Falconry in my area?

[gijosh316]

Hi!

I live near Great Falls Montana and I've recently gotten quite interested in falconry. I'm looking for people in my area that are involved in the sport so I can get more information and if I decide its something I can commit to, hopefully point me to a sponsor.

Also, if anyone has any information to share as far as getting into falconry as a beginner, please share! I've read up on the regs on the FWP site and watched some YouTube videos but it seems like this is a less common sport in my area.

thanks,
-Josh

 

[Mike Islander]

Join the North American Falconers Association. They'll get you hooked up with a local master who can tell you everything you need to know.

North American Falconers Association

 

[rob86jeep]

I had a buddy that was really into it in FL and I went with him a few times hunting squirrels. What really surprised me though was how easy it was for him to catch new birds to train. Once he found one he wanted, the bird would be in the trap within a few minutes sometimes.

 

[Chase0109]

Hi Josh,

There are a handful of falconers in Montana, and a few around the Great Falls area. The Montana Falconers Association Summer Picnic is coming up later this month or early August. That would be your best chance at meeting local falconers in person and getting to know them. Picking a sponsor is pretty important as they will be your guide for the first 2 years and hopefully a life long friend after. Most falconers will want to meet you in person before considering a sponsorship.

North American Falconers Association (NAFA) is well worth joining if you want to pursue falconry. I have been a member since I started and I recommend all falconers join. They won't be able to help you with a sponsor, but a great resource overall.

Tips for getting started.
Read "North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks" by Frank Beebe and Harold Webster. Considered the original bible of North American falconry. Most of the state tests are based on the info in that book alone. If you feel you need more study help for the test pick up the "California Hawking Club Apprentice Study Guide". Any book on falconry will help with your education. Just don't get too bogged down with the more technical stuff. You will be trapping and hunting a red tail for your first bird. Mainly chasing rabbits.

Feel free to hit me up with any falconry questions. I benched my big game hunting to pursue falconry hardcore for the last 15 years. Now I'm finally making more time to chase big game in the fall again lol. Falconry season will pick up after that. PM me if you need more info about the MFA picnic coming up. I'll reach out to my falconry friends in Montana and get you some info.

Thanks,

Chase

 

[Phil McAvity]

Falconry should be outlawed in the US like it is in most of the rest of the world

 

[Mike Islander]

Falconry should be outlawed in the US like it is in most of the rest of the world

Wrong thread. Dick post. Go away. You aren't welcome here.

If you have a problem with this legal activity, address it with your legislature. You might as well have come on here and said meat eating should be outlawed.

 

[bobr1]

Falconry should be outlawed in the US like it is in most of the rest of the world

So misinformed......Falconry is the most regulated "sport" in the united states and has much more strict and enforced regulations than any other countries that allow it, which is still most of the world. The amount of paperwork, time and red tape to become a falconer in the united states keeps a lot of people out of it. Think there around 3,000 active falconers in the US back when I did it maybe 10 years ago. Doubt it has gone up since then. USFW takes credit for the peregrine and bald eagle recoveries after DDT, but it was the falconers that showed them how do to the breeding programs and how to access and trap birds for research. You put in the fact that 70-80% of all birds of prey die before their first year then you can understand that statistically speaking a wild trapped raptor will mostly likely had died and now has the opportunity to survive and become a better hunter before being released back into the wild. Most of the guys I went out with usually only kept a bird for 2-4 years then released them back to the wild.

Hi!

I live near Great Falls Montana and I've recently gotten quite interested in falconry. I'm looking for people in my area that are involved in the sport so I can get more information and if I decide its something I can commit to, hopefully point me to a sponsor.

Also, if anyone has any information to share as far as getting into falconry as a beginner, please share! I've read up on the regs on the FWP site and watched some YouTube videos but it seems like this is a less common sport in my area.

thanks,
-Josh

Chase pretty much laid it out for you. It is a HUGE!!! time commitment, its not like oh well seasons over time to put my guns up and go and wait for next season. It's basically year round feeding, watering and general health and well being, taking care of the bird. I don't know how anyone has time to do big game hunting unless they have done it for a while and have a bird they have had for a few seasons and are experts at time management. It complicates vacation and traveling, last I recalled you had to have a document between you and the person that would be taking taking care of the bird in your absence. You will be filling out daily weight and feeding logs and have inspections announced/unannounced usually from state some times the feds.


Western sporting publications carries a large selection of falconry specific books. You will need some books to study for the exam as it covers a huge scope of knowledge, avian medicine, bird identification etc...

I stopped doing it when I went into the military for obvious reasons. I do miss it but at this point honestly I'd rather just go with other falconers and hunt with them so I am not tied up. I spend a lot of time traveling around the state to hunt different big game and don't have the time to commit right now.

It's a big rabbit hole of a hobby just like anything, you can get really sucked into it and can spend a lot of money especially when you first start, building mews, weathering area, telemetry etc. But there is nothing more pure than training a wild animal to hunt with you....

 

[BroodBuster]

Falconry should be outlawed in the US like it is in most of the rest of the world

I’m pretty sure Falconry is still practiced in most of the world, especially the ME where it was invented.

I’d love to hear your reasoning for why it should be outlawed. You do realize once trained they can fly off at anytime??