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....
