Thinking about it! [Archive] - International Falconry Forum (IFF)

Drizzle3

29-01-2006, 10:25 PM

So i will not have to answer these questions later. I am a 15 year old male from Minnesota in the U.S. Have been thinking about getting into falconry for quite a few years. Ive read all books at my library concerning it. Been surfing the web, thats how i found this place. If i do start out with a bird its either a red tailed hawk or a american kestrel. those are the two birds recomended and i belive only ones allowed to apprentice falconers because of wide distribution and such. i plan on contacting DNR for packet on laws clubs and other info pertaning to falconry. am purchasing all required tools before i even think about a bird. want to start building mews. then i will save up for another year after all this is done. when i have enough money to support my birds food i will contact my sponser (if i get one)about birds and any other info. get a bird. and then from there man it.

if that was hard to read im sorry i did not feel like making complete sentences and the such. my apologies.

any comments plz go right ahead.

This seems like a wonderful place to gain knowledge and im glad to be here! Thx.

Drizzle3

NGuruve

29-01-2006, 10:44 PM

well im new to falconry too and must say im glad you are going about this so patiently.well done man and i hope you have a great time as im sure i will.

go for the red tail hehe

Barbary Boy

29-01-2006, 10:49 PM

hello mate, i started with a european kestrel a couple of years ago and did allright, good luck to you little fella and ask away. were ok with genuine lads like your self.

GregMik

29-01-2006, 11:44 PM

Hey Drizzle,
Tasha and I are from MN. I would suggest contacting the Minnesota Falconers Association. Sound like you have it mostly figured. If you want some more info PM me.

Greg

Drizzle3

29-01-2006, 11:51 PM

may i ask where about in minnesota? im form southeastern near rochester.
ya i read till 3 in the morning last night a book called Discovering Falconry by Sam R. Rowley it was a very usefull book and it focused on the red tail and the kestral.

Harrisii

30-01-2006, 09:12 AM

GregMik

30-01-2006, 02:29 PM

welcome to the forum and its refreshing to see such enlightened thinking on ther beginners part. for such a young fella you seem to have things worked out and its great you are going about it in the right way by readin loads before approaching people. you will know what they are talking about when the falconry words start flying about. well, maybe keep up.
i am sure you will do well. good luck and best wishes,. H.

Harisii,
I know you are in the UK so I will let ya know something. The test over here that all apprentices have to take was written back in the early 70's. The book that it is written fron is North American Falconery and Hunting Hawks. Altho it is a good book, it had alot of outdated info in it. With the 8th edition it has been updated. If he starts reading newer books before he takes the test he will not do well, as he will be confused about the answers. I have been chattin with the lad on MSIM and have gotten him going in the right direction.

I am workin on getting the State to rewrite the test.....But you know how slow a Gov't works.

Greg

Iamtheweasel

30-01-2006, 03:11 PM

.....But you know how slow a Gov't works.

Greg
....amen......

JayHawk

01-02-2006, 07:10 AM

drizzle well done on your route to a bird i did it the same as you when i started out its well worth taking your time you will see the results yourself.......sound like you have a bit of a mentor in gregmik already (well done gregmik)

best of luck wiyh the test when it comes around (were lucky over here)

jayhawk

Drizzle3

17-02-2006, 05:45 PM

Thx for the responses guys! My library has to order that American Falconry and North American Hunting Hawks from out of state. it will be a while before i get it. Anyways how was that meet in Iowa Greg sry i couldnt make it. there is some restrictions for a 15 year old kid if u remember back to when u were that young. Well ill check up later im in history class right now. later everyone!

GregMik

17-02-2006, 05:50 PM

Gwaihir

17-02-2006, 05:55 PM

Good lad!

Putting PC's to good use in history:supz:

(Only joking)

John M

UKJay's Nursey

17-02-2006, 07:11 PM

hello and welcome Drizzle

Hawkmaster

17-02-2006, 07:52 PM

Welcome to the site and hope we can assist you in realising your dreams and aspirations?

Paul

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 12:34 AM

Good lad!

Putting PC's to good use in history:supz:

(Only joking)

John M

been a while since i checked this thread but....hey when u finish an assignment in history class there is only two things to do.

1) surf the net
2) chat with girls
guess there is 3
3)surf the net and chat with girls at same time.(this what i was doin)

im sure girls wont help my money problem though. only make it worse ey!!

turns out 3 weeks passed the library said they never placed a order foe my book Greg so......isnt my fault they dont know how to keep files. ill go back and do it again when i feel like going thru the whole process again.

workin up the money summers comming and......everyday.......i get to bag ppls food items! wOOt! wish me luck all!

GregMik

30-05-2006, 01:08 AM

Did you get the e-mail about the apprentice meeting next month?

Greg

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 01:10 AM

no i didnt. and greg u are a forum rat!! hehehe!! now i know why ur on msn all day!

GregMik

30-05-2006, 01:13 AM

Hi All-
Most of you have received this email already, but I wanted to resend to those that would most benefit from this meeting.

MFA Apprentice Workshop Meeting. Sat 6/3/06
The first Apprentice Workshop Meeting will be Saturday June 3, from 12:00 (Noon) till ~6pm .
We will be meeting at Heather Gast's house in Brook Park (near Mora). The address is:
2657 Rainbow St
Brook Park, MN 55007
320.679.2568 or 651.491.4445

(NOTE: It is way North of the Twin Cities, so give yourself plenty of time to get there.)

Although the meeting is for apprentice and pre-apprentice falconers, we welcome all levels of falconers to attend. We rely on an open discussion format for these workshops and your input/experience is needed.
The topics we plan on covering are Mews and Weathering Areas, Falconry Equipment, and Diet, Nutrition and Diseases. If you know of someone that is not a member that might be interested in attending, please contact Grant Anderson at ganderson@craworld.com (ganderson@craworld.com) or 763.413.7236. Food and pop will be provided.

**Current falconers should bring photos of your mews/weathering as well as examples of your falconry equipment.

Hope to see you there!

Grant Anderson
MFA President
ganderson@craworld.com
763.413.7236
(communication is much easier if you are an MFA member, if you're interested in becoming a MFA member let me know)

GregMik

30-05-2006, 01:14 AM

no i didnt. and greg u are a forum rat!! hehehe!! now i know why ur on msn all day!

I am a Mod....It is my job....

Greg

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 01:18 AM

:x Wish i would have known sooner. anyways we have sorta of a golf turny down where i live my borthers and whole group of ppl that day. o and weird enough i just went thru Mora twice this weekend on my way to Milacs Lake. Like i said Greg. One year and its a drivers license. already have my permit but have to drag someone with me and my parents have to much stuff going on. i hope u have one next year!

GregMik

30-05-2006, 01:21 AM

Another meeting is July 8th. If you want to come give me a holler and you can stay here....

Greg

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 01:26 AM

at same place?

GregMik

30-05-2006, 01:27 AM

TBD....As soon as I know I will give you the info

Greg

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 01:28 AM

i hope its closer to me!! o i asked Natasha but she didnt know and u were mowing lawn or somethin.....any flaconers down my way?

GregMik

30-05-2006, 01:30 AM

There is one....But you don't want to know her....She is hard on apprentices. If you really want to know I will give you her info, then you can deside for yourself.

Greg

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 01:34 AM

well mabey if she is hard on me ill turn out to be a super good hawker! :-) were from m8? shoot! anybody close just for getting information is better at this moment than haveing to nag my parents to waste gas to drive to the citys! not that i would love to come to the events up there but......ya know.

MitchellBrad

30-05-2006, 03:08 AM

There is one....But you don't want to know her....She is hard on apprentices. If you really want to know I will give you her info, then you can deside for yourself.

Greg

Anyone I know Greg??

Brad

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 03:09 AM

where u from Mitchel? just currious.

MitchellBrad

30-05-2006, 03:37 AM

South Dakota

Brad

Aerial

30-05-2006, 07:50 AM

Hi Drizzle,

Sounds like you have a good plan! Stick to GregMik---it is key to have a mentor to learn from.

Whatever you do, just don't bicker with him about starting with a kestrel. :lol:

Mark

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 01:30 PM

Hi Drizzle,

Sounds like you have a good plan! Stick to GregMik---it is key to have a mentor to learn from.

Whatever you do, just don't bicker with him about starting with a kestrel. :lol:

Mark

Dont worry about that he soon talked me out of a kestrel when i first started talking to him. i also talked to a lady that from the Fish and Wildlife from near where i live and she used to be a falconer and she said it was terrible trying to keep the kestral at the right weight.

Takajo

30-05-2006, 02:16 PM

buzzards (such as the redtail) are easier-going than most raptors. Start with the redtail. The only reason that kestrels are allowed as an apprentice bird is that their numbers are nowhere near the endangered list.....

Drizzle3

30-05-2006, 07:21 PM

for some reason when u say the word buzzards i dont think of RT's. Yea i plan on getting a RT when i start. Can anyone give me a ruff estamite for how much it will cost for food for a redtail per month? just trying to straightin my money issue out.

GregMik

31-05-2006, 12:43 AM

Feed what you catch.....Quail are about $1.25 a piece.

Greg

Drizzle3

31-05-2006, 02:23 AM

eat once or twice a day?

Takajo

31-05-2006, 03:27 AM

eat once or twice a day?
Usually once a day, sometimes once every two days. As an apprentice you'll have to learn about these weight changes/behaviorial changes that will help you decide how often and how much to feed your bird. But you'll almost never feed her more than once a day unless it's in fractions of a feed spread over the day while your interacting with the bird. The seasonal temperatures will also affect the bird's digestion.:A lot of things, so after you study and know these things, you will be ready young padawan...:D

Drizzle3

31-05-2006, 12:27 PM

Thx for the information!

buzzbee

04-06-2006, 01:21 PM

An American Kestrel is not a good bird to start with and never will be.The main problem being weight controll especially when their newly hatched and being hand reared.A red tail is a problematic bird mainly because if weight is disrupted they can and will turn aggressive.As a first bird i would suggest a Harris Hawk or a Common Buzzard as a Harris has an excellent reputation.I havent been in Falconry long myself but some common sense needs to be applied here.x

GregMik

04-06-2006, 02:24 PM

Drizzle3

04-06-2006, 04:10 PM

TOO many gang laws!

buzzbee

09-06-2006, 08:23 AM

Buzzbee,
We are talking about the US here. He is required to trap his first bird so there will be no hand rearing as such. He is only allowed by law to get a Kestrel or a Redtail for his first bird so a harris is out of the question.

Greg

Ok.A Red would be the best bird in that case but American Kessys are very easy to kill down to their size especially if your a beginner.Surely you must understand that?

Claire

09-06-2006, 08:45 AM

Dont worry about that he soon talked me out of a kestrel when i first started talking to him. i also talked to a lady that from the Fish and Wildlife from near where i live and she used to be a falconer and she said it was terrible trying to keep the kestral at the right weight.
he has already decided on the redtail :yawinkle: