Falconry is an apprenticeship you have to go thru in order to get your lisense. You have to know a general falconer that is willing to take you on as an apprentice. Then you have to pass a test adminerstered by the your State. After passing that you have to buy all the equipment needed for your bird and have to build the facility to house them (called a mews). All the equipment has to be inspected by the DEC and once you pass your inspection then you can apply for your apprentice permit. Once you get that back from the state then you have to send all the paper work into the feds to get a federal lisense. It's a lot of paperwork to get into it originally but after the first year it's not bad at all. So once you get your permits then you need to get a capture authorization form from the state. Once you get that you are all set to trap a wild bird. The trapping season is from September 1'st thru Jan 25 here in NY. You can only keep a redtail or a Kestral while you are an apprentice. And you can only keep juvenile birds - one that was born that year. If you trap a mature one you have to let it go. It's easy to tell a juvy redtail because they don't have their red tail yet. They don't get them until after their first moult. After trapping one it takes 3 to 4 weeks of training them to get them on a creance line until they are ready to free fly. Once you are feee flying them it's game on! You just take em out to some good rabbit cover and beat the brush trying to flush rabbits and they take right off and crash into the brush after them. It's actually pretty amazing. I got some videos on Youtube. Search for Dave Larnerd and once you see my name click on it and it should bring up all the videos I have posted on there. The first couple you catch you should let them crop right up on the game. That way they don't associate you taking food away from them. After they are comfortable with you being there while they are eating game - you just trade them off onto your lure. They will step right off the rabbit onto the lure. You can then put the rabbit in your game bag. I could keep the bird forever if I wanted to but usually falconers let them go back to the wild after hunting with them all winter. I released my 1'st two birds in the spring. This one I kept her over the summer and am hunting her again this fall and winter. They say they are even better in their 2'nd year. Hope that answers some of your questions. Here's a couple vids from last year... Some clips from hunting with my redtail hawk this year. - YouTube My Redtail Hawk crashing after some game. - YouTube Another successful rabbit hunt with my redtail hawk. - YouTube Hunting with my redtail hawk for rabbits. - YouTube
I'm glad you have the time & dedication for it, Dave! It's something most of us, because of our chosen lifestyles, can't commit to! Grats on your choices in life!
Outstanding Dave! Does Moka like squirrels??? I know where there are a bunch - and I'd like 'em all DEAD!!!!!
She does like them - we caught 4 last year. The problem with them is if she doesn't get them right by the head the dang things will bite her feet pretty bad. I try not to hunt them, but if she sees one she's gonna go after it for sure.
