Hello from Portland, OR

[make fast]

Falconry is something I have been interested in since I was a little kid (I am fairly convinced my dad got worried about me from the amount of time I would spend outside watching raptors) - I am just now looking into what it takes (with ample support/prodding from my wife) to become licensed and all that is involved.

I have a bunch of books on hold at the library and am reading any and every bit of information I can find on the web (ie., I'm amassing as much data as possible to make sure this is something I am capable of doing and committing to).

Internet searches brought me here, and now I am reading these threads with intense interest.

So hi, and thanks for all of the background/information/awesome pictures and reports.

Three quick, practical, questions that I haven't really seen answered elsewhere (I will start a thread in the more read parts of the forum if they aren't answered here):

1) What do you guys do when you go on vacation? It isn't like there are birds of prey boarding houses/kennels the birds can go to.

2) Where do most people hunt their birds? On government land? I can't imagine there being big enough tracts of private land in many parts of the country (that you/I could have regular access to) to hunt a large bird on - so do most people head to gov't-owned land to hunt?

3) I understand the process of apprenticeship, but if I wanted to just go on a hunt/see hands-on what was involved - would most/some falconers (speaking generally) let me tag along with a camera and do whatever help I can?

Thanks and sorry for the 'basic' questions.

[robruger1]

First, as a general rule on the forum, please go to your user cp and put your real name in your signature line. We like to keep it friendly here and that helps.

I live in Salem, just south of you and I can answer some of your questions.

I mainly hunt private land and some public. You might be suprised to see how many people are willing to let a falconer hunt on their land.

For the vacation question, there are several options. I have gone to my former sponsors house to feed/water his birds for him while he was on vacation. When my family went out of town, I had my kid brother swing by everyday. Showed him what food I wanted fed and where it was in the freezer and showed him to take one from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator to thaw, and take the one from the refrigerator from the day before and drop it through the food chute.

To tag along usually you just need to meet each other and offer to be a brush dog for them. You can come beat brush for me this season. I could use another "dog", lol. Feel free to contact me.

[lupine]

Welcome!

I'm also in Portland, and just beginning my second year as an apprentice. I've got a lot on my plate this year looking after family, but I'd be happy to grab a beer/coffee and share notes if you'd like. You can also meet my red-tailed hawk, Freyja, and see my facilities.

Unless the signature you add includes something like, "I want to be a falconer, because being an axe-murderer isn't quite as interesting".

Otherwise, PM me if you want to meet at a brightly-lit public place. :D

But to answer your question, it's a good idea (and also the legal way, under current regs) to have a local falconer look after your bird for you, at least periodically while you're away, and to be on call if non-falconers have questions. I have very anally-retentive instructions and a list of 'warning signs' for those who need to look after Freyja, as well as a list of vets and back-up vets.

Good to have on hand, I learned, in case you have to blow town on an emergency with little notice.

As you'll find from reading, there's a reason falconry is more a lifestyle than just a sport. (Don't call it a hobby, people here will smack you!).

Also, there are limited places to hunt in the Portland Metro area. Which is why I bought a cheap travel trailer, which I plan to plunk in my Sponsor's front yard down valley on weekends. (Shhh, Rob, I haven't told Ben or Trisha yet.)

[make fast]

Wow, thanks for the quick (and friendly) responses. I am just at the beginning of really digging into falconry, but am getting more and more sucked into it. Now is probably not the 'best' time (since I am still job-searching and my wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world 3 weeks ago), but with the free time I have to read I am at least going to be well informed once things in the house settle down a bit.

About to head to the east coast for my sister's wedding, but will likely be in touch with people when I get back.

Thanks again!

[Richard F, Hoyer]

Matt:
By all means, one of the best steps to take is to go out with one or more falconers and see what all is involved. If you can break free the weekend of October 22nd through 24th, the Oregon Falconers Assn. is holding its fall meet in Burns, Oregon.

If you could attend, you would be able to meet some of the falconers in Oregon, view a number of raptors being flown by falconer, and accompany some on hunting trips. On Saturday the 23rd, there will be a feed that usually starts around 6 PM, a business meeting, and then raffle.

If you wish to go out sooner to observe a hawk hunt rabbits, if you can travel to the Corvallis area, I am free to go hunting any day of the week since I am retired. I got a late start this year with taking my female Harris' Hawk out for her first day of flying as of yesterday.

I can be contacted at charinabottae@earthlink.net or 541-752-6888. You might consider taking Rob Gibson up on his offer as he lives closer in Salem.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon)

[Ally]

Welcome!

On the subject of vacation, I usually take the birds with me, although I realize this is not always an option. Most of my "vacations" are big game hunting trips and we stay at my boyfriend's parents' house and the bird just travels in a giant hood (travel box) and stays hooded in the house like they would be at mine if kept indoors. I take a cooler with ice packs for food + anything the hawk catches. I had better luck hunting while on "vacation" sometimes than I did at home!

I think what I'm getting at is, if properly prepared and with the right travel equipment, it's not that hard to take the hawk along. In Montana a non-falconer can legally look after your birds as long as they remain at your facilities for a period of up to...120 days I want to say? I'll have to double-check but as always, check your state regulations, and the federal ones if your state has not yet adopted their own!

[lupine]

Richard is modest and will deny it, but he and his hawk Conchita are quite a team to observe. Well, ok, you won't be observing, you'll be beating the brush and trying to keep up!

Hey, Ally, I remember you said Western Montana...are you anywhere close to the Thompson Falls/Trout Creek ("Trot Crick") area? My sister's out there; gorgeous country and really nice folks. And nice snowshoe hares, deer, elk, turkey, grouse, etc. etc. etc. !!!

[make fast]

Well, I am still doing a lot of reading - but the new baby has put any kind of traveling on hold for at least another few weeks. Hoping that once she gets on more of a schedule, I can try to schedule things.

Again, thanks for the friendly hello's.