best at a set weight and physical condition. Food intake is rationed and the colder the climate, the more food is burnt.

So each bird is weighed 2 times a day, once an hour before flying time and once at the end of the day before the bird is put up to sleep ( in the event it is too low, you feed a little to insure proper weight for the morning, if it is too high, it means that bird will not be flying the following morning).

Once every bird is weighed and loaded in the car, the dogs are loaded and off you go in search of game, once in the field the dogs are equipped with tracking colors and let out, in most cases all this is done before or right at the first light. I use Marshall Radio Telemetry tracking collars and they have super bright LED lights that can be seen up to a mile out. ( it helps to have all age type dogs, to eat up as much BLM land as possible)
Say I was flying Sage Grouse on BLM land in MT, once the dogs are on the run, I drive at 5-10 mph to keep up with the dog's pace, when the dog finds bird scent, he locks up and the peep on my receiver changes from one beep every 2 seconds (running) to 2 beeps per second (pointing).

Depending on how far the dog is, I may have to drive a few hundred yards to a mile and a half if he is out of sight, once I'm within visual sight of the dog, I get out of the truck and cut the falcon loose. The falcons are trained to take a pitch and come overhead waiting for the flush, (this takes 5-10 minutes), while the falcon is climbing, I am walking to the dog on point, when I get there I will wait for the falcon to come directly overhead (1200-1800 feet), and then I flush, the falcon stoops (a falcon in a vertical stoop can reach up to 280 M/H) and hopefully head shoots the grouse, but sometimes they hit the grouse in the back and the grouse will put in cover and have to be re-flushed.

All this time the dog is still on the point, and there usually is more grouse in the vicinity, so if the falcon misses, he will take another pitch and come back overhead for another flush, if he ends up killing the grouse in the first stoop, the dog is released to run to the flacon and the grouse, and lay next to the kill area to prevent wild Golden Eagles, coyotes, bobcats etc, from coming in and killing the falcon distracted with fighting the grouse on the ground. ( the kill area may be half a mile away, and usually the dog can run faster than I can, and sometimes there may be a creek or obstruction between us and I have to go back to the truck and drive around to get there, so the dog is an insurance policy)

This process ( finding the grouse in a sea of sage brush and orchestrating the whole 9 yards, feeding the falcon on the kill and so on...) can take up to 3 hours, if you have 4 other birds to fly, you do the math. On top of all that, when you come back home, you still have to put the birds outside to weather and rest for the next day.

One thing you have to understand is that falconry is not like hunting where you can practice from weekend to weekend or at the end of your season you lean the old fowler against the closet wall until the next season opens.
These birds have to fly 4-6 times a week in order to be in proper physical shape to perform, and when the season is over you still have to give them proper care and maintenance.
All birds molt once a year ( drop their feathers and grow new ones) within this time they do not fly and have to be kept in a stress free environment and fed extra in order to finish the molt cleanly and completely by Sep 1st.

I hope this illustrates the complexity of this sport.

I will explain the training process in another post for that in itself is a lengthy process.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:54 pm

Hungarian partridge

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:55 pm

Drake Mallard

Ron R · Post by **Ron R** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:12 pm

longwingger wrote:I hope this illustrates the complexity of this sport. :roll:

Why are you rolling your eyes at me and coop? Do you have a problem with our questions? You never mentioned how much they cost.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:37 pm

Ron R wrote:
longwingger wrote:I hope this illustrates the complexity of this sport. :roll:
Why are you rolling your eyes at me and coop? Do you have a problem with our questions? You never mentioned how much they cost.

Relax friend!

Is that what that little guy means? I just thought it was a funny face, as you can tell, I'm new to this forum and don't quit know all the ins and outs.

No insult intended.

If it makes you feel better I will repost and remove the little face, let me know...

The birds can very in price, depending on who breeds them and what size and color they are, most will range between $1000- 1800.00

Let me know if I can be of any more help with your questions, I'm always glad to help.

Regards,
Vahe'

JWP58 · Post by **JWP58** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:42 pm

"bleep", very interesting to say the least.

Although i'm almost more intrigued by the fact that you only work half the year.....you are an inspiration to every man lol

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:53 pm

JWP58 wrote:"bleep", very interesting to say the least.

Although i'm almost more intrigued by the fact that you only work half the year.....you are an inspiration to every man lol

Thank you JWP58, The 6 months that I work I do 14-16 hours a day of hard work, but it pays off since I have the fall to myself.

I hope I can ride this lifestyle as long as I can but nothing lasts forever.

JWP58 · Post by **JWP58** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:03 pm

Hey you gotta enjoy it while you can! Thats why i moved to wyoming....might aswell get in all the hunting i can while i'm young.

Troy08er · Post by **Troy08er** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:42 pm

longwingger wrote:
Troy08er wrote:Yes, I'm from BSFLD, about 1 1/2 mile from Bill's house. I do some hunting, done a few NSTRA events in Gorman area,that's were I meet Bill. I would like to do a few walking trails next year,we'll see. I'll start running the pup around some wild valleys in about 2 weeks ,last parvo shot.

Troy, next time you are around Gorman, let me know, I would love to come and watch and get to know you.

LOL your falcons remind me of some old girlfriends, high maintenance. PM me your email and I'll send you you some stuff,great people in the So.Cal NASTRA. I would like to see them tag some chukar, that sounds like a lot of fun.

tommyboy72 · Post by **tommyboy72** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:34 pm

I work at the sheriff's office where I live and one of our deputies recently passed all the requirements to become a falconer here in Oklahoma. He has a hawk, a red tail, I believe. He was allowed to trap it wild himself. Not sure about where you live but I believe here in Oklahoma it took the deputy about 2 years to qualify and pass the tests as well as apprentice before he could become licensed.

Ron R · Post by **Ron R** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:44 am

longwingger wrote:Relax friend!

I'm relaxed but thanks. You're saying that you didn't understand the concept behind rolling eyes. It is often used when a person thinks another is saying something stupid. I was also wondering what is done with them in the off season? Do you just keep them fed and lay them up or can you fly them without hunting.

I did do some research yesterday and found a few websites giving there birds kills. They all seem to state that they kill 100+ pheasants/60 roosters - 40 hens. I would not think that a person would be allowed to hunt pheasants with a falcon because it's not legal to kill hens and there is no calling a falcon off of one. It's all really cool but how do they excuse the laws and guidlines for falconers? I would not consider them wild birds for the simple reason that they live with humans and are being handled during the hunt by humans.

Thanks for your time

.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:34 pm

JWP58 wrote:Hey you gotta enjoy it while you can! Thats why i moved to wyoming....might aswell get in all the hunting i can while i'm young.

JWP58, I envy you, The 2 states I have always considered moving to are WY and MT, what part of WY are you at?

Are you aware of the eastern 1/3 sage grouse closure push? public hearing ends on 4/24

JWP58 · Post by **JWP58** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:39 pm

South East WY. I've heard that they're probably going to be protected in the next few years...

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:47 pm

tommyboy72 wrote:I work at the sheriff's office where I live and one of our deputies recently passed all the requirements to become a falconer here in Oklahoma. He has a hawk, a red tail, I believe. He was allowed to trap it wild himself. Not sure about where you live but I believe here in Oklahoma it took the deputy about 2 years to qualify and pass the tests as well as apprentice before he could become licensed.

Tommyboy72, yes there are some species that can legally be trapped from the wild under federal regulations and used in falconry when you are a federally licensed falconer,

Red tailed hawks are one of them, and as an Apprentice Licensed Falconer in most states you can only have a red tailed hawk or an American kestrel( you are allowed only 1 bird), those two birds are the most common raptors in North America. After the 2 years of Apprenticeship he will upgrade to a General License ( you are allowed to have 2 birds), in which case you can fly anything but a golden eagle, and after 5 years of General he can upgrade to a Master Licensed Falconer, in which case you can fly 3 birds (under the new federal regulations adopted by some states you can own 5 birds).

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:28 pm

Ron R wrote: I was also wondering what is done with them in the off season? Do you just keep them fed and lay them up or can you fly them without hunting.

I did do some research yesterday and found a few websites giving there birds kills. They all seem to state that they kill 100+ pheasants/60 roosters - 40 hens. I would not think that a person would be allowed to hunt pheasants with a falcon because it's not legal to kill hens and there is no calling a falcon off of one. It's all really cool but how do they excuse the laws and guidlines for falconers? I would not consider them wild birds for the simple reason that they live with humans and are being handled during the hunt by humans.

Thanks for your time .

Ron, on the off season in most cases they are free lofted, ( they are allowed to fly around in a large inclosure 12x12x12 or larger) that is the very best case and the least stressful for the bird. Some people do not have the luxury of large spaces, therefore they molt their birds tethered to a perch, and as long as they are not stressed that method could be ok too.
When birds are in the process of growing new feathers, ( feathers grow in a straw like clear tubing that is full of blood nourishing the fast growing feather) if they are stressed during that time, it can cause what is knows as fretting, these are stress marks across the shaft and fibers of the feather that cause weak points, later on in the season these weak points may cause feathers to break and in extreme cases put the bird in a great disadvantage performance wise.

As far as game bags and limits go;

The raptor has a mind of its own, so you can not reason with the sex of the game your bird is going to kill. Therefore pheasants are either sex for falconers, but the bag limit is smaller. Same applies to waterfowl, in most states you can take 5-7 ducks, but no more than 2 hen mallards, I canvasback, etc...(gun hunting) but the falconers bag limit is 2 ducks per day
plus your success rate is not as great as gun hunting, so the overall footprint is much lesser on game.

I do not consider my falcons pets, they are wild hunting companions, besides in the field, I do not handle, touch or pet these birds, they have learnt to tolerate human and canine companionship, for it provides opportunities for them to catch game and feed themselves.
Any of these birds when fed a full crop, can simply choose to ignore me and fly wherever they want.

BTW, They are also equipped with transmitters (2 per bird) and I can track them if I loose them.

Ron R · Post by **Ron R** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:49 am

longwingger wrote:The raptor has a mind of its own, so you can not reason with the sex of the game your bird is going to kill.

I completely understand that and touched on it. Ofcoarse they are, the same as a birddog is going to point hens.

longwingger wrote:Therefore pheasants are either sex for falconers, but the bag limit is smaller.

Thanks, that answers my question. Not so sure that I agree with it.

longwingger wrote:they have learnt to tolerate human and canine companionship, for it provides opportunities for them to catch game and feed themselves.
Any of these birds when fed a full crop, can simply choose to ignore me and fly wherever they want.

That's interesting, so thay are not so much trained but moreso conditioned to associate you with the taking of quary and tolerate you for that alone. It must be pretty cool when they fly back to you. Is there many cases that you know of when the bird don't ever come back?

JuliaH · Post by **JuliaH** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:03 am

WOW!!! My neighbor is a falconer and he has hunted with his birds for years, having given up the guns and bows and stuff... I don't have a picture of Delta in flight but I do have this....

I think she is a Harris hawk. I know she is not a redtail... and she is beautiful!

longwingger wrote:Just wanted to share a few pictures from my 2011 season. For those of you who have resurrected from the old scattergun or fowler, here is a new challenge.

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:00 pm

Thank you for sharing those images Julia, that bird is an immature Harris' Hawk. Very capable and versatile hunters. I own one too...

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:16 pm

Traveling light!

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:18 pm

Sage grouse

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:18 pm

Boomer

longwingger · Post by **longwingger** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:20 pm

misery loves company!