Hi

[Montucky]

Hi been out of falconry for a few years...thought I would check out the forum. I've recently moved to Missoula MT and am also looking to meet up with some local falconers and maybe see some falconry again. Thanks, -John

[everetkhorton]

back John!

[Chris L.]

Hi John

Welcome back.. What have you flown before? Hows the weather up there? There are a lot of MT falconers on here. I am sure you will find someone.

I hope you enjoy the forum

Chris

[Montucky]

I've flown a R-T, a HH, a brancher female COHA, several female pererines, several passage female goshawks, and two tiercel G/P hybrids...that about sums it up. I stopped flying birds about 4 years ago.

[Montucky]

the weather has been sort of grey in missoula and somewhat cold...but I have recently relocated from the jackson WY area that that was freakin cold -40 was not uncommon...when there is 5 ft of snow in the valley and its -40...even the most hardcore falconer takes up another hobby . I'm in VT visiting family now and enjoying the scenery and wondering what sort of falconry is to be had there...squirrel hawking and maybe some cottontails and a few snowshoe hares?

[Montucky]

[frootdog]

Why did you hang it up?

[Montucky]

wanted to put a little more energy into career etc. and found myself in areas where i was driving too much for slips

[Saluqi]

Hi John,

Welcome to NAFEX. Great shot of you and your gos. Just curious, how did you trap your goshawks? Thanks.

[Montucky]

My early trapping started on fall ridges using a lure pole and bownet...but soon became somewhat disenchanted with the fall ridge trapped bird At the time I lived in Utah and many of the goshawks from that general region came from areas where a late sept/early october gos may have only seen ground squirrels and maybe the occassional bird. Anyway, I started trapping exclusively in late season in areas at mountain foothills with limited shrub cover and high gamebird numbers. Used funnel traps and sometimes b/c's. Probably trapped 20-30 goshawks in that sort of scenario and believe on average that they are another sort of bird alltogether. I last few I caught were at a pheasant farm and strangely were not great pheasant hawks as Ithink they were made to be lazy...but there were fairly decent at jacks - this pic was after about 45 min of hawking. I actually think that these private pheasant shooting clubs may be contributing to significant lead poisoning in goshawks...

[Saluqi]

That's an impressive take for 45 minutes in the field! Can you describe a funnel trap, or post a picture? Thanks!

[Montucky]

A variety of designs work.....but the key to the trap is probably more the location i.e. a concentration of gamebirds in an area with limited cover. Also, I found that goshawks gorged on pen-raised pheasants do not enter funnel traps with as much enthusiasm.

[MyAbusa]

Welcome John,
Great information about your trapping techniques. I’m an apprentice in Helena, MT currently working with a Kestrel but am very interested in flying Goshawks sometime in the future. I recently built a miniature Swedish GH trap with a cell phone alarm which caught 3 sharpies & my current Kestrel right out of my back yard in the middle of town. I’ve been planning on building a larger one for Goshawks but your funnel trap has sparked my interest… Maybe that’s a design I should look into. Anyhow, Ally, who’s a member of this forum, is also located in Missoula & is currently training a GH for Crows & Magpies. I expect she could help get you connected up with the falconry community in Missoula. Also, if you decide to trap a GH I’d be very interested to hear your impression of the Missoula area.

[Tony James]

Hi been out of falconry for a few years...thought I would check out the forum. I've recently moved to Missoula MT and am also looking to meet up with some local falconers and maybe see some falconry again. Thanks, -John

Hi John,

I read your comments on the 'The Flying of Falcons' thread, and will be watching keenly for your posts. Very insightful stuff.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[harrishawker1]

Hi John,

I think thats a very nice catch for just 45 minutes.
Nice looking Goshawk also.
Keep the pictures coming.

[Montucky]

Welcome John,
Great information about your trapping techniques. I’m an apprentice in Helena, MT currently working with a Kestrel but am very interested in flying Goshawks sometime in the future. I recently built a miniature Swedish GH trap with a cell phone alarm which caught 3 sharpies & my current Kestrel right out of my back yard in the middle of town. I’ve been planning on building a larger one for Goshawks but your funnel trap has sparked my interest… Maybe that’s a design I should look into. Anyhow, Ally, who’s a member of this forum, is also located in Missoula & is currently training a GH for Crows & Magpies. I expect she could help get you connected up with the falconry community in Missoula. Also, if you decide to trap a GH I’d be very interested to hear your impression of the Missoula area.

seems like missoula is a pretty darn tough place to be a falconer...? I built a house in the Bitteroot valley and kept my eyes out while traveling around and it seemed dismal there too. a few duck slips here and there in some tight places, but very little pheasant and partridge. And no big feed lots for starling flights. Gerald Gieger told me the Bitteroot was pretty sweet in the 70'sdue to beet farming that supported pheasants. No worries to any falconers in the area - I'm no threat I promise, wont be flying a bird anytime soon.

[OATS]

Great pic John......this photo should be in the dictionary under "yarak." I too am a passage goshawk guy, ironically I'm from Montana near where you are now. However, now I reside in Alaska. I know a couple of hardcore falconers in your region. PM me if you would like their contact info. Good luck staying away from hunting with raptors.....I couldn't do it for very long.

[MyAbusa]

seems like missoula is a pretty darn tough place to be a falconer...? I built a house in the Bitteroot valley and kept my eyes out while traveling around and it seemed dismal there too. a few duck slips here and there in some tight places, but very little pheasant and partridge. And no big feed lots for starling flights. Gerald Gieger told me the Bitteroot was pretty sweet in the 70'sdue to beet farming that supported pheasants. No worries to any falconers in the area - I'm no threat I promise, wont be flying a bird anytime soon.

I’ve only visited with a couple falconers in Missoula but it sounds very similar to the Helena area. Not many game birds & rabbits are few & far between. There is a guy here in Helena who’s been fairly successful on squirrels with a RT & I know Missoula has a few of those furry little critters.
Of course another option are Crows & Magpies as just this year they've been taken off the protected list in Montana & god knows we have plenty of them.
These are the main reasons I chose a K-bird as I think chasing sparrows in a more urban environment might prove successful… At least until I find some game for larger birds.

[falcon56]

You had better check with Mont. F & G regarding magpies and crows. I'm pretty sure you are mistaken, as both are Federally protected species, regardless of what may or may not be inferred by any recent changes or wording in Montana regs.

[MyAbusa]

You had better check with Mont. F & G regarding magpies and crows. I'm pretty sure you are mistaken, as both are Federally protected species, regardless of what may or may not be inferred by any recent changes or wording in Montana regs.

The information came to me from another falconer so I looked it up & this section appears to allow for magpie & crow hunting but I will be sure to check with FWP prior to engaging in the activity.

Montana Raptor Regulations

87-5-201. Protection of wild birds and their nests and eggs.

(1) It is unlawful for a person to hunt, capture, kill, possess,

purchase, offer or expose for sale, ship, or transport any wild bird, other than a game bird, or any part of the plumage, skin, or

body of the bird, irrespective of whether the bird was captured or killed within the state, or to take or destroy the nest or eggs of a

wild bird, except under a certificate, falconer's license, or permit issued by the director.

(2) This section does not apply to:
(a) the hunting, trapping, or killing of house sparrows, crows, starlings, rock doves, blackbirds, magpies, and other birds the
department designates or to the taking or destruction of their nests and eggs;

[hawkguy1]

John i live about 100mi. away from you Ally and lots of others.(t.falls area)

[hawkguy1]

I’ve only visited with a couple falconers in Missoula but it sounds very similar to the Helena area. Not many game birds & rabbits are few & far between. There is a guy here in Helena who’s been fairly successful on squirrels with a RT & I know Missoula has a few of those furry little critters.
Of course another option are Crows & Magpies as just this year they've been taken off the protected list in Montana & god knows we have plenty of them.
These are the main reasons I chose a K-bird as I think chasing sparrows in a more urban environment might prove successful… At least until I find some game for larger birds.

up here in the pine forests you can go in and almost imediatly see and hear those pine squirrels.

[falconerykid68]