Welcome. If your an avid outdoorsman and are looking for quite the something else then you're headed in the right direction. I've just gone thru my first year with my first bird and I can't wait to do it again. For the first time in a long time I was genuinely depressed hunting season was over and am looking forward to next year like a teenager again.
I'm just south of Baton Rouge so I know little of who's up in the northern part of the state but I'd contact LDWF in your region and see if the falconry guy can point you in the right direction, if not contact Jimmy Ernst in the Hammond office. I know he was working on a revised list of state falconers possibly open to helping newcomers. If you need some more help, PM me and I'll do what I can.