Help
TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 19 October 2018 - 01:08 PM, said:
paran falcon, on 19 October 2018 - 12:57 PM, said:
That rings a bell so I must have asked you previously. I'm jealous. Been obsessed with birds of prey since a book I read at the age of about 11. Joined a falconry club in New Jersey, back when I lived there, just to have an excuse to be around them close up. Unfortunately, becoming an actual falconer is one of those "If I were to ever hit the lottery" dreams. The good thing about mild winters in Florida, though, is that plenty of hawks, falcons and eagles stop here for migration. I expect to see the first of many American kestrels any day now.
You have to do an apprenticeship over there don't you, if I recall correctly? I know it's a much more regulated thing than it is over here. American kestrels are beautiful - so I'm jealous in turn
Yes, you have to start as an apprentice with an established falconer for a sponsor and in most places that I know of your first bird can only be an American kestrel or a red tailed hawk. Although, I believe I read that Montana is close to making prairie falcons allowable for apprentices there! Then there is a journeyman period and eventually, master falconer. The sport is pretty heavily regulated by all accounts. Surely not just anyone can go out and get a bird and practice it there? There is some amount of licensing and hoops to jump through?
