So You Want to Be A
Falconer?
Few people
thrilling to the magic of a trained hawk in flight realize what demands are
placed upon one who aspires to be a falconer. Even fewer would be willing to
make the sacrifices: stringent, long-term demands of time, effort, and
money.
The media
often sensationalize falconry, because the sport can be exciting to watch
and carries with it the intrigue of antiquity. But public media frequently
are inaccurate in their representation of what it takes to be a falconer.
Of all
sports in America, falconry is the only one that utilizes a trained wild
creature. Falcons, hawks, eagles, and owls are essential elements of our
wildlife. The competent falconer takes care to follow sound conservation
principles in the pursuit of the sport. Even though the federal government's
environmental assessment states falconry has "no impact" on wild raptor
populations, a careless, uninformed individual, attempting to satisfy a
passing fancy, can do great harm to one or more birds and cast the shadow of
discredit on the sport of falconry itself. Most falconers, therefore, before
they will agree to help anyone newly attracted to the sport, will require
evidence of a serious, committed interest in falconry.
If still
convinced that your interest is more than casual, you must also be prepared
to fulfill the additional requirements of becoming a falconer.
Time and
patience devoted solely to training and flying a hawk are among the most
important demands. The trained hawk requires a minimum amount of time every
day, 365 days a year. A bird in training requires substantially more time.
You must be
able to provide food, shelter, equipment, and travel as a falconer. Hawks
have very specific requirements for fresh, lean, raw meat. There are also
housing and equipment requirements, most of them mandated by law, that
require metal, leather, lumber, and the necessary tools. A library of
falconry-related books is not required, but most falconers spend
considerable amounts of money on books as a source of vital information and
enjoyment. You must be able to travel obtaining a hawk, visiting other
falconers, and the training and flying of a hawk will put many miles on a
vehicle.
You must
have permission to enter adequate and convenient locations in which to fly a
hawk. The short-winged hawks are best flown in the woodlots, hedgerows, and
briar patches that make up their natural habitat. The falcons, or
long-wings, require wide open expanses of land where they may be flown high
over the falconer. Areas that are gun-hunted may render an otherwise
suitable location unusable because of the potential threat to the hawk.
Because all
raptors are protected by federal and state laws, all potential falconers
must obtain necessary permits before getting a hawk or practicing falconry.
There are other requirements, too (such as rabbit and squirrel hunting
licenses, etc.). It is essential for newcomers to realize that the art and
practice of hawking may not be learned overnight, nor in a single lesson,
but only after hard work and essentially devoting one's life to the subject.
Still interested???
Contact Us.
(Excerpted
from the Membership Application of the North American Falconry Association)
