Apprentice Hopeful from Northern California

[Greg Lammers]

Greetings, all!

I am a budding Apprentice Falconer from Napa County in Northern California. Specifically, Lake Berryessa. I’m one of those blessed enough to live on a lakeshore and be surrounded by the wilderness, few neighbors, and several loaded hawking fields.

I have been interested in hawking since I was twelve, and now that I’m out of the house, married, have a steady job, and half an acre of land to “clutter up” with hawking facilities (and a VERY understanding wife), the time has finally come for me. I have already built a mews, passed the DFG California Falconry Exam, have my hunting license, have nearly finished my weathering yard, own all of the equipment necessary to get started short of a Bal-Chatri and Hoods, and am set to begin rat breeding as a food source in the next few weeks. I am a relatively experienced leatherworker, and look forward to having a chance to start tailoring new equipment to my own bird. All that I lack is a sponsor to really get this ball rolling, as well as my own personal experience. I have been out in the field with a Falconer from the Sacramento Area (Ickus, here on the NAFEX forums) and have made contact with several others in my efforts to make friends, learn from those who are experienced, and hopefully, find a sponsor somewhere in there, too!

Unfortunately, my location at Lake Berryessa is nearly one solid hour in any direction away from pretty much all of the surrounding cities in the area. The actual town of Napa is an hour away, Winters is 45 minutes, and Vacaville, Dixon, and Davis are around an hour and a bit, etc.

I understand that most Sponsors are looking for someone within easy driving distance so that steady contact and instruction/monitoring is reasonable, both for the safety of the apprentice as well as the bird, so I know that I am not in the most convenient location for many. That being said, I am more than willing to drive I any direction, whether it be merely to sit down over coffee, to beat the bushes with you in the field, or to pursue a sponsorship. I am fully committed to making this happen, and am willing to drive TO a sponsor to save them the trouble when possible.

If you’re in the area and are willing to chat for a bit or could use an extra pair of legs and a stick in your field, please feel free to shoot me a message or post here!

I’m looking forward to becoming a part of this grand house, and learning along with the rest of you!

-Gregory D. Lammers

[Joby]

Good luck Greg. Sounds like you've been very industrious. While it's nice to have an apprentice close, sometimes it doesn't work out that way. In fact, my sponsor was about 2.5 hours away (although it didn't really matter because as the apprentice, it was up to me to do the driving) and my apprentice is about an hour away from me. Also, one bit of warning, while it's good that you have been industrious (about building, etc.) you probably should have waited until you got your sponsor in place first. It might not be a big problem at all, but some sponsors can be very particular about facilities and I'd hate to think that you'd have to start over on your mews and weathering. Good luck and welcome to this wonderful, but crazy, obsession!
-Joby

P.s. Make sure that you always keep your wife and family first and your falconry second. Because even though she is supportive NOW, if you start neglecting the home front in favor of all things falconry (which is VERY easy to do) your wife/family can very quickly come to resent your passion.

[Greg Lammers]

Much appreciated, Joby! Hopefully the facilities won't be an issue...I had fairly specific constraints set up by my landlord that I couldn't work outside of, dimensions-wise, so that was kind-of all I had to work with, unfortunately. That being said, the mews is pretty open for alteration if it needs to be, and the interior setup is very much negotiable, in addition to the outside dimensions being fairly standard as far as Red-Tail Mews go. Hopefully such alterations won't be necessary, but I understand what you're getting at, and appreciate the heads-up. I'm willing to do whatever's necessary to make my situation work best for the bird.

P.s. Make sure that you always keep your wife and family first and your falconry second. Because even though she is supportive NOW, if you start neglecting the home front in favor of all things falconry (which is VERY easy to do) your wife/family can very quickly come to resent your passion.

We've talked about that a bit as well. I've given her permission to solidly whack me upside the head if I start neglecting my home life. Family always comes first.

Thanks again!

[everetkhorton]

Greg, good luck in the future! Have fun.

[oldguy]

Welcome to the artform of madmen. Seriously, You seem to be on your way.

My sponsor is an hour an a half away. Sponsors can be a drive away. You don't need to be in their back pocket.

Sounds like you are in great hawking country. You might work it into an abatement job with some of the local wineries and fruit growers.

I know some divorced falconers, I also know some divorced golfers. My wife used to ask me to talk about falconry at bedtime. She said it made her sleepy. She usually lasted 3 or 4 min. before she was asleep.

Ahd mor,

[Greg Lammers]

I know some divorced falconers, I also know some divorced golfers. My wife used to ask me to talk about falconry at bedtime. She said it made her sleepy. She usually lasted 3 or 4 min. before she was asleep.

Just ran that by her...sounds like sleeping pills won't need to be stocked regularly at the Lammers household anymore.

Thanks again, gentlemen. As of a few hours ago, a new friend of mine agreed to sponsor me. Came down to the wire a bit this season, but it looks like we just may get this ball rolling after all.

[jfseaman]

Greetings, all!

I am a budding Apprentice Falconer from Napa County in Northern California. Specifically, Lake Berryessa. I’m one of those blessed enough to live on a lakeshore and be surrounded by the wilderness, few neighbors, and several loaded hawking fields.

I have been interested in hawking since I was twelve, and now that I’m out of the house, married, have a steady job, and half an acre of land to “clutter up” with hawking facilities (and a VERY understanding wife), the time has finally come for me. I have already built a mews, passed the DFG California Falconry Exam, have my hunting license, have nearly finished my weathering yard, own all of the equipment necessary to get started short of a Bal-Chatri and Hoods, and am set to begin rat breeding as a food source in the next few weeks. I am a relatively experienced leatherworker, and look forward to having a chance to start tailoring new equipment to my own bird. All that I lack is a sponsor to really get this ball rolling, as well as my own personal experience. I have been out in the field with a Falconer from the Sacramento Area (Ickus, here on the NAFEX forums) and have made contact with several others in my efforts to make friends, learn from those who are experienced, and hopefully, find a sponsor somewhere in there, too!

Unfortunately, my location at Lake Berryessa is nearly one solid hour in any direction away from pretty much all of the surrounding cities in the area. The actual town of Napa is an hour away, Winters is 45 minutes, and Vacaville, Dixon, and Davis are around an hour and a bit, etc.

I understand that most Sponsors are looking for someone within easy driving distance so that steady contact and instruction/monitoring is reasonable, both for the safety of the apprentice as well as the bird, so I know that I am not in the most convenient location for many. That being said, I am more than willing to drive I any direction, whether it be merely to sit down over coffee, to beat the bushes with you in the field, or to pursue a sponsorship. I am fully committed to making this happen, and am willing to drive TO a sponsor to save them the trouble when possible.

If you’re in the area and are willing to chat for a bit or could use an extra pair of legs and a stick in your field, please feel free to shoot me a message or post here!

I’m looking forward to becoming a part of this grand house, and learning along with the rest of you!

-Gregory D. Lammers

Welcome Greg, Standard speech, contact the California Hawking Club, I recommend joining. Contact Dan McClurg, the norther apprentice coordinator. There are falconers in your area. I'll try to arrange to stop by next trip to Sonoma. All the best

[Richard F, Hoyer]

Greg:
My younger sister (72) lives in St. Helena so am somewhat familiar with the region where you live. She has a wide wash opposite where she lives along Spring Street in which I have seen both cottontails and jackrabbits.

However I have only once or twice traveled along Hwy. 129 from Winters to Rutherford so have only seen the southeastern end of Lake Berryessa. The vegetation in that area is extremely dense and topography steep.

The lake seems to be about 15 - 20 miles or more long so I suspect that near and at the northwestern end there exists flatter terrain with perhaps some open fields / glades that would be suitable for hawking a Red-tail (HH, Goshawk, etc.) after rabbits and hares. Is that the case where you live?

Beside falconry, my other major interest is in studying the Rubber Boa. I know the species occurs in the tri-county area of Sonoma, Lake, and Napa Counties in the vicinity of Mt. St. Helena. What is not known is just how far to the southeast the species occurs along the series of ridges that extend from Mt. St. Helena to just west of Lake Berryessa.

I have heard reports that the species has been observed at Angwin due west of Lake Berryessa. So once you are out hawking, it will be your duty to a fellow falconer to determine and document the extent of the Rubber Boa distribution in your region--got that? Hah.

Best to you in your falconry efforts. Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon)

[JustinBaker]

welcome greg, standard speech, contact the california hawking club, i recommend joining. Contact dan mcclurg, the norther apprentice coordinator. There are falconers in your area. I'll try to arrange to stop by next trip to sonoma. All the best

tried that for 2 weeks now what?