Greetings

[JeffNH]

Hello all.

After a 20 year hiatus I am preparing to get my general license back and hope to trap and fly a Merlin in the fall. I was a falconer for several years in MA back in the 80's. I am currently living on a river in NH and have a pair of peregrines that have taken up a winter residence along the cove in my backyard for the last 7 years. Having them sitting on my dock posts, watching them chase and catch the shore birds has taken it's toll on my psyche...I can't just watch anymore and am eager to fly a winged companion once more. Lots of catching up to do. I've been reading here non-stop and think for the areas I have to hunt a Merlin is perfect to get back into it. I look forward to reading your adventures as well as sharing my own.

Jeff Owens

[zero]

(welc) Jeff!!

Looking forward to the Merlin thread, good luck with trapping this fall. :D

[wingnut]

Wow! 20 yrs. and you still got the bug. Proof that once it gets in your blood you're infected for life. (welc) back.

[everetkhorton]

(welc)back Jeff!

[FredFogg]

(welc) to NAFEX Jeff!

Just a few weekends ago, spent the weekend watching a bunch of guys fly merlins here in NC. 3 of those guys were from NJ, so you have some folks up there with your passion for merlins and they are all great guys.

[Raggedmtfalconer]

Welcome Jeff, Nice to find another falconer here in NH. Your down in Dover so I'm guessing you are down the Dover Point area along the river! Nice very nice area, plenty of game down that way to fly on. Would enjoy meeting some time to exchange tales! 20 years away from the sport wow! You were enjoying the sport when it was very young here in the Sate of NH once again nice to have another falconer in the area!

[mainefalconer]

Jeff,

Welcome back man! I hope you snag a merlin this fall. It would be nice to have more of the guys up here flying them. I've got two of them sitting here staring at me right now! I love these little buggers. I'm about 30 minutes from Dover, so I suspect I'll see you in the field at some point.

[JeffNH]

Thank you all...

wingnut : I've never stopped wanting a bird, I even trap and relocate my furry rodent population under redtails...and keep my feeders stocked to feed the visiting coops that lives near Pease AFB. She has consumed more than one titmouse this season *LOL*

Fred : I'm jealous...

raggedmtfalconer : I'm on Dover Point, Now...if I could figure out a way to hawk the 75 mallards in my neighbors backyard!

mainefalconer : 2..nice. Did you trap them? I have two spots that they show up end of Aug 1st week Sept every year or 2. I trapped one out on Nantucket once with Reindell, he flew her for a bit and then released. Went back to trap one for myself and all we saw were 25 Peregrines sitting and flying all over the bog.
Since we knew a merlin wasn't going to be flying into our net we decided to feed the 15 pigeons to the falcons. It was entertaining. Would love to watch you fly yours sometime.

[mainefalconer]

Good to hear that you're buddies with Reindell. He's a great guy. I've known him for quite a while and spent a few days out there with him during this past hawking season. I've flown several merlins over the years (a mix of passage birds and imprints, etc.) One of the 2 that I've got right now was a passage bird from this past fall. The other is a bird that I pulled (with one of her brothers) from the nest at 16 days of age, and then a friend and I chamber raised-raised them until after they were hard-penned, so she's not an imprint and not a passage bird either, but she's a great little falconry bird and really fun to fly. You're more than welcome to come see them on the wing. Shoot me an email; scottmcneff@yahoo.com