Hello from northern michigan!

[Dane08]

Hello everyone,

I would like to introduce myself and start off by saying that I have so far enjoyed reading all the information and knowledge you all have to offer! I am a complete newbie to this wonderful sport and I find all of the birds involved beautiful and intriguing. I would love to take the proper steps and eventually be come a falconer myself! Looking forward to furthering my knowledge from all of your posts and I would love to meet some Michigan falconer's. I was given a wonderful opportunity to visit Wings of Wonder for a personal tour of the rehab facility and Rebecca runs a great operation! She didn't know of any falconers near the benzie county area so any leads would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for any information.

Dane Bovee

[DirtHawker]

Welcome to an obsession Dane. Kory Koch is our public relations contact and he checks out NAFEX frequently. Check out the Michigan Hawking Club website, there is an area to post in and you might be able to contact a falconer up in your area.

Love that area of MI. Fished Leeland, the Betsie, the Platte, all good. Hope to take the Harris cast up that way for some crows next month, oh yeah and some golf for the hubby.
Sue

[christopher.heth]

Greetings, Dane;

I can empathize, having just moved to Sault Ste. Marie and hoping there are active falconers within a manageable radius to learn about the sport first-hand. I hope our paths cross at some point, and good luck!

Chris

[Dane08]

Thanks Sue! I fly fish the betsie and platte all the time, just counting down the days till the salmon run... if you do happen to bring your Harris cast to the area and wouldn't mind a tag along I would love to see some action and actually see a Harris in person!

Hello Chris! Its hard to know where to start in a hobby like this! I hope you come in contact with some great people and would enjoy meeting at some point in the future. Good luck with your quest in falconry!

[REYNALDO]

welcome to you both!!! there's a couple of falconers in the UP that i know of.

[KidK]

Hi Dane and Chris.

Please give me a call anytime this week after 5:00 pm and I would be happy to talk you both through the process and events coming up that the Michigan Hawking Club will be attending this fall.

You can find my contact information in the link to the MHC website.

Looking forward to talking with you both.

Best Regards,

[Dane08]

Thank you everyone I appreciate the warmth from all of you on the start of my journey!

KidK that sounds perfect as once the fall rolls around my seasonal job will be over so ill have more time to research falconry and hopefully get out in the field to experience the thrill of flying these amazing birds! I may start studying to take the state and federal tests although it will probably be a few years before I can start any form of an apprenticeship... I definitely want to make sure I have the means to take care of myself before I take on the responsibility of caring for a bird!

I've got some books picked out that should be here around Christmas time but are there any that you know of that would help with the licensing process?

And also if anyone will be in this area (benzie county) to fly your birds I would love to tag along and help beat bushes or any other menial tasks that you allow rookies to assist with!

[BestBeagler]

Welcome Dane! Your welcome to go hawking with me if you ever get down this way (Wyandotte).

[Dane08]

Thank you Isaac!! I really appreciate the offer and if I get some free time to head to southern Michigan hawking I will definitely get ahold of you!