List of Past NAFA Meets?

[FredFogg]

I sent an email to Greg Thomas asking for this information as I recall him posting about how he has been going to the NAFA meets for many, many years but I figured I would put it out there for everyone as you never know who might have this information. I am looking for a list of the Year, City and State of all the past NAFA meets from the beginning until 2000 (I have a list from 2000 up to 2010). This was a request by one of the NAFA members to have them all listed on the NAFA website. Anyone out there able to help?

Thanks,

[Tom Smith]

I sent an email to Greg Thomas asking for this information as I recall him posting about how he has been going to the NAFA meets for many, many years but I figured I would put it out there for everyone as you never know who might have this information. I am looking for a list of the Year, City and State of all the past NAFA meets from the beginning until 2000 (I have a list from 2000 up to 2010). This was a request by one of the NAFA members to have them all listed on the NAFA website. Anyone out there able to help?

Thanks,

I know they didn't have one in 1965 but they did have a 1965 meet but it was in January of '66 in Elko Nevada, later the same year '66 they had another in Centerville SD over Thanksgiving. I think that was Greg Thomas's first meet. I don't recall seeing him at the '64 meet also in Centerville, SD. I think there is a Sports Illustrated article on the 63 meet also in Centerville, I wasn't there but my good freind Joe Platt was and it was he that created my interest in going to the next one. Before that there were at least one maybe two but I wasn't there.
The 1967 meet was in Indiana I'm thinking, could be wrong, I didn't go. The 1968 meet was back in Centerville and created a ruckus among the town folk so it was the last one in Centerville. They had another in Yankton SD maybe more but I was shamed out of going to anymore (see ruckus above).

[wgtail]

St Louis in I think 1974.
That hooked me for life.


Mike Mallett

[Roper]

so since you threw this out there what was the rukus about.. ? and being that was 20 years ago ....what happend.?

[Lowachi]

73-St.Louis, 74-5-YanktonSD, 76-St.Louis, 77/78Alamosa CO, 79-Lebanon IN, 80 Alamosa, 81-Joplin MO, 82 Brigham UT, 83-Amarillo TX, 84/85 Lamar CO, 86 Kearney NE, 87 Cedar City UT, 88 Amarillo, 89 Kearney, 90 Woodward OK,
91-Liberal KS, 92Lamar, 93 Kearney, 94 ???, 95-Amarillo, 96-Lamar, 97-Dodge City KS, 98 -Vernal UT, 99-Waverly IA

[California Native]

the first meet was held in reno, nevada in 1962.

dan

[Tom Smith]

so since you threw this out there what was the rukus about.. ? and being that was 20 years ago ....what happend.?

It was more like 50 years ago. In 1968 many falconers had reach drinking age about that time and were enjoying being away from parents and living it up some for the first time. I was older and a seasoned veteran of living it up. There was a lot of girl chasing going on and who could blame them young studs, them young SD girls were gorgeous, but most were underaged or married. That was a sore spot with the locals.

Some one presumably drunk ran into the War Memorial Statue in the city park, that didn't go over to well. Many of us were camped at a place out of town, a park with a nice meeting house that caught fire, probably accidentally, and burned down on the last Sunday of the meet. Fortunately I was nearly back in Idaho by then.

The actions of a few unruly falconers had caused our host The late Don Hunter quite a bit of embarrassment with the local townfolk. It was to bad to, that area of SD was a great place to have a falconry meet with lots of game. It was one of the highlights of my life.

[California Native]

i think the 1969 meet was in central washington state.

dan

[FredFogg]

Ok, here is what I have so far! Please correct me if I am wrong on any of them and help me fill in the blanks. Thanks a bunch you all, this is great. I hope if anything, helping me out will help bring back some great memories.

2019 – Colorado
2018 – Nebraska
2017 – Utah
2016 – Kansas
2015 – Oklahoma
2014 – Texas
2013 – Colorado
2012 – Nebraska
2011 – Utah
2010 – Kansas
2009 – Woodward, Oklahoma
2008 – Amarillo, Texas
2007 – Alamosa, Colorado
2006 – Kearney, Nebraska
2005 – Vernal, Utah
2004 – Garden City, Kansas
2003 – Amarillo, Texas
2002 – Kearney, Nebraska
2001 – Lamar, Colorado
2000 – Amarillo, Texas
1999 – Waverly, Indiana
1998 – Vernal, Utah
1997 – Dodge City, Kansas
1996 – Lamar, Colorado
1995 – Amarillo, Texas
1994 – Dodge City, Kansas
1993 – Kearney, Nebraska
1992 – Lamar, Colorado
1991 – Liberal, Kansas
1990 – Woodward, Oklahoma
1989 – Kearney, Nebraska
1988 – Amarillo, Texas
1987 – Cedar City, Utah
1986 – Kearney, Nebraska
1985 – Lamar, Colorado
1984 – Lamar, Colorado
1983 – Amarillo, Texas
1982 – Brigham, Utah
1981 – Joplin, Montana
1980 – Alamosa, Colorado
1979 – Lebanon, Indiana
1978 – Alamosa, Colorado
1977 – Alamosa, Colorado
1976 – St. Louis, Missouri
1975 – Yankton, South Dakota
1974 – Yankton, South Dakota
1973 – St. Louis, Missouri
1972
1971
1970
1969 - ?, Washington
1968 – Centerville, South Dakota
1967
1966 – Centerville, South Dakota
1965 – Elko, Nevada (actually held in January 1966)
1964
1963
1962 – Reno, Nevada

[Lowachi]

Fred, 81-Joplin Missouri & this year Dodge City

[FredFogg]

Fred, 81-Joplin Missouri & this year Dodge City

Thanks Rich!

[Hunter45]

I know they didn't have one in 1965 but they did have a 1965 meet but it was in January of '66 in Elko Nevada, later the same year '66 they had another in Centerville SD over Thanksgiving. I think that was Greg Thomas's first meet. I don't recall seeing him at the '64 meet also in Centerville, SD. I think there is a Sports Illustrated article on the 63 meet also in Centerville, I wasn't there but my good freind Joe Platt was and it was he that created my interest in going to the next one. Before that there were at least one maybe two but I wasn't there.
The 1967 meet was in Indiana I'm thinking, could be wrong, I didn't go. The 1968 meet was back in Centerville and created a ruckus among the town folk so it was the last one in Centerville. They had another in Yankton SD maybe more but I was shamed out of going to anymore (see ruckus above).

Tom, you are right my first Meet was the '66 Centerville Meet. The '67 Meet was actually held in bitter cold weather in January, '68 in Willington, IL. IN's only hosting of a NAFA Meet (it was us or no Meet) was 1979, the year after the infamous Blizzard of '78. Our DNR was flabbergasted when someone caught a hen pheasant not too far from the hotel - maybe the only one in the state that survived the prior winter.

That said, we did have some good rabbit hawking, AND we introduced the concept of a NAFA Meet being a family event by scheduling the Meet at a Holiday In Holidome facility that featured an indoor pool, pin ball games, etc. It also had a nifty inner courtyard that worked very well as the weathering yard.

Oh, and the best story of the Meet was the evening the inn manager reminded the group that the hot tub not only was closed at 10 pm, but that the amorous couple's activity that he observed from his onsite apartment, that overlooked the hot tub, wasn't, ahem, permissible at any time. Everyone did a quick swivel neck to see who was red-faced, but we never did find out who the two were who did the wild thing in the hot tub.

[Lowachi]

"79 the first meet print too, wasn't it?

[Tom Smith]

Tom, you are right my first Meet was the '66 Centerville Meet. The '67 Meet was actually held in bitter cold weather in January, '68 in Willington, IL. IN's only hosting of a NAFA Meet (it was us or no Meet) was 1979, the year after the infamous Blizzard of '78. Our DNR was flabbergasted when someone caught a hen pheasant not too far from the hotel - maybe the only one in the state that survived the prior winter.

That said, we did have some good rabbit hawking, AND we introduced the concept of a NAFA Meet being a family event by scheduling the Meet at a Holiday In Holidome facility that featured an indoor pool, pin ball games, etc. It also had a nifty inner courtyard that worked very well as the weathering yard.

Oh, and the best story of the Meet was the evening the inn manager reminded the group that the hot tub not only was closed at 10 pm, but that the amorous couple's activity that he observed from his onsite apartment, that overlooked the hot tub, wasn't, ahem, permissible at any time. Everyone did a quick swivel neck to see who was red-faced, but we never did find out who the two were who did the wild thing in the hot tub.

Yah, I couldn't remember where the '67 meet was for sure. Even now though, I can remember certain things about all the meets I attended but not very much.

I'll tell you how your bird got fed up at the '68 meet, if you tell me who was doing the wild thing in the hot tub, you first, lol, I have a hard time believing you didn't find out eventually.

Regards,

[FredFogg]

Tom, you are right my first Meet was the '66 Centerville Meet. The '67 Meet was actually held in bitter cold weather in January, '68 in Willington, IL. IN's only hosting of a NAFA Meet (it was us or no Meet) was 1979, the year after the infamous Blizzard of '78. Our DNR was flabbergasted when someone caught a hen pheasant not too far from the hotel - maybe the only one in the state that survived the prior winter.

That said, we did have some good rabbit hawking, AND we introduced the concept of a NAFA Meet being a family event by scheduling the Meet at a Holiday In Holidome facility that featured an indoor pool, pin ball games, etc. It also had a nifty inner courtyard that worked very well as the weathering yard.

Oh, and the best story of the Meet was the evening the inn manager reminded the group that the hot tub not only was closed at 10 pm, but that the amorous couple's activity that he observed from his onsite apartment, that overlooked the hot tub, wasn't, ahem, permissible at any time. Everyone did a quick swivel neck to see who was red-faced, but we never did find out who the two were who did the wild thing in the hot tub.

Greg,

Do you know where the 63, 64, 69, 70, 71, 72 meets were held?

And I am really glad this is bringing up so great memories for folks and I hope folks that haven't gone to a NAFA meet will be encouraged by these memories to attend and make some of their own.

Thanks,

[Tom Smith]

Greg,

Do you know where the 63, 64, 69, 70, 71, 72 meets were held?

And I am really glad this is bringing up so great memories for folks and I hope folks that haven't gone to a NAFA meet will be encouraged by these memories to attend and make some of their own.

Thanks,

As I reported above the 64 and 63 meets were in Centerville SD also. There is a nice spread of the 63 meet in Sports Illustrated. I'm not sure of the issue date. I think some one could come up with date searching the SI archives. It would be worth reprinting somewhere.

[Hunter45]

Ok, here is what I have so far! Please correct me if I am wrong on any of them and help me fill in the blanks. Thanks a bunch you all, this is great. I hope if anything, helping me out will help bring back some great memories.


1972
1971
1970
1969 - ?, Washington
1968 – Centerville, South Dakota
1967
1966 – Centerville, South Dakota
1965 – Elko, Nevada (actually held in January 1966)
1964
1963
1962 – Reno, Nevada

Hope this helps.

1972 - NO MEET (As I recall due to legal issues; Raptor Research Foundation did meet that year)
1971 - Yankton, SD
1970 - Yankton, SD
1969 - NO MEET (can't recall reason for this; maybe no one to host)
1967 - Hosted by GLFA in Willmington, IL in January, 1968

[Hunter45]

"79 the first meet print too, wasn't it?

Rich, I think you may be right. It was a Richard Sloan black and white, probably the rarest of the NAFA prints.

[Hunter45]

1981 – Joplin, Montana - SHOULD BE JOPLIN, MISSOURI
1980 – Alamosa, Colorado
1978 – Alamosa, Colorado
1977 – Alamosa, Colorado
1976 – St. Louis, Missouri - YOUR SURE FOR THIS ONE? I THOUGHT ONLY '73 IN ST. LOUIS.

It sticks in my mind that '76 and '77 were in Alamosa, '78 was ??? and '80 was Amarillo.

Anyone else on here remember these?

[Hunter45]

The Waverly Meet was in Iowa, NOT Indiana

[Lowachi]

1981 – Joplin, Montana - SHOULD BE JOPLIN, MISSOURI
1980 – Alamosa, Colorado
1978 – Alamosa, Colorado
1977 – Alamosa, Colorado
1976 – St. Louis, Missouri - YOUR SURE FOR THIS ONE? I THOUGHT ONLY '73 IN ST. LOUIS.

It sticks in my mind that '76 and '77 were in Alamosa, '78 was ??? and '80 was Amarillo.

Anyone else on here remember these?

Yep, 76- first head with Jess @ a NAFA meet in St.Louis jhawking with Billy McBride.......77/78/80 all Alamosa - have the pins on the hat to verifyall spent hawking with Bill there too. Come to think of it, I did most of my bunny hawking with Bill McBride

[Hunter45]

Yep, 76- first head with Jess @ a NAFA meet in St.Louis jhawking with Billy McBride.......77/78/80 all Alamosa - have the pins on the hat to verifyall spent hawking with Bill there too. Come to think of it, I did most of my bunny hawking with Bill McBride

Those "first time" experiences cement things in our minds, so I'll go with Rich's remembrance of these Meet locations/dates, especially w/the pins -should have checked mine! - in fact, I'm going to do that right now.

[Hunter45]

. . . . . . . -should have checked mine! - in fact, I'm going to do that right now.

Yep, my pins confirm what Rich said.

[FredFogg]

GREAT! Thanks to everyone that helped out!

Here is the complete list, please look over it again and make sure I made all the correct changes.

2019 – Colorado
2018 – Nebraska
2017 – Utah
2016 – Kansas
2015 – Oklahoma
2014 – Texas
2013 – Colorado
2012 – Nebraska
2011 – Utah
2010 – Dodge City, Kansas
2009 – Woodward, Oklahoma
2008 – Amarillo, Texas
2007 – Alamosa, Colorado
2006 – Kearney, Nebraska
2005 – Vernal, Utah
2004 – Garden City, Kansas
2003 – Amarillo, Texas
2002 – Kearney, Nebraska
2001 – Lamar, Colorado
2000 – Amarillo, Texas
1999 – Waverly, Iowa
1998 – Vernal, Utah
1997 – Dodge City, Kansas
1996 – Lamar, Colorado
1995 – Amarillo, Texas
1994 – Dodge City, Kansas
1993 – Kearney, Nebraska
1992 – Lamar, Colorado
1991 – Liberal, Kansas
1990 – Woodward, Oklahoma
1989 – Kearney, Nebraska
1988 – Amarillo, Texas
1987 – Cedar City, Utah
1986 – Kearney, Nebraska
1985 – Lamar, Colorado
1984 – Lamar, Colorado
1983 – Amarillo, Texas
1982 – Brigham, Utah
1981 – Joplin, Missouri
1980 – Alamosa, Colorado
1979 – Lebanon, Indiana
1978 – Alamosa, Colorado
1977 – Alamosa, Colorado
1976 – St. Louis, Missouri
1975 – Yankton, South Dakota
1974 – Yankton, South Dakota
1973 – St. Louis, Missouri
1972 – No Meet
1971 – Yankton, South Dakota
1970 – Yankton, South Dakota
1969 – Sunnyside, Washington
1968 – Centerville, South Dakota
1967 – Wilmington, Illinois (actually held in January 1968)
1966 – Centerville, South Dakota
1965 – Elko, Nevada (actually held in January 1966)
1964 – Centerville, South Dakota
1963 – Centerville, South Dakota
1962 – Reno, Nevada

This will be posted on the NAFA website very soon! Also, just a FYI, I am currently working on installing an online Meet Registration for the 2010 NAFA Meet. Hopefully, I will have it finished when NAFA announces the meet specifics and folks will be able to register online or print out the registration form and do it the old way.

Again, thanks for all your help, just trying to add things to the website that folks have requested.

[Brian Kellogg]

Hope this helps.

1972 - NO MEET (As I recall due to legal issues; Raptor Research Foundation did meet that year)
1971 - Yankton, SD
1970 - Yankton, SD
1969 - NO MEET (can't recall reason for this; maybe no one to host)
1967 - Hosted by GLFA in Willmington, IL in January, 1968

The 69 meet was in Sunnyside, WA

[FredFogg]

The 69 meet was in Sunnyside, WA

Thanks Brian!

[Tasha55403]

This will be posted on the NAFA website very soon! Also, just a FYI, I am currently working on installing an online Meet Registration for the 2010 NAFA Meet. Hopefully, I will have it finished when NAFA announces the meet specifics and folks will be able to register online or print out the registration form and do it the old way.

Again, thanks for all your help, just trying to add things to the website that folks have requested.

Sweet! That'll be great Thanks Fred

[FredFogg]

Well, I put it out there! Please take a look and let me know if I made any mistakes.

http://www.n-a-f-a.com/Meets.htm#Past

[Hunter45]

The 69 meet was in Sunnyside, WA

I stand corrected, Brian. Wasn't the Raptor Research Foundation annual meeting that year, held there at the same time as well? Maybe that's what is sticking in my brain and making me think there was no Meet that year.

[Dutch]

The first meeting of the NAFA took place at Hal and Katie Webster’s home over Thanksgiving in 1961, when NAFA was formed. The attendees ate elk stew at the Webster home which was cooked in a huge cast iron pot hanging in the fireplace. Frank Beebe drew the head of a Peregrine on the hearth of the fireplace with a charred stick, he pulled out of the fire. Frank also drew the head of a Goshawk on a log that was waiting to be added to the fire. The banquet was held at a restaurant in Littleton, Colorado on Saturday night. Jim Enderson gave a presentation on his research on Prairie Falcons after the dinner.
While the majority of the attendees were Colorado residents, falconers came from Alaska, California, South Dakota, Oregon, Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico. There are records for all that attended the meetings at the Webster’s home. There are no records for who attended the banquet, however the banquet room was packed.
Many lifelong friendships began at that meeting.
J. Stoddart

[Hunter45]

The first meeting of the NAFA took place at Hal and Katie Webster’s home over Thanksgiving in 1961, when NAFA was formed. The attendees ate elk stew at the Webster home which was cooked in a huge cast iron pot hanging in the fireplace. Frank Beebe drew the head of a Peregrine on the hearth of the fireplace with a charred stick, he pulled out of the fire. Frank also drew the head of a Goshawk on a log that was waiting to be added to the fire. The banquet was held at a restaurant in Littleton, Colorado on Saturday night. Jim Enderson gave a presentation on his research on Prairie Falcons after the dinner.
While the majority of the attendees were Colorado residents, falconers came from Alaska, California, South Dakota, Oregon, Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico. There are records for all that attended the meetings at the Webster’s home. There are no records for who attended the banquet, however the banquet room was packed.
Many lifelong friendships began at that meeting.
J. Stoddart

Jack has penned, in his special style, a picture that our minds can embrace of one of NAFA's seminal events. His comment on the lifelong friendships formed is a masterful understatement to those who understand the difficulty of forming and keeping true lifelong friendships. Those friendships, and the ones added to them, were, in a large part, the "firm foundation" that allowed NAFA to build on and grow for nearly 50 years.

It is more than important, no, it is imperative, that the current generations understand, honor, and learn from such a legacy if NAFA is to continue for another 50 years. Thanks, Jack, for putting this long past moment before us to enjoy and learn from.

[Ron Clarke]

Hi Fred,

Thanks for putting this list together. One minor typo: the UT Meet in 1982 was in Brigham City, not "Brigham." That year, the RRF met in Salt Lake City immediately prior to the NAFA Meet, so there was a huge crowd of raptor people -- falconers, scientists, academics, agency people, artists, and photographers -- wandering around north central Utah for a couple of weeks. It was a marvelous cross-pollination of the academic and falconry communities, as well as a great lot of fun.

On a personal note, my trip from Alaska to Utah was punctuated by a Seattle peformance by T-Bone Burnett, The Clash, and The Who, which made the journey even more memorable.

[FredFogg]

Hi Fred,

Thanks for putting this list together. One minor typo: the UT Meet in 1982 was in Brigham City, not "Brigham." That year, the RRF met in Salt Lake City immediately prior to the NAFA Meet, so there was a huge crowd of raptor people -- falconers, scientists, academics, agency people, artists, and photographers -- wandering around north central Utah for a couple of weeks. It was a marvelous cross-pollination of the academic and falconry communities, as well as a great lot of fun.

On a personal note, my trip from Alaska to Utah was punctuated by a Seattle peformance by T-Bone Burnett, The Clash, and The Who, which made the journey even more memorable.

Thanks Ron, I will update that in a few minutes! Folks, continue to look over the list and let me know if there are any other errors! Again, thanks everyone!

[latham]

The 1969 NAFA Meet wasn't an actual meet. According to the August, 1969 Hawk Chalk, report of Secretary Jim Weaver, there a Symposium on the peregrine falcon was going to take the place of the meet. His announcement reads:
A proposal by Butch Olendorf for NAFA to hold a symposium during Thanksgiving to consider actions and policies required as a result of the Washington D.C. meeting in March was accepted by the (NAFA) Directors. This meeting has been scheduled during the normal period that NAFA has held its annual meet, with the thought that consideration of the action to assure the continued availabilty of the use of the Peregrine Falcon for use in falconry was of much greater importance at this time than the pleasures resulting from the annual field meet. ...

On a personal note, I did attend that conference in Fort Collins. The details can be found in subsequent Chalks. This is widely considered to be NAFA's 1969 "Meet". The December 1969 Hawk Chalk was a lengthy report on that symposium.
There was a regional meet that fall in the Pacific Northwest region. In his April 1970 North Pacific Director's report, Jim Cook writes: I would like to comment briefly on the combined NFA (Northwest Falconers Assn.) - NAFA field meet held in Washington last fall, with special emphasis on the meeting held Friday night. Briefly, attendance and weather were poor, but ....(Jim then describes some hunting and the Peregrine Symposium held the previous week in Fort Collins. Olendorf was present to answer questions)....
Therefore, NAFA's "official" meet was the peregrine symposium in Fort Collins, followed by a regional meet the following week in Washington.
Bob Collins

[Hunter45]

The 1969 NAFA Meet wasn't an actual meet. According to the August, 1969 Hawk Chalk, report of Secretary Jim Weaver, there a Symposium on the peregrine falcon was going to take the place of the meet. His announcement reads:
A proposal by Butch Olendorf for NAFA to hold a symposium during Thanksgiving to consider actions and policies required as a result of the Washington D.C. meeting in March was accepted by the (NAFA) Directors. This meeting has been scheduled during the normal period that NAFA has held its annual meet, with the thought that consideration of the action to assure the continued availabilty of the use of the Peregrine Falcon for use in falconry was of much greater importance at this time than the pleasures resulting from the annual field meet. ...

On a personal note, I did attend that conference in Fort Collins. The details can be found in subsequent Chalks. This is widely considered to be NAFA's 1969 "Meet". The December 1969 Hawk Chalk was a lengthy report on that symposium.
There was a regional meet that fall in the Pacific Northwest region. In his April 1970 North Pacific Director's report, Jim Cook writes: I would like to comment briefly on the combined NFA (Northwest Falconers Assn.) - NAFA field meet held in Washington last fall, with special emphasis on the meeting held Friday night. Briefly, attendance and weather were poor, but ....(Jim then describes some hunting and the Peregrine Symposium held the previous week in Fort Collins. Olendorf was present to answer questions)....
Therefore, NAFA's "official" meet was the peregrine symposium in Fort Collins, followed by a regional meet the following week in Washington.
Bob Collins

GREAT clarification on this, Bob, and your recollection brought back to light some of the items I had not been able to accurately recall earlier on this thread. Thanks to you and Jack Stoddart for your great "history" lessons for us all!