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Falconry
#6403852
08/11/16 07:34 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,606
Chunky Monkey
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Do we have any THF'ers that do falconry?
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6404737
08/12/16 01:07 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506 |
There are a few members that do falconry. There have been some videos of their duck hunts posted in the past.
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6404753
08/12/16 01:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506 |
UTAhunter is one member that has posted some falconry hunting videos
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6405249
08/12/16 04:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,606
Chunky Monkey
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What all does it take to get started in falconry? I would image that it takes a lot of time with your bird.
I heard that you also have to catch your own bird. Is there any truth to that?
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6405417
08/12/16 06:37 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 517
yanta61
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 517 |
Have to find a mentor and mentor under them for 2 years. Also have to pass a test on general knowledge of falconry. Then if you pass you have to build a mew(housing) for the birds and have the gamewarden come out and inspect it.
During your apprenticeship you have to have a wild caught bird for 2 years before you can upgrade to general class.
Yes it takes up a lot of time at first but gets better once the bird is trained. Depending on what you want to hunt you may have to keep a bird year round. I like to fly Harris hawks on rabbits. I trap one sometime between Sept-Nov, train it and hunt with in until it gets hot again. I then turn them loose and start all over the next Sept.
You really need to get out with a falconer before making up your mind on whether you want to do it or not.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6405500
08/12/16 07:20 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,796
dogcatcher
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,796 |
Combat Infantryman, the ultimate hunter where the prey shoots back. _____________"Illegitimus non carborundum est"_______________
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6405512
08/12/16 07:32 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 65,526
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
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I'd just like to go out with one sometime to watch them hunt.....be amazing to see in person...
We had a pair of Harris hawks raise a pair of young near the house this year. We have a deer feeder and 7 bird feeders in the back yard.....lots of squirrels and birds for the young hawks to hunt (along with mam and dad). Actually saw them catch a couple of squirrels on the ground and a ring-necked dove out of the air.....very kool!
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
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Re: Falconry
[Re: yanta61]
#6405603
08/12/16 08:11 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,606
Chunky Monkey
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Have to find a mentor and mentor under them for 2 years. Also have to pass a test on general knowledge of falconry. Then if you pass you have to build a mew(housing) for the birds and have the gamewarden come out and inspect it.
During your apprenticeship you have to have a wild caught bird for 2 years before you can upgrade to general class.
Yes it takes up a lot of time at first but gets better once the bird is trained. Depending on what you want to hunt you may have to keep a bird year round. I like to fly Harris hawks on rabbits. I trap one sometime between Sept-Nov, train it and hunt with in until it gets hot again. I then turn them loose and start all over the next Sept.
You really need to get out with a falconer before making up your mind on whether you want to do it or not.
Really good stuff. Just a few more questions: What is your classification? How long have you been doing it? Is there a list of falconers? Can you use redtail hawks?
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6405665
08/12/16 08:43 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 517
yanta61
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 517 |
General class just because i haven't upgraded to masters yet, But will once my current permit expires.
I started in 2007 Texas hawking association has a list of all members and all other info needed.
Yes, Redtails are one of the better birds for apprentices. I've flown 2 of them.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6406198
08/13/16 03:53 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 97
Sader762
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 97 |
My daughter (14) and I are both Falconers in the Tyler area. Always willing to take someone out with us when we are hunting, usually between Nov and March. I'm entering my second year as an apprentice, last year took up so much of my time I didn't really get to deer hunt. But, it's very cool!
Last edited by Sader762; 08/13/16 04:32 AM.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6406317
08/13/16 11:48 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,825
poisonivie
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,825 |
Pee on Photobucket
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6406495
08/13/16 03:30 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,606
Chunky Monkey
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I agree that is very cool. I would love to join you and see how it is done.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6406498
08/13/16 03:32 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,606
Chunky Monkey
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Forgive me for my lack of knowledge but what kind of birds are you holding there?
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6406678
08/13/16 06:37 PM
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 352
cblackall
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 352 |
I can't imagine the amount of time and dedication that would take. It's impressive to say the least. From the outside looking in, it's like a secret society shrouded in mystery. It would be awesome to see a hunt in person. Beautiful birds Sader
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Sader762]
#6407379
08/14/16 12:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,652
Pitchfork Predator
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My daughter (14) and I are both Falconers in the Tyler area. Always willing to take someone out with us when we are hunting, usually between Nov and March. I'm entering my second year as an apprentice, last year took up so much of my time I didn't really get to deer hunt. But, it's very cool! Looks like a great experience to share with your daughter. Very cool.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Pitchfork Predator]
#6407413
08/14/16 01:34 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806
Deerhunter61
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806 |
My daughter (14) and I are both Falconers in the Tyler area. Always willing to take someone out with us when we are hunting, usually between Nov and March. I'm entering my second year as an apprentice, last year took up so much of my time I didn't really get to deer hunt. But, it's very cool! Looks like a great experience to share with your daughter. Very cool. very cool!
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6407520
08/14/16 03:38 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 97
Sader762
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 97 |
Anyone who would like to learn more ore even meet up for a hunt or to talk about falconry send me a PM and I'll be happy to give you my number.
The birds we are holding are both Red-Tailed Hawks. Then one my daughter has is a 3 year old bird with its red tail. The one I'm holding is about 6 months old, a juvenile bird, and does not have a red tail yet. That comes after the first year molt.
Typical most apprentice Falconers trap, train, and hunt with a Red-Tailed hawk. They are great birds to learn on and will hunt great, typically rabbits and squirrels.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6407631
08/14/16 05:19 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 2,265
maximus_flavius
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 2,265 |
I'll be plowing a field next weekend that is covered with big rats. If anyone with a bird wants to bring them out, let me know. I used to see a dozen or more hawks gather when I plowed, but hadn't seen as many last year. I'd love to watch some birds in action.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6412240
08/17/16 02:32 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292
Duckhawker
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292 |
Someone mentioned me? Glad to see some other falconers on here. Here's a couple photos of my wife and her two Harris's hawks. They fly together as a cast, mostly on rabbits. These birds catch anything that moves though. Quail, frogs, snakes, armadillos, rats, sparrows, squirrels, etc. Some things are obviously much harder to catch than others and we are targeting rabbits. All that other stuff is bycatch and we try to release it, which is sometimes possible. I fly falcons on ducks. Currently I'm working on a long term project in getting this prairie falcon to think ducks are food. We'll get there, but it's a process with them.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Sader762]
#6413227
08/18/16 12:23 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,318
Slimpickin
Pro Tracker
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Sader762 you've probably rubbed elbows with my Cousin Danny Pickens. He lives in the Tyler area and hunts with Falcons!
Last edited by Slimpickin; 08/18/16 12:23 AM.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Slimpickin]
#6413645
08/18/16 03:26 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 97
Sader762
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 97 |
Sader762 you've probably rubbed elbows with my Cousin Danny Pickens. He lives in the Tyler area and hunts with Falcons! Danny and I are very good friends. He is technically my "Grandsponsor". He sponsored my sponsor many years ago and we frequently talk and hunt together during the falconry season. I also know UTAhunter, I meet him at the last THA annual meet. The falconry community is pretty small.
Last edited by Sader762; 08/18/16 03:27 AM.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: Chunky Monkey]
#6413720
08/18/16 05:05 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,031
skinnerback
THF Celebrity Chef
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THF Celebrity Chef
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,031 |
Been amazed at falconry since I was a boy, just never took the plunge. Great pics. Lots of offshore platforms I've worked on end up being home to families of Peregrine Falcons. They are truly amazing to watch hunt. All kinds of different birds circle and attempt to land on the platform, and they are almost always worn smooth out. Easy pickings for the falcons. They work in teams. Team of birds down low corral them, steer them easy like...then another team starts dive bombing from high above, then the others join in and help the dive bombers take down the bigger birds. Like a pride of lions, they work together. Awesome to watch. Everything from dove, ducks, and even cow birds were game. They didn't have much luck with pelicans or cranes though, just too big. They would hit them and take them to the water, but couldn't lift them. One of my favorite things to do was to go to where they nested on the rig and see what kind of birds they had caught when I wasn't looking. They would kill so many birds especially dove & ducks that they couldn't eat at that time, so they would stuff them in various places in the structure. Very cool birds.
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Re: Falconry
[Re: cblackall]
#6414035
08/18/16 02:24 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292
Duckhawker
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292 |
I can't imagine the amount of time and dedication that would take. It's impressive to say the least. From the outside looking in, it's like a secret society shrouded in mystery. It would be awesome to see a hunt in person. Beautiful birds Sader It's not quite a secret society, but most of us know each other. There's approximately 220 licensed falconers in Texas, of which there are about 120 to 140 actually flying a bird of some sort (active). Nationally, there are about 3000 falconers, with approximately half flying a bird. If you're a loner, it's possible to not really have much contact with other falconers, but if you're active on social media, go to falconry related events even some of the time, or hang out with local falconers, it's pretty easy to meet most active folks. California has the most falconers as a state. Per capita it's Sheridan, Wyoming. DFW has the most falconers of any metropolitan area in the country.
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