FALCONRY

[Some Wonderful Person]

These newsgroups have clearly been abandoned. I am a pre-apprentice falconer
in Illinois. I am looking to get these newsgroups discussing falconry once
again.

[cn...@charter.net]

I check this group from time to time to read but since I am new as well I
don't feel that I have a lot to add!

What topic did you want to start with? When are you taking the test? Do
you have a sponsor? Fall is closing in fast - of course then again the
trapping season for Red-Tails is Sept 25 to December 31 in Texas and a lot
of prey is open season most of the year (i.e., rabbits, squirrels, track
rabbits (OK rats))

I'm in the design stage for my mews construction. I have a neighbor helping
me (he has some carpentry skills and tools which I sorely lack) but the
options seem endless. I want a wire or chain link enclosure that I can add
and remove panels from to make it convertable from a weathering yard to a
free loft mews. In Texas, a covered/shaded weathering area is what is
really needed most of the time but I want it to be a free loft mews in late
Winter to early Spring.

I sent a letter to my neighborhood assocoation to see if there were any
hoops I have to jump through for this but received no response -- hmmmm

Oh well, I'll keep you posted, I'll probably be starting this weekend once
the drawings are complete. I plan to trap a Passage Red-Tail using a pigeon
harness trap.

Regards,

Jeff

Some Wonderful Person <ya...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:MFC89.180272$UU1.32696@sccrnsc03...

[Some Wonderful Person]

> What topic did you want to start with? When are you
> taking the test?

I just finished a 25 hour course in central Illinois, and need to buy one of
the Falconing books. Then after some study I might be ready. The avian
diseases, they always throw me!

> Do you have a sponsor?

Well, I do if I want to travel 1.5 hours one-way! Bernie and George are
looking for a closer sponser for me. I'll probably just go to a lot of their
social functions until I find one that is closer.

> Fall is closing in fast - of course then again the
> trapping season for Red-Tails is Sept 25 to December > 31 in Texas and a
lot
> of prey is open season most of the year (i.e., rabbits,
> squirrels, track
> rabbits (OK rats))

We've got an abundance of redtails and rabbits, so when it is time I will
have a target-rich environment.

> I'm in the design stage for my mews construction.

When you respond back, and I have more time, I have an amazing story to tell
about the mew. ;^)

[bernirichter]

Hey, is this you, LM?

> I just finished a 25 hour course in central Illinois, and need to buy one of
> the Falconing books. Then after some study I might be ready. The avian
> diseases, they always throw me!

.....Email me (privately) your fax number. I'll send you the outline
for the Intro class you missed. I prefer Western Sporting Goods
myself. See their web site. Buy "North American Falconry and Hunting
Hawks" (Beebe/Webster) and "Understanding Birds of Prey" (Nick Fox).
Check the disease spread sheet handed out during our Medical
Management class. Study the big three - Asper, Coccidiosis, and
Frounce. These are on our state test (it's an old test). But the other
diseases and conditions are just as important to know too.

> Well, I do if I want to travel 1.5 hours one-way! ----- are

> looking for a closer sponser for me. I'll probably just go to a lot of their
> social functions until I find one that is closer.

.....For the wanna-bes here in the US: One finds a sponsor by joining
the state falconry club (phone your state's wildlife department for
contact info), attending meetings and functions, hanging out with the
falconers long enough for them to know that you're serious about
pursuing the sport, and asking for sponsorship. No one hooks up
wanna-bes with sponsors (Well, I don't, anyway.). Don't want anyone
getting the wrong impression. Finding a sponsor is the wanna-be's
trial by fire, so to speak. Figure on at least a year or two preparing
for a falconry license. It won't happen overnight, so get crackin'!
Good luck, Some Wonderful Person (tee hee).
Berni

[Some Wonderful Person]

BERNI!!!!

Wow, imagine seeing you here!!

> Hey, is this you, LM?

Who else?? ;^)

> .....Email me (privately) your fax number. I'll send you
> the outline for the Intro class you missed. I prefer
> Western Sporting Goods myself. See their web site.
> Buy "North American Falconry and Hunting
> Hawks" (Beebe/Webster) and "Understanding Birds of
> Prey" (Nick Fox).

Excellent! Will do. Thanks for the book references!

> Check the disease spread sheet handed out during our
> Medical Management class. Study the big three -
> Asper, Coccidiosis, and Frounce. These are on our
> state test (it's an old test). But the other
> diseases and conditions are just as important to know
> too.

That spreadsheet was excellent. I need to commit that to memory.

> .....For the wanna-bes here in the US: One finds a
> sponsor by joining the state falconry club (phone your
> state's wildlife department for contact info), attending
> meetings and functions, hanging out with the falconers
> long enough for them to know that you're serious about
> pursuing the sport, and asking for sponsorship. No one
> hooks up wanna-bes with sponsors (Well, I don't,
> anyway.). Don't want anyone getting the wrong
> impression. Finding a sponsor is the wanna-be's
> trial by fire, so to speak. Figure on at least a year or
> two preparing for a falconry license. It won't happen
> overnight, so get crackin'!

I'm crackin'! ;^)

Thanks for all this advice, esp. about finding a sponser. I will absolutely
follow your guidance.

> Good luck, Some Wonderful Person (tee hee).

:o)

Great name, huh? Even if it is *so* untrue... ;^)

Let me know about your next function, if you will have me, I'd like to go.
Social function, hunting afield, whatever. Let me know and (barring serious
commitment conflict) I am there.