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Pokemon Bird Trainer - Ready for Battle!!
So...Halloween. I was visiting korppi and she had a Halloween party. Her friend, a falconer, brought her Harris' Hawk. I was dressed in my Pokemon Birdtrainer outfit and...uh...this happened.
Pokemon Master for life :|
Pokemon Master for life :|
Category Photography / Pokemon
Species Hawk
Size 640 x 889px
File Size 74.4 kB
TONS of research, taking testing, finding a Master falconer willing to take you on as an apprentice, and years of work to get to the point where you finally get to actually have a bird of your own. If you can catch one. And afford the expense of getting set up. (licensing, building a proper pen and having the space for it, making sure you are legally allowed to house raptors in your area, etc etc.)
There's like, a zillion things to do before you ever get the chance to actually get a bird, but most states set it up that way to protect the birds, and ensure those going into it actually understand the work involved, and will care for the bird properly. As opposed to those who go "OMG falconry, cool! And get bored with it 6 months later because they discover how much work is involved. Similar to those who buy bunnies right before easter, and then realize that baby bunnies grow up, and still need to be taken care of.
That said, falconry is, when done properly, a great way to help wild raptor populations, as you are providing a young bird with a safe place and regular food while it grows into adulthood, raising it's chances of survival. I'd check out your state laws regarding falconry if you are legitimately interested...each state can do things slightly differently. CT fpr example, Apprentice falconers have to start with red tailed hawks as our first bird. Which I'm told are somewhat harder to handle than smaller, more mellow raptors? (Correct me if I'm mucking it up Bren!)
There's like, a zillion things to do before you ever get the chance to actually get a bird, but most states set it up that way to protect the birds, and ensure those going into it actually understand the work involved, and will care for the bird properly. As opposed to those who go "OMG falconry, cool! And get bored with it 6 months later because they discover how much work is involved. Similar to those who buy bunnies right before easter, and then realize that baby bunnies grow up, and still need to be taken care of.
That said, falconry is, when done properly, a great way to help wild raptor populations, as you are providing a young bird with a safe place and regular food while it grows into adulthood, raising it's chances of survival. I'd check out your state laws regarding falconry if you are legitimately interested...each state can do things slightly differently. CT fpr example, Apprentice falconers have to start with red tailed hawks as our first bird. Which I'm told are somewhat harder to handle than smaller, more mellow raptors? (Correct me if I'm mucking it up Bren!)
Start up is a bit less complicated than that, to be honest. The process goes roughly as follows:
-Request a study packet from your state.
-Find a sponsor. This can be a general falconer (does not have to be a master) and your study packet usually comes with a list of falconers, and their contact information, in the state. You can also contact your state falconry club (if your state has one) and they are usually happy to pair you with a sponsor.
-Take your exam after studying from your packet. I also recommend reading "The Falconer's Apprentice" and trying to get involved with other falconers (go on hunts with them, ask to see their facilities, etc.).
-Once you get your exam results you get your mew, the 8'x8'x8' room you build for your bird (regulations and specifications for how it is to be constructed, and what kind of equipment you need will be in your study packet.)
-Once your mew passes inspection you apply for your state license. Note that this requires a small game hunting license, and hunting licenses require a hunter's ed course if you haven't previously taken one. I recommend getting on top of hunter's ed BEFORE the fall.
-Once you get your state license you apply for your federal license.
-Once you get your federal license you apply for your trapping permit.
-Once you get your trapping permit you can go out and trap your first bird. In most states your first bird is either a red-tail or a kestrel. (I think in Alaska you can start out with goshawks as well (?) maybe. (Which I wouldn't recommend, they are crazy-pants and need an experienced falconer to work with them.) If you have little to no experience with raptors, do a red-tail, not a kestrel. They are great general birds and excellent first birds for beginners. They are very forgiving. Kestrels have a more likely chance of dying in the care of a beginner who has little experience with raptors or experience getting a hunting raptor down to the appropriate weight. Another note is that your first bird must be a "passage" bird, which means that it hasn't fully lived it's first year of life. It's illegal to trap adult birds!
-Once your bird is trapped (and yes, you get your first bird the first year you are an apprentice, there is no waiting for years ;>), you begin training it. Hunting season is the winter for falconers.
-Come spring you can choose to release your bird back in to the wild, or, if it's incredible, you can "inter-mew it" (i.e. keep it to the next hunting season). Whether or not you keep or release your bird the first year is a decision you and your sponsor make based on your circumstances and progress.
-After a minimum of 2 years with an apprentice license and 12 months of a bird on your license you can apply for your upgrade to a general falconer. At this point you can have two birds on your permit and get just about anything except eagles. (Being able to hunt with native eagles varies by state!)
-After 5 more years (at least 7 total) along with letters of recommendation from other master falconers, and a committee decision, you can become a master falconer. A master can have as many birds as they want and can apply to work with native eagles. (Native eagles take another step of letters of recommendation and proof that you've worked with them in the past.)
And to give you some numbers:
-Approximate start up costs are around $1500 dollars (including the mew). This can be cheaper if you have an existing structure you can modify in to your mew. Also a lot of falconers give hand-me-downs and gifts to apprentices, especially good apprentices.
-To give you a timeline, my husband and I got our study packets mid-September this year (2012) and will likely be trapping our red-tail mid-December (2012) or the beginning of January (2013) this same year! This is not a terribly long process to get and train your first bird if you are dedicated to the pursuit and organize everything well. We've been hunting with our friends and they've offered us great hands-on experiences with their birds (learning to cope beaks and talons, imp feathers, train, etc.) and advice.
A great website for initial research: http://www.themodernapprentice.com/
I also recommend these books:
-The Falconer's Apprentice by Oakes
-Falconry and Hawking by Glasier
-North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks by Beebe and Webster (if you can find an affordable copy, it's quite expensive!)
If you have any further questions, please let me know! It's a great sport. Though one last note, if someone is interested in just raptors, but not the hunting part, don't become a falconer! Volunteer at a raptor rescue instead and help those organizations and disabled birds. Falconry is hunting with a bird, NOT keeping a pet! These birds are not pets! And, in my opinion (and most falconers' opinions) it's not ethical to take a bird of prey out of the wild, or to own a bird of prey, and not let it hunt and express natural behaviors. "Pet keeping" is a great way to get other falconers to look down upon you!
And finally, to answer EssPhox's question about "where do you live that he was able to take the hawk wherever he pleases?"
-Taking the bird places is legal (except, of course, where any animal is restricted such as zoos, restaurants, grocery stores, etc), as you have the permits for the bird. Additionally taking a falconry bird lots of places is very good for their "manning", which basically means getting them used to a lot of stimuli (dogs, people, new situations, new animals) etc. This is all done under controlled conditions (Rogue, the bird photographed is/was very well-behaved and manned at that point).
Again, hope this is all of help to anyone interested in falconry!
-Request a study packet from your state.
-Find a sponsor. This can be a general falconer (does not have to be a master) and your study packet usually comes with a list of falconers, and their contact information, in the state. You can also contact your state falconry club (if your state has one) and they are usually happy to pair you with a sponsor.
-Take your exam after studying from your packet. I also recommend reading "The Falconer's Apprentice" and trying to get involved with other falconers (go on hunts with them, ask to see their facilities, etc.).
-Once you get your exam results you get your mew, the 8'x8'x8' room you build for your bird (regulations and specifications for how it is to be constructed, and what kind of equipment you need will be in your study packet.)
-Once your mew passes inspection you apply for your state license. Note that this requires a small game hunting license, and hunting licenses require a hunter's ed course if you haven't previously taken one. I recommend getting on top of hunter's ed BEFORE the fall.
-Once you get your state license you apply for your federal license.
-Once you get your federal license you apply for your trapping permit.
-Once you get your trapping permit you can go out and trap your first bird. In most states your first bird is either a red-tail or a kestrel. (I think in Alaska you can start out with goshawks as well (?) maybe. (Which I wouldn't recommend, they are crazy-pants and need an experienced falconer to work with them.) If you have little to no experience with raptors, do a red-tail, not a kestrel. They are great general birds and excellent first birds for beginners. They are very forgiving. Kestrels have a more likely chance of dying in the care of a beginner who has little experience with raptors or experience getting a hunting raptor down to the appropriate weight. Another note is that your first bird must be a "passage" bird, which means that it hasn't fully lived it's first year of life. It's illegal to trap adult birds!
-Once your bird is trapped (and yes, you get your first bird the first year you are an apprentice, there is no waiting for years ;>), you begin training it. Hunting season is the winter for falconers.
-Come spring you can choose to release your bird back in to the wild, or, if it's incredible, you can "inter-mew it" (i.e. keep it to the next hunting season). Whether or not you keep or release your bird the first year is a decision you and your sponsor make based on your circumstances and progress.
-After a minimum of 2 years with an apprentice license and 12 months of a bird on your license you can apply for your upgrade to a general falconer. At this point you can have two birds on your permit and get just about anything except eagles. (Being able to hunt with native eagles varies by state!)
-After 5 more years (at least 7 total) along with letters of recommendation from other master falconers, and a committee decision, you can become a master falconer. A master can have as many birds as they want and can apply to work with native eagles. (Native eagles take another step of letters of recommendation and proof that you've worked with them in the past.)
And to give you some numbers:
-Approximate start up costs are around $1500 dollars (including the mew). This can be cheaper if you have an existing structure you can modify in to your mew. Also a lot of falconers give hand-me-downs and gifts to apprentices, especially good apprentices.
-To give you a timeline, my husband and I got our study packets mid-September this year (2012) and will likely be trapping our red-tail mid-December (2012) or the beginning of January (2013) this same year! This is not a terribly long process to get and train your first bird if you are dedicated to the pursuit and organize everything well. We've been hunting with our friends and they've offered us great hands-on experiences with their birds (learning to cope beaks and talons, imp feathers, train, etc.) and advice.
A great website for initial research: http://www.themodernapprentice.com/
I also recommend these books:
-The Falconer's Apprentice by Oakes
-Falconry and Hawking by Glasier
-North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks by Beebe and Webster (if you can find an affordable copy, it's quite expensive!)
If you have any further questions, please let me know! It's a great sport. Though one last note, if someone is interested in just raptors, but not the hunting part, don't become a falconer! Volunteer at a raptor rescue instead and help those organizations and disabled birds. Falconry is hunting with a bird, NOT keeping a pet! These birds are not pets! And, in my opinion (and most falconers' opinions) it's not ethical to take a bird of prey out of the wild, or to own a bird of prey, and not let it hunt and express natural behaviors. "Pet keeping" is a great way to get other falconers to look down upon you!
And finally, to answer EssPhox's question about "where do you live that he was able to take the hawk wherever he pleases?"
-Taking the bird places is legal (except, of course, where any animal is restricted such as zoos, restaurants, grocery stores, etc), as you have the permits for the bird. Additionally taking a falconry bird lots of places is very good for their "manning", which basically means getting them used to a lot of stimuli (dogs, people, new situations, new animals) etc. This is all done under controlled conditions (Rogue, the bird photographed is/was very well-behaved and manned at that point).
Again, hope this is all of help to anyone interested in falconry!
wow! thank you So much! and yes im interested in Hunting with the raptors not keeping it as a pet! I am Thrilled that im able to release the bird after hunting season. That is really remarkable! Does all the training that goes into it (like teaching the bird to come back to you) have an effect on the bird after its back in the wild? Like losing its fear of humans and what not? I am very grateful for all the information you have provided and I will be looking into the laws for here in my state! thank you very much!! :D I've found a new sport to enjoy!
Generally the types of training practices you use make the bird less dependent on you for food. You make them work for it, a majority of the time, so they don't necessarily see humans as "free food" and become dangerous, like other wild animals can. It really comes down to proper training, and with birds of prey, they revert back to "feral - OMG HUMANS ARE EVIL!" pretty quick, especially if they breed!
...I am speechless. This is the most concise information I have ever seen on how to get into falconry. I have been wanting to get involved in this sport for so long and kept feeling like it was so out of reach for me. Thank you so much for sharing all of this information and research material. I hope one day to start my venture into falconry soon!!
Just in case it doesn't notify you of my reply to Hopeful_Monster_Studios: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/930...../#cid:62965040
Oh, I love rapine birds. Hawks mostly. ¦3 Unfortunately is very hard to get to be a falconer on Brazil. >: I keep having fun watching a Peregrine Falcon that lives near my house, and just that. I envy you for having the oportunity to hold one falcon so close.
Also, it was a realy nice shot. =D Some would say it could be a generic Pidgeon.
Also, it was a realy nice shot. =D Some would say it could be a generic Pidgeon.
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