2014 NAFA Meet Lubbock, TX

[frootdog]

As many of you have already heard the 2014 NAFA meet will be in Lubbock, TX from November 23-28. I am chairing the meet. I will have more details VERY soon, but for now I would like to say I am open for suggestions, questions, or any feedback you may have. I have not been on NAFEX in a while, but will check in on this thread and update it regularly. If anyone wants to get a hold of me directly my cell phone # is 817-528-9743 and my email address is frootdog@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from y'all.

[mcogar88]

All I can say is I'm looking forward to the meet. It will be my first NAFA meet and cant wait to get out there and chase some Jacks. =) I've been waiting for some information. Do you know if we will have to get a medical check/import permit?

[Jason123]

Looking forward to it. Best of luck putting it together.

[frootdog]

All I can say is I'm looking forward to the meet. It will be my first NAFA meet and cant wait to get out there and chase some Jacks. =) I've been waiting for some information. Do you know if we will have to get a medical check/import permit?

There is no import permit and no health certificate required. Texas is easy peasy to bring animals to.

[Yeomanfalconer]

There is no import permit and no health certificate required. Texas is easy peasy to bring animals to.

I like that, I guess there is something I like about Texas policy afterall.

[MrBill]

Krys,

I have not been to a NAFA meet in a while, but am looking forward to attending this one. I am hoping for a good number of jacks in the area this year. Good luck.

Bill Boni

[frootdog]

Krys,

I have not been to a NAFA meet in a while, but am looking forward to attending this one. I am hoping for a good number of jacks in the area this year. Good luck.

Bill Boni

Looking forward to seeing you there Bill. Early reports are that the jack population in Lubbock is doing quite well.

[cwd56]

Looking forward to seeing you, there Bill. Early reports are that the jack population in Lubbock is doing quite well.

Not real sure where you've got this information Krys, but due to the lack of rain jack numbers are down pretty bad. I am leaving Lubbock as I type this and we went out and kicked around a few spots that used to have good jack numbers and I kicked up one jack over a couple if hours. Did not look for pheasant, but from asking several gun hunters I know, they were almost nonexistent this season due to the drought. I'm not wanting to rain on anyone's parade, but if we don't get some moisture, it's not going to improve. Also, all the duck ponds I looked at were dry or just about there. We were supposed to get some rain today, but I believe most of it was north around Amarillo, go figure lol. IF we can get some moisture, I could see it improving some, but as is, I'm not very optimistic on numbers. I will be kicking around a few other spots soon and will see how it looks.

[MrBill]

Not real sure where you've got this information Krys, but due to the lack of rain jack numbers are down pretty bad. I am leaving Lubbock as I type this and we went out and kicked around a few spots that used to have good jack numbers and I kicked up one jack over a couple if hours. Did not look for pheasant, but from asking several gun hunters I know, they were almost nonexistent this season due to the drought. I'm not wanting to rain on anyone's parade, but if we don't get some moisture, it's not going to improve. Also, all the duck ponds I looked at were dry or just about there. We were supposed to get some rain today, but I believe most of it was north around Amarillo, go figure lol. IF we can get some moisture, I could see it improving some, but as is, I'm not very optimistic on numbers. I will be kicking around a few other spots soon and will see how it looks.

This sounds very much like the situation in Amarillo, I am told, except it is even worse. I am hopeful that Lubbock has a wet spring and continued moisture, particularly for Krys's sake, as I have learned from my own experience chairing one of these meets that all can go wrong (including the meet hotel going BK a week before our arrival), but if there is plenty of game, everyone is happy. Hang in there, Krys. All's well that ends well.

Bill Boni

[broken feather]

Krys, what is available for longwings?

[kimmerar]

How is the starling and grackle population? As good as Amarillo?

[frootdog]

How is the starling and grackle population? As good as Amarillo?

As good if not better.

[frootdog]

Krys, what is available for longwings?

Ducks, quail, some pheasant

[broken feather]

Krys, Dove or snipe?

[frootdog]

Krys, Dove or snipe?

Dove yes but I will have to check to see if they will be in season at that time.

[forensics]

So nice to have it closer. Perhaps I can make this one.

[FredFogg]

Krys, does TX have good beer?

[frootdog]

Krys, does TX have good beer?

No. We have the BEST beer.

[frootdog]

2014 NAFA Meet Lubbock, Texas
By Chair Krys Langevin & Co-Chair Brandi Nickerson

Once again NAFA returns to the wild, wild, west and the great state of Texas. However, this time around we are heading 90 minutes south of our traditional host city, to the heart of jack rabbit country – the great city of Lubbock. Time to dig out those thick, black glasses, skinny jeans, and sport the timeless bouffant hair-dos, we’re visiting the birth place of Buddy Holly!

This was not an easy decision or simply for the sake of change, it was made entirely with a mind on the availability of quarry. Reports from Amarillo indicate traditional game populations have been particularly hard hit by the ongoing drought that affects the Midwest. Reports from falconers and wildlife biologists suggest Lubbock game populations are in much better shape.

Plans are already in full swing. Hotel contracts are in the process of being singed. Dinner menu’s finalized. Raffles donations are being sought. Sponsorship for nightly hors d'oeuvres. And, the most important aspect of any meet – access to land and game – is moving forward in high gear. Lucky for us former SE NAFA director Michael Beran is leading the land acquisition efforts for the meet. Those familiar with Lubbock know it to be the home of Texas Tech University and lots of wide open space, negotiations are underway to gain access to large tracts of land owned by Texas Tech and the City of Lubbock.

The remaining information pertains to the meet hotel, regulations, weathering yard rules, raffle coordination, registration, and other important meet details. Also, something else I am very pleased to have been given permission to try, a Field Meet Facebook page and Twitter account. Please like and follow us on Facebook and later on Twitter, ask questions, make suggestions, or just say hi. Otherwise, if anyone needs to reach out to us in more traditional methods I can be reached at frootdog@yahoo.com or 817-528-9743 and Brandi can be reached at brandi7777@yahoo.com or 940-507-0333.

2014 Annual NAFA Field Meet
Dates: November 23-28, 2014
Hotel: To Be Published


Meet Details: For the most current meet information please refer to http://www.n-a-f-a.com/Meets.htm or the NAFA field meet Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/2014NAFAMeet

Cancellation Policy: Full amount of the registration fee will be refunded if written cancellation notice is received no later than November 2nd. After this date, refunds will not be possible. (Written notification must be via email to brandi7777@yahoo.com or USPS to 7828 Hood St., Fort Worth, TX 76135.).

Reservations: As is customary, the Meet Hotel will start accepting reservations on May 1st, 2014. Make your reservations early! At this time we have not negotiated preferred rates at any overflow hotels. We will revisit this if there is a need. To make reservations please call (To Be Published) or make reservations online at a special NAFA attendees only page setup by the Meet Hotel for our group. Go to: (To Be Published)

Thanksgiving Dinner: There will be a Thanksgiving dinner provided by the hotel. This is something they already do every year and it is far cheaper than any “private” event we could hope to organize. The cost is $14.95 per person and there is no need to RSVP therefore it is not included in the preregistration forms.

Hunting Information: Visiting and hunting in Texas is simple. No import permits or health certificates are required for your hunting partners. All you will need is an out of state hunting permit; $48 for a 5 day permit or $315 for the whole year – available at any location that sells hunting licenses. Endorsements or stamps you may need depend on your target quarry – Upland Game ($7) and Migratory Bird ($7). (Don’t forget a Federal Duck Stamp if you don’t already have yours.)

Non-Resident Trapping: For those interested in trapping while attending the NAFA meet, there are occasionally Harris’s Hawks found in and around Lubbock. A two hour drive south to the Midland/Odessa area will yield larger populations for those who may be interested in trapping or watching Harris’s in their natural element. Prairie falcons and Merlins are also be found in and around Lubbock. The permit application can be found at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business...life/falconry/ . The fee is $378. Please give Texas Parks and Wildlife plenty of advanced notice if you intend to go trapping so they can issue you the appropriate permit.

Weathering Yard: The first call I made as meet chair was to Rich Borquist, to make sure he and his team would again handle this very important responsibility. Rich and his team are ultimately responsible for the safely of all our birds while in the yard. Rich, Brandon Borquist, and Mario Nickerson will again be handling weathering yard duties. If you have any questions Rich can be reached at lowachi@hotmail.com or 309-369-4293. Mario can be reached at dirthawking@yahoo.com or 817-751-5775.

Please remember, the Yard Warden has final authority on everything as it relates to the weathering yard. The yard rules are as follows
1. No tid-bitting or feeding is allowed in or near the weathering yard.
2. Perches should not be taller than the height of the bird
3. Birds need to be tied short, i.e. fit within a 4' X 4' (16sq. ft.) area.
4. No dogs allowed in the weathering yard (or at the gate entry area.)
5. No Loitering in the yard (please keep story telling in the yard to a minimum)
6. No photography inside the yard. (There are exceptions, and may require an escort. Please inquire at the gate).
7. All transmitters must be turned off in the yard. (We will periodically sweep the yard and turn off any we find)
8. The Yard Warden has final authority.

From Rich: To add the above, because this is not a covered yard, nor is your bird the only bird there, the following rules have been added:
a) No "fishing tackle" (coastal locks, etc.) allowed past micro sized raptors.
b) No threaded links, spring clips, split rings allowed.
c) Portable perches must be anchored.
d) Take-apart perches: birds must be tied to the spike/anchored to the spot.

These add-ons have all come about due to incidents in the past. Though none of them caused a death or permanent loss, their failures did result in escapes and/or an injury to other's birds and have been banned from the NAFA weathering yard. If you have any concerns, don't hesitate to ask me (Rich) or my crew. We try our best to check every bird's gear as they come into the yard the first time. We will be checking gear every day, throughout the day while your birds are in our care.

Please remember, the wardens have the final say.

Last year NAFA enacted a system of fines and rental fees and those are as follows…
Equipment rental and late fees in the weathering yard:
• At the complete discretion of the Weathering Yard wardens…
• Perches may be rented for $10 the first day, $15 the second day with a two day maximum.
• Late fees for leaving your bird out past yard hours is $20 per occurrence.

Raffle Coordinator: I am pleased to announce that Michelle Anderson will be reprising her role as the NAFA Rafflemeister. Michelle can be reached at dragonflydreams888@hotmail.com or by phone at 651-245-7064. Raffles are held on various nights throughout the week with the prizes getting bigger and better as the week goes on culminating in the grand finale on Friday night. If you have ever wondered how you can help NAFA then here’s your chance. The income from the nightly raffles are key to NAFA’s finances, your raffle donations are imperative and much appreciated. Be creative, remember NAFA meets have become a family event, there are plenty of spouses and kids attending and participating in the nightly raffles, so the items do not always have to be falconry related. If you would like to donate please drop Michelle a line and ask her what she needs or what you can bring. If you can’t make it to the meet and would like to make a donation we can help figure out a way to get your donation to the meet.

Registration Coordinator: For some reason being meet co-chair was not enough and Brandi has volunteered to be the registration coordinator again. Brandi can be reached at brandi7777@yahoo.com or 940-507-0333. There will be multiple opportunities throughout the week to check in and pick up preregistration packets or to register onsite. Those dates and times will be announced online at a later date.

Vendor Coordinator: Along with helping in the weathering yard, Mario Nickerson will be coordinating vending this year. His contact info is dirthawking@yahoo.com or 817-751-5775. The Hotel has 15,000-square-foot meeting space, which features a 7,000-square-foot conference center as its centerpiece. That means there is a lot of room for evening meetings followed by nightly vending. If you are a falconry equipment vendor this is an opportunity to meet and hawk your wares to a collective audience of falconers. To make things easier on vendors we have reserved a block of first floor rooms, close to the vending area, just for vendors. To ensure you are assigned one of these rooms please contact Mario no later than October 1st. This is a first come first serve opportunity for a first floor room. Vending will be open Monday through Thursday with a special vendor raffle and meet and greet on Monday night.

Falconry Concierge (formerly Foreign Liaison): Peter Nolan has become the mainstay when it comes to arranging outings for our visiting guests. We are adding a special section to the new NAFA Field Meet Facebook page for visiting guests to sign up well in advance to ensure we can better arrange to get you out in the field. If you have any questions or special requests Peter can be reached at pnolanponds@gmail.com or 970-388-1667. Peter can arrange hawking parties for just about anyone, foreign guests, locals, and or anyone that wants to just go see something different flown on game. Trapping excursions are also popular activities for guests visiting from places where that don’t have the same luxuries and privileges we are lucky to have here in the US.

Peter is one of a kind, with his Aussie accent (making him hard to understand at times), incredible personality, he is very approachable, hard to miss, and always smiling, he is the perfect person for the position. If you want to take someone out hawking or want to arrange seeing some hawking that is not available in your area give Peter a shout.


Spouse/Family Activities Coordinator: Larissa Nicolle will be leading the charge on this one. Lubbock and the surrounding area have several good choices for family activities such as the Buddy Holly Center, Legacy Play Village, Mackenzie Park and Prairie Dog Town, and the Science Spectrum, a hands-on, interactive science center. If there is interest again, a trip up to Palo Duro Canyon might also be in the offering. It is still very early and still in the planning stages, we will keep everyone updated. If you have any questions or special requests Larissa can be reached at lalamaz@hotmail.com or 214-288-0653.

Last but not least…. ‘There will be Blood III’………..
Blood Drive: Ron Clarke is again organizing the 3rd annual NAFA blood drive. Details are still being worked out on this one so stay tuned for more updates on “There will be blood 3”. If you have any questions, Ron can be reached at director_at_large_2@n-a-f-a.com or 907-723-6840.

I hope you are all making plans to attend another great Texas NAFA Field Meet. If you have any questions or suggestions I’d love to hear them. Hope to see you all in Lubbock!

[frootdog]

Before everyone starts trying to make hotel reservations..........

We are in the final stages of getting a contract done so the special rates are not yet available and if you call the hotel will likely NOT know what you are talking about. Rest assured this hotel has far more than enough rooms to host even the largest of NAFA meets so there is no rush.

[Lowachi]

Shiner works Fred

[broken feather]

Krys, I looked up the season on doves and pheasants. they will be closed in Nov. Fred, tequila!!!

[FredFogg]

Fred, tequila!!!

Wait! Is this meet in TX or Mexico?

[I don't know]

Krys, I looked up the season on doves and pheasants. they will be closed in Nov. Fred, tequila!!!

The dove laws don't matter as there are a ton of euro collard dove up there in the fields.
No season on euro collard.
As for the question about federally protects grackles, you do know they are a native bird right?
And you cannot legally hunt them.
In Texas also.
They do have a let it lay law now.
So if you kill something that shouldn't have been the bird may feed up on it but you cannot take it with you.


In Texas we are also allowed to take one out of season game bird a day for hawk feeding purposes.
I.E.
1 white wing can be taken, per hawk/falcon in possession, to feed your bird.
Or in east Texas they have a squirrel season and same rule applies there, 1 squirrel for one RT.
That being said.
All members of your hunting party must have a licenses.
Even if they are not a falconer and they are beating brush they must have a licenses.

Here is a link to Texas falconry laws.
http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=31&pt=2&ch=65&sc h=K&rl=Y

[FredFogg]

The dove laws don't matter as there are a ton of euro collard dove up there in the fields.
No season on euro collard.
As for the question about federally protects grackles, you do know they are a native bird right?
And you cannot legally hunt them.
In Texas also.
They do have a let it lay law now.
So if you kill something that shouldn't have been the bird may feed up on it but you cannot take it with you.


In Texas we are also allowed to take one out of season game bird a day for hawk feeding purposes.
I.E.
1 white wing can be taken, per hawk/falcon in possession, to feed your bird.
Or in east Texas they have a squirrel season and same rule applies there, 1 squirrel for one RT.
That being said.
All members of your hunting party must have a licenses.
Even if they are not a falconer and they are beating brush they must have a licenses.

Here is a link to Texas falconry laws.
http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=31&pt=2&ch=65&sc h=K&rl=Y

Nobody believes any of this because you didn't sign your post!

[Eagle Owl]

In Texas we are also allowed to take one out of season game bird a day for hawk feeding purposes.
I.E.
1 white wing can be taken, per hawk/falcon in possession, to feed your bird.

That is not correct. You can take a game bird daily, does not include migratory birds (Migratory Game Birds: Includes all wild species of ducks, geese, coot, rail, gallinules, snipe, woodcock, doves (mourning, white-winged, white-tipped or white-fronted) and sandhill cranes. Does not include exotic collared-dove).

§65.276. Open Seasons and Bag Limits; Hunting.
(a) There shall be an open season during which game animals and
game birds except for migratory birds may be taken by means of falconry.
(1) Open season: September 1-August 31.
(2) Daily bag and possession limits:
(A) game animals: as specified for individual counties in Subchapter A of this chapter (relating to Statewide Hunting and Fishing
Proclamation);
(B) game birds other than migratory birds: one per day, either sex, per raptor, and the possession limit is two, either sex, per raptor; and
(C) migratory game birds: as provided by Subchapter N of this chapter (relating to Migratory Game Bird Proclamation).


Migratory bird regulations relating to falconry (Subchapter N) can be found here: http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/...=65&sch=N&rl=Y

Falconry regulations can be found here: http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/...=65&sch=K&rl=Y

[Saluqi]

The 2014-2015 hunting seasons have not been posted for Texas yet. As for 2013-2014 dove season, the falconry season was Nov 9 - Dec 15, 2013 (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulati...l_listing#dove).

[kimmerar]

The only reason I included grackles is because they were mixed in with the starlings years ago at the last Amarillo meet. Lets me know what I'm dealing with. My bird I have now won't touch them - she will pick the starlings out of the groups. First kestrel I have that won't take them. So no worries.

[broken feather]

Paul, I did know Tx. had a falconry season! thanks!!

[MrBill]

Kim,

You can hawk grackles legally in Oklahoma, and I believe you can do it in other states as well.

Bill Boni

[Eagle Owl]

If grackles are depredating, you can hunt them.
Yellow-headed, red-winged, rusty, or Brewer's blackbirds and all grackles, cowbirds (does not include cattle egret), crows, or magpies may be controlled without a federal or state depredation permit when found committing or about to commit depredations on ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in numbers and in a manner that constitutes a health hazard or other nuisance.

[MrBill]

or when concentrated in numbers and in a manner that constitutes a health hazard or other nuisance.

I guess that's why folks here hawk them in parking lots. I don't know about the rest of the country, but we are inundated with them in central Oklahoma. If you stay in WalMart too long, you can be almost assured that you will have grackle shit on your car when you get to it. They have really adapted to humans, but I doubt "all" of these birds are getting sufficient food in these parking lots everyday. I guess their persistence is all about the power of partial reinforcement.

Bill Boni

[Eagle Owl]

Bill, the grackles are horrible here. That is why bird abatement people get paid lots of money to get rid of them. The river walk in San Antonio is just nasty from all the poop. I know they had abatement people working down there, not sure if they still are. Most of the grackles I have seen are pretty thin and they can't be healthy with all the crap they eat.

[Saluqi]

The 2014 NAFA Meet being held in Lubbock has an official Facebook page that people can check for the latest and greatest information.

You can find it here:

https://www.facebook.com/2014NAFAMeet

[MrBill]

The 2014 NAFA Meet being held in Lubbock has an official Facebook page that people can check for the latest and greatest information.

You can find it here:

https://www.facebook.com/2014NAFAMeet

Hey Krys,

I like that logo. Pretty cool! Hell, I am going to come just to get the meet pin.

Bill Boni