2015 NAFA Meet - Hutchinson, Kansas

[FredFogg]

Well, no excuse of I spend Thanksgiving with my family folks. The 2015 NAFA Meet will be held the week of November 9th - 13th in Hays, KS! Meet Chairman Kevin Suedmeyer says "We are fortunate in that Hays holds jacks, ducks, greater prairie chickens, pheasant capital of the world, quail, bunnies, as well as squirrels...A cornucopia of game - That is why it took me so long to select this spot...Gonna be a great meet....”. Meet info and registration will be available on the NAFA website as soon as we get things worked out.

[Breeze]

Calendar marked - truly hope to get to this one! Have friends and relatives in Kansas!

[BestBeagler]

Why did they decide to have it earlier than Thanksgiving and not after? Maybe a bit cooler weather?

[JRedig]

Why did they decide to have it earlier than Thanksgiving and not after? Maybe a bit cooler weather?

Years of enduring the family gripes about it being over a holiday.

[Saluqi]

Why did they decide to have it earlier than Thanksgiving and not after? Maybe a bit cooler weather?

The decision to hold the meet earlier was based on the results of questionnaire/poll that was sent to the membership following the 2013 meet. There was a strong desire for a non-Thanksgiving meet, this is being done on a trial basis and the 2016 meet will again be held over T-giving.

As far as having the meet after Thanksgiving, you're right weather does come into play more, as does the fact that there are only 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and X-mas, which for many is a very busy time of year.

[skooky20]

This will be my first Nafa meet, this trip will also be my honey moon, looking forward to jack hawking, and watching some falcons fly.

[BestBeagler]

As far as having the after Thanksgiving, you're right weather does come into play more, as does the fact that there are only 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and X-mas, which for may is a very busy time of year.

I see the logic behind that. I'm just so far removed from the "reality" of what the holiday season is for so many I forget.

[FredFogg]

Personally, I would have preferred the week after Thanksgiving. A lot of folks get off Thursday and Friday the week of Thanksgiving and that would allow some to head west or east earlier for some extra days of hunting. I don't buy that the week after Thanksgiving is too close to Christmas and that folks would be too busy, I could care less about Black Friday! LOL

[mcogar88]

I agree with you Fred, I wish it was the week after Thanksgiving as well. If you take a passage bird it's going to be hard to have it trained by the NAFA meet. If you trap a Red tail in early October you will be fine but there's no way you're going to have a passage goshawk anywhere near ready by the meet.

[BestBeagler]

I see I am not the only falconer that feels a week after would have been preferable. Most falconers I have talked to all feel the same. Sorry man, I am sure the NAFA volunteers are pulling their hair out reading these posts and thinking "There's just no way to please people!" I feel for you and thank you all for your work.

[Big Foot]

Clearly the reasonable solution would be a three week field meet.
The week before and the week after thanksgiving included. That way all needs are met.
Some people may even be there for all three weeks.

[Shehawker]

3 weeks I like it! Should have enough vacation saved up by then....

But I'm also quite thrilled for to attend the meet AND have Thanksgiving with the folks this year.

[raptrlvr]

To hell with Thanksgiving, lets go hawking.

[JRedig]

To hell with Thanksgiving, lets go hawking.

This!

[wyodjm]

Well, no excuse of I spend Thanksgiving with my family folks. The 2015 NAFA Meet will be held the week of November 9th - 13th in Hays, KS! Meet Chairman Kevin Suedmeyer says "We are fortunate in that Hays holds jacks, ducks, greater prairie chickens, pheasant capital of the world, quail, bunnies, as well as squirrels...A cornucopia of game - That is why it took me so long to select this spot...Gonna be a great meet....”. Meet info and registration will be available on the NAFA website as soon as we get things worked out.

Hi Fred:

I thought the 2015 NAFA meet was going to be in Dodge City. So it was officially switched to Hays?

Just checking.

Best,

[FredFogg]

Hi Fred:

I thought the 2015 NAFA meet was going to be in Dodge City. So it was officially switched to Hays?

Just checking.

Best,

Dan, no location was ever announced or mentioned about the 2015 meet until Kevin finally announced his decision recently. Most folks are used to it being in either Garden City or Dodge City but I think Kevin wanted to make a choice strictly by available game and that is how he came up with Hays. I will be surprised if it has a lot of jacks due to how far east it is but I hope I am wrong.

[sharptail]

This past December, I spent 3 weeks hawking with 3 friends, an hour south of Hays. 2 Redtails and 2 Harris' were being flown and several hours were logged flushing. We put a pretty fair number of cottontail out, but no Jacks. I would have liked to see some Jack flight as one of the birds is quite good at them, but no joy.

[jmnucci]

Anybody have an idea what the agenda/schedule will be for the meet since the holiday is not thrown in the middle? When will be the "big night"? It will be hard to convince the wife to be gone for the whole week but I want the full meet experience. Last time I went early and left early which was fun but I felt like I left before all the booze really took effect.

[Tasha55403]

Lol, you did Standard "big night" is always Friday (Banquet night). Random alcoholic "big nights" might occur on any of the other nights as well. By Wednesday or Thursday though a lot of folks are exhausted, so things tend to be more interesting earlier in the week. But, ya really never know, lol.

[mcogar88]

I have to agree with Jeff I lived in Oakley Kansas the next town to the west during a apprenticeship I had crop dusting and I didn't see a Jack Rabbit the 6 months I was there and covered about 120 mile radius around Oakley/Hayes almost daily. So I wouldn't be counting on flying Jacks.

[Bird_Dog]

The guys to ask about jacks in Kansas are the guys that hunt coyotes and jacks with greyhounds.

-- Scott

[NMHighPlains]

Clearly the reasonable solution would be a three week field meet.
The week before and the week after thanksgiving included. That way all needs are met.
Some people may even be there for all three weeks.

I couldn't care less when it is. Schedule it. I'll be there.

Hays sounds good. Looking forward to it.

[mainefalconer]

I'm with you Bryan. I'll be there regardless of where or when it is. Hays will be a good time. I'm actually planning to stay there for an extra week after the meet this year with some of my hawkin' buddies. We'll stick around and attempt to catch the game that evaded everyone else during the week of the meet.

Already looking forward to being there.

[Ken S.]

Me too! All year I look forward to the NAFA meet. It has been impossible for me to attend the whole week for the last few years because of the Holiday week and work/family obligations, I've been coming the week before and staying for only the first couple days of the meet so that I at least got to be there for part of it... this year I should be able to attend the whole week of the meet. It'll be nice to get back to Kansas, I can't wait.

[raptrlvr]

My wife and I passed through Garden City, Ks last weekend. This is what the terrain looks like in that part of the state.

[BestBeagler]

My wife and I passed through Garden City, Ks last weekend. This is what the terrain looks like in that part of the state.

Anyone else see the prairie on the pole in the clip?

[jmnucci]

Any more word on what hotel it will be held at? Usually about time to make reservations.

[sakerjack]

Any word? I would like to reserve a room and set up flight and car rental.

[Saluqi]

The hotel paperwork is nearly completed, there should be an announcement soon and registration for the hotel should open on June 1st.

[bdyelm]

How do these NAFA meets go? Does everyone meet up at the same fields and take turns? Or do people just split up wherever they want and meet up later? I've heard some people have little "parties" in their rooms? Can't wait.

[falcon56]

Yeah, all 400 or so, meet in the same field with their birds and rotate between the shortwings, longwings, broadwings, Harris', eagles and micros due to the abnormal density of game in that particular field.It's quite the spectacle.

[sakerjack]

Yeah, all 400 or so, meet in the same field with their birds and rotate between the shortwings, longwings, broadwings, Harris', eagles and micros due to the abnormal density of game in that particular field.It's quite the spectacle.

LMAO, Ray sometimes you crack me up!!!

[Saluqi]

How do these NAFA meets go? Does everyone meet up at the same fields and take turns? Or do people just split up wherever they want and meet up later? I've heard some people have little "parties" in their rooms? Can't wait.

Imagine 150 falconers taking over a hotel in small agricultural town somewhere in the middle of America. Falconers of all shapes, sizes, and ages, and both sexes walking around with hawks on their fists and hunting dogs on leash stopping to chat with other falconers in the halls, parking lot, lobby, and weathering yard. Plans get made with total strangers who want to see your bird fly, or who you want to see their bird fly, everyone is super friendly and supportive, especially to the young and the apprentices who may be in search of their first head of game. People come and go all day at the hotel, there's always action at the weathering yard where it's easiest to hook with other falconers. After hours there are evening programs, folks sharing stories and drinks, there are always groups of friends who only get together once a year for the meet so the partying may go on until very late in the evenings, it's a gift week for full and total immersion in falconry and falconry culture, it's great, nothing quite like it.

My one tip is to be very proactive in finding productive hunting grounds, don't expect anyone to help you and you won't be disappointed. Knock on doors,meet landowners, forge relationships, and don't be afraid to drive out into the country miles away from the hotel. The folks I've heard complaining about game at meets are those who look too close to the hotel, and who are scared to knock on doors, big mistake, in Kansas especially, the locals are super friendly to hunters and think falconers are pretty cool.

[falcon56]

Good to hear Ken, I'm usually pissing people off.

[bdyelm]

Yeah, all 400 or so, meet in the same field with their birds and rotate between the shortwings, longwings, broadwings, Harris', eagles and micros due to the abnormal density of game in that particular field.It's quite the spectacle.

lol Okay, I probably should of expanded on what I meant.