Hello from Pennsylvania

[rdilbarova]

Hello, I have recently become really fascinated with falconry. (Recently being a relative term, I have been obsessed with BOP's since middle school and am now way into college). My question is this: I live in Northeast Philadelphia (SE PA), and I have two major obstacles to get through if I would like to consider falconry. First is the fact that I have no idea whether or not there are any sponsors near me. I feel like everyone that practices falconry is in NW PA.
Also, I know the sport is time consuming. So I want to ask this: how many hours per DAY do you spend on your bird (non-hunting day)? I plan on going to medical school, and that is time consuming in itself, so I know I cannot put in more than two hours into the bird on a typical day.
And yes, I have been to the PA website for Falconry but they do not list the names of any sponsors, so I have no idea if any are near me.

What I would really like to do is tag along while someone is hunting to get kind of a ‘feel’ for the whole thing.

Rima

[dwit1990]

Sent you a PM

Welcome!

[paw362]

Saw a Harris hawk in Wellsboro, Pa. We were at the "Muck" looking for wildlife and this bird almost flew in the blind window. I got a poor picture but after looking on line I am sure that is what we saw. The time was about 5 pm. We only saw the hawk for a brief few seconds. Hope this helps someone who may be looking for this bird.

[lxlMurdoclxl]

Saw a Harris hawk in Wellsboro, Pa. We were at the "Muck" looking for wildlife and this bird almost flew in the blind window. I got a poor picture but after looking on line I am sure that is what we saw. The time was about 5 pm. We only saw the hawk for a brief few seconds. Hope this helps someone who may be looking for this bird.

Can any of the Admins move this to the LOST HAWKS section?

Anyone think this might be the bird Cheri is looking for?

I mapped it, and its only about an hour north of her...

I'll give her Cell a call...

[lxlMurdoclxl]

Rima,

Welcome to Nafex.

I am sure you will find a number of people here willing to help answer your questions.

For starters, I think you are on the right track. By asking these questions, you are being realistic about your time commitments, and how falconry would fit in with your current schedule.

I am not too far from you, and I know there are others here in the South East.

Where are you originally from? Going to Temple? Med School at UPenn?

Again, Welcome,

[Breeze]

Welcome Rima!

[rdilbarova]

Rima,

Welcome to Nafex.

I am sure you will find a number of people here willing to help answer your questions.

For starters, I think you are on the right track. By asking these questions, you are being realistic about your time commitments, and how falconry would fit in with your current schedule.

I am not too far from you, and I know there are others here in the South East.

Where are you originally from? Going to Temple? Med School at UPenn?

Again, Welcome,

Josh,

Thank you! I am trying to round up some books from the library about falconry, I am going to trek down to the Central Free Library Branch and pick up a copy of 'North American Falconry & Hunting Hawks' which is on the Game Commission's Suggested Reading list.

As for school, I guess I phrased my statement incorrectly! Med school is still a couple of years away, I am now an undergrad, doing pre-med at Drexel University.

It is such a relief to find out that there are people who practice the sport live near me! I honestly still have to see if my local ordinances allow building of such structures as mews/ I still have a lot of reading to do, so falconry is a little bit away, but it is good to know that I may have the option of maybe finding a sponsor one day.

-Rima

[rdilbarova]

Welcome Rima!

Thank you!

-Rima

[zx2run]

Welcome to NAFEX!

It's good that you are taking the steps now to learn all you can about the sport. There are a lot of falconers in PA and there are a few in your area.

Like you...i learned about falconry while i was in college and eventually was able to connect with few falconers in the area to tag along with. Getting out in the field and seeing what the sport is all about can definitely help you decide if it is something that can fit into your schedule.

I am not particularly close to your area...but i do frequent your general area quite a bit during the falconry season. Also...the PFHT will be hosting their annual field meet in Allentown in January. You should definitely try to attend!

[rdilbarova]

Welcome to NAFEX!

It's good that you are taking the steps now to learn all you can about the sport. There are a lot of falconers in PA and there are a few in your area.

Like you...i learned about falconry while i was in college and eventually was able to connect with few falconers in the area to tag along with. Getting out in the field and seeing what the sport is all about can definitely help you decide if it is something that can fit into your schedule.

I am not particularly close to your area...but i do frequent your general area quite a bit during the falconry season. Also...the PFHT will be hosting their annual field meet in Allentown in January. You should definitely try to attend!

I am going to do a bunch of reading before I even ask anyone to allow me to go into the field with them, I just really do not want to waste anyone's time.

Do you have to be a member to attend the meet?

Rima

[zx2run]

I am going to do a bunch of reading before I even ask anyone to allow me to go into the field with them, I just really do not want to waste anyone's time.

Do you have to be a member to attend the meet?

Rima

No...you do not have to be a member to attend. Registration for the meet is not very expensive and it allows you access to the different seminars as well as a meet t-shirt and pin. There is also a banquet on the final day that is an extra cost.

Coming to the meet will allow you to meet and hunt with many different falconers and to see a lot of different falconry birds. PLUS...its a lot of fun.

[rdilbarova]

No...you do not have to be a member to attend. Registration for the meet is not very expensive and it allows you access to the different seminars as well as a meet t-shirt and pin. There is also a banquet on the final day that is an extra cost.

Coming to the meet will allow you to meet and hunt with many different falconers and to see a lot of different falconry birds. PLUS...its a lot of fun.

That sounds awesome! I will definitely try to clear my schedule and get up to Allentown, but I think that nobody will take me seriously once they see me in person haha.

[lxlMurdoclxl]

falconers tend to be a little "different" by nature... you will probably fit right in....

[royale26]

Rima,
Cheri Heimbach is our apprentice coordinator and her email is located on our state falconry website. If you can not locate it, PM me and I will pass along her information. She will be able to best direct you to able/willing potential sponsors in your area. Most guys/gals (from my experience) like to have you go hunting with them for a season to asses your commitment. Do not be afraid to ask a falconer to go hunting and follow up with him/her if it doesn't happen right away. I personally do not "beg" interested persons to go hunting and expect follow up to come from their end. Falconry is for the most part a solitary activity and getting your schedule to mesh with someone might be difficult. My wife and I are both medical professionals as well as falconers, and you are more than welcome to come hawking with us if you ever make it up to Lewisburg.

[cindy]

Hello and welcome!

[rdilbarova]

falconers tend to be a little "different" by nature... you will probably fit right in....

I hope so!

Rima,
Cheri Heimbach is our apprentice coordinator and her email is located on our state falconry website. If you can not locate it, PM me and I will pass along her information. She will be able to best direct you to able/willing potential sponsors in your area. Most guys/gals (from my experience) like to have you go hunting with them for a season to asses your commitment. Do not be afraid to ask a falconer to go hunting and follow up with him/her if it doesn't happen right away. I personally do not "beg" interested persons to go hunting and expect follow up to come from their end. Falconry is for the most part a solitary activity and getting your schedule to mesh with someone might be difficult. My wife and I are both medical professionals as well as falconers, and you are more than welcome to come hawking with us if you ever make it up to Lewisburg.

I will keep that in mind for the future, thank you! I will not contact her just yet, I know that I do not want to be an apprentice for at least a year because of my schedule for the upcoming school year. During this time I will see if there is anyone I can spend a couple of days with in the field/ do research/ try to figure out if I can fit a mews in my yard. But it is great to hear that someone in the medical field is into falconry, I will be sure to let you know if I ever get to your neck of the woods, and I appreciate the invitation!

Hello and welcome!

Thank you!