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View Full Version : What 3 books influenced you the most as a young falconer?



Ricko
07-24-2012, 05:33 PM
1. Falconry for you...Humphrey Evans
2. The Art of Falconry...King Fredrick II
3. As the falcon her bells...Phillip Glasier

Notable mention: The Craighead brothers had several articles in National Geographic Magazine.

Tony James
07-24-2012, 06:58 PM
Hi Rick,

I'm not sure what age qualifies as young, but Glasier's As the Falcon Her Bells was my first 'modern' falconry book. I asked Phillip Glasier to sign it for me when I was about 13 years old.
I'm sure it influenced me more than I generally realise.

As a 16 year old, Jack Mavrogordato signed a copy of his A Hawk for the Bush for me.
I spent many evenings in his company, perhaps the best read falconer of his time. He showed me a library second to none, though sadly I was too young to appreciate it, as I was too young to appreciate certain aspects of A Hawk for the Bush.

A year later, I bought a copy of Roger Upton's A Bird in the Hand, which again, Roger kindly signed for me.
Looking at those old photographs, showing the good work of professional falconers apprenticed to other professional falconers, from long family lines of professional falconers inspires me still.

Was it the books that inspired me, or that I was fortunate enough to spend time with these men? Or a bit of both?

Best wishes,

Tony.

Yeomanfalconer
07-24-2012, 08:13 PM
The Earl's falconer, The Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan and the World of the red-tailed hawk.

Dakota
07-24-2012, 08:26 PM
My very first falconry book owned by a friend was "Falconry for You" first one I owned was "Manual of Falconry" both English books, I don't think there were any from the states at that time. First book where someone thought out of the box was "Observations on Modern Falconry" another English book.

accipiter007
07-25-2012, 11:07 AM
Just one bookcfor me, hawks, falcons and falconry. By frank l. Beebe.

Falconer54
07-25-2012, 12:13 PM
North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks!!! A Manual of Falconry. A Hawk for the Bush. First book I bought was American Falconry.

Jeff Blower
07-25-2012, 12:20 PM
Falconry for you...Humphrey Evans,
"Manual of Falconry"
and of course the "bible" North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks.

accipiter007
07-25-2012, 12:35 PM
Is north american falconry and hunting haws a revised verson of hawks falcons and falconry.

accipiter007
07-25-2012, 12:48 PM
I answerd my oun question. Which is (no) it is not.

Ricko
07-25-2012, 04:38 PM
Is north american falconry and hunting haws a revised verson of hawks falcons and falconry.

There are some revised editions. In fact, western sporting is working on a revised edition as we speak. I have tried to get this book on eBay but, it usually is priced well beyond my budget.

BestBeagler
07-25-2012, 04:47 PM
My three would be,

Falconry For You by Humphry Evans

Falconry art and Practice by Emma Ford

Falconry and Hawking by Philip Glasier

I still remember seeing an old picture in Humphry Evans book of his Goshawk named Venom. That was a cool book. He also had a picture in there of a painting of Greenland Gyr falcon. It looked bald in that picture and for the longest time afterward, before I new better, I thought there were some special bald headed Greenland falcons out there :)

Jeff Blower
07-25-2012, 05:07 PM
Is north american falconry and hunting haws a revised verson of hawks falcons and falconry.
I think that book (hawks falcons and falconry)was done by Frank alone. Hal did not participate in that one although there is a lot of info contained that is also contained in NAF&HH. There are a few editions of NAF&HH, I have a 1970's edition and also a more recent 1990's version as well. I have heard tha there is another updatad edition for sale now too.

Mornblade23@yahoo.com
12-27-2013, 04:34 PM
1. A hawk for the Bush
2. North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks
3. A manual of Falconry
Currenlty I'm reading Dirt Hawking and will be reading The Imprint Accipiter soon.
I would like to point out that education in this sport is a huge piece of the experience of being a falconer. Beyond what you had to study as an apprentice or to pass a test, reading everything you can get your hands on is uber important. I'm re-reading everything I have currently because I feel that there is so much I missed the first time through.

NMHighPlains
12-27-2013, 07:12 PM
Falconry and Hawking by Philip Glasier


This was my single most useful book in 1983.

I got most of my information from personal communication, NAFA publications, and experience.

keitht
12-27-2013, 07:37 PM
The only book I had was Mitchell's, The Art and Practice of Falconry. There was no mention of using a scale and so my first couple of years of flying birds was done without the aid of a scale. I spent a LOT of time feeling the keels of birds.

goshawks00
12-27-2013, 08:04 PM
Hawks in the Hand by Frank& john Craighead
Bert's Treatise of Hawks and Hawking
A Hawk for the Bush by Jack Mavrogordato

MrBill
12-28-2013, 10:18 AM
This was my single most useful book in 1983.

I got most of my information from personal communication, NAFA publications, and experience.

Brian, I glad you posted this because for some of us there wasn't a whole lot out there, certainly nothing like the information available today, and we did learn a lot from other falconers and personal experience; I know I did. And, as far as NAFA publications, I used to camp out by the mail box waiting for them to arrive, and gleaned useful information from those as well.

Bill Boni

peregrinator
12-28-2013, 12:08 PM
"The Art and Practice of Hawking" E.B. Michell
"Observations on Modern Falconry" R. Stevens
"North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks" Beebe and Webster

I also feel that the NAFA publications should be given their due, they have been powerful in shaping and growing falconry in this country.

Hunner
12-29-2013, 01:32 AM
"The Art and Practice of Hawking" E.B. Michell
"Observations on Modern Falconry" R. Stevens
"North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks" Beebe and Webster

I also feel that the NAFA publications should be given their due, they have been powerful in shaping and growing falconry in this country.

I'll take your list Bill and add
Falconry by Gilbert Blaine

Berkutchi
09-06-2014, 02:28 PM
What a great question! Any more contributions?

For me, it was:

A Rage for Falcons by Stephen Bodio - the first falconry book I ever read at thirteen, and the one that convinced me that falconry was indeed the perfect hobby.

The Goshawk by T.H. White - I loved his literary books in high school, which we were required to read in class, and when I learned that he was also a falconer, one who was very passionate but also stumbled, I was captivated.

Life with an Indian Price by the Craigheads - the book that taught me that there are grand adventures out there, still, if you know where to look. :)

Tom Smith
09-06-2014, 04:35 PM
What a great question! Any more contributions?

For me, it was:

A Rage for Falcons by Stephen Bodio - the first falconry book I ever read at thirteen, and the one that convinced me that falconry was indeed the perfect hobby.

The Goshawk by T.H. White - I loved his literary books in high school, which we were required to read in class, and when I learned that he was also a falconer, one who was very passionate but also stumbled, I was captivated.

Life with an Indian Price by the Craigheads - the book that taught me that there are grand adventures out there, still, if you know where to look. :)

And I must say you know where to look, you the adventurer

americansharpy
03-31-2015, 07:34 PM
I wish I had books when I was staring out! Would have saved me a lot of heartache and frustration. Spent three years as a kid trying to figure out how to train Kestrels...

Later on after I had become a true falconer I discovered books by Beebe

lewsouder
04-01-2015, 07:04 PM
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb451/lewsouder/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2015-02/7D5C106B-BDB8-4694-8A04-229906DE3E74_zps3b1jgjgz.jpg (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/lewsouder/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2015-02/7D5C106B-BDB8-4694-8A04-229906DE3E74_zps3b1jgjgz.jpg.html)

I'm in Dallas, TX for work, taking a tour of the George W. Bush Presidential Museum when something catches my eye at this display.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb451/lewsouder/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2015-02/F31850FD-10A1-47B0-BE92-EEC69142D602_zpsl5br7vlf.jpg (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/lewsouder/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2015-02/F31850FD-10A1-47B0-BE92-EEC69142D602_zpsl5br7vlf.jpg.html)

How cool is that!

Steve L.
04-02-2015, 12:59 PM
Lew, I was just thinking it was funny no one had mentioned My Side of the Mountain and then I saw your post. It may not have influenced how I practice the sport but it definitely played a big part in pursuing it.

lewsouder
04-02-2015, 03:36 PM
Steve...it was the book that started it all for me.

krogejr
04-10-2015, 09:41 AM
+1

It started 30 years of dreaming. And now I've read it to my daughters.