Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chappy
I would love to join, and if I knew two members of the falconry community personally, or my sponsor was a NAFA member, I would. There are only 13 of us in this state at the moment, of which I have met exactly 1 (my sponsor). The next closest is about 3 or 4 hours away, I believe. The whole point of my post is, from "the new guy" outlook who hasn't been in the community a long time, and the local community itself is so lean, it is pretty much an impossibility.
Could I coerce my sponsor to join? Yeah, I am a lot bigger than him after all, and I can be pretty persuasive (knuckle crack), but its not my place.
I am certainly not going to approach someone I don't know personally and haven't spent considerable time with to vouch for me on any application, nor do I think that would be the NAFA expectation.
I appreciate and understand the fact that NAFA wants to have the reins tight to keep the degenerates at arms length but, at least in my case, it keeps me at arms length as well.
Ok, Let me say this again! You do "NOT" have to have a NAFA member sign your application! The options are 1 NAFA member or 2 others that can vouch for you, they do not have to be falconers, they can be a falconer or someone in your conservation community, maybe a rehabber or someone like that. NAFA isn't strict about who you get to sign for you. Folks are making this application thing way more difficult than it is!
Here is exactly what it says on the application:
References may be either one current, regular member of NAFA or two persons who know you in your local falconry or conservation club community.
The key words there are "who know you in your local falconry or conservation club community", meaning that they know you as a falconer or about to become a falconer.