In india there is no legal falconry.... But there are some old falconers who are passing this art to their generations....! The sport is like almost dead with only a handful of people doing falconry in hard time....! Here falconry is officially prohibited because some Indian (foolish) experts said that falconry is harming both the hunter and the quarry... But truth is agriculture has wiped out every thing in its vicinity....! I do falconry only in free time... Just for 2-3 months depending upon the time I get. And with only shikra available. Easy to do train and hunt. Enjoy and experience new things with new bird every year. I wish I could visit you and enjoy being with you guys hunting with Harris hawks and peregrine.❤️ Love from india.
My sponsor had a good way of structuring his sponsorship. I had to buy the same frequency of telemetry as him, join and participate in the state club and NAFA, hunt with him at least twice per month, and before all of that, I had to hawk with him for a season to see how it was in the field. It was very involved, but it was necessary.
Having survived the apprentice program a few years ago, I think I am qualified to say a couple of things about it. It's horrible! When it works well, lovely! But that is often not the case and it is rife with problems. My experience left a lot to be desired. Just getting to the point of needing to find a sponsor was difficult enough. Which is fine, shows a bit of determination and if you really want it bad enough, you do it. Take test, hunter safety, build mews, gather your gear, get inspection. Check. During this time I also made an effort to talk to falconers to find a path to a sponsor. Wow. Lots of closed doors, empty promises, egos, hoops. Gotta love this concept of falconers ignoring you, on purpose, with the expectation that you will bang your head on their door until they finally figure you might be worth talking to. Maybe that works to weed out young people, but at nearly 60 years old, I wasn't up for playing that kind of nonsense. I joined the California Hawking Club in the hopes of having somewhere to meet more falconers, but that was a dead end. Their website and forums were useless. As were their supposed officers that were supposed to counsel newbies and help them along the way. By that time I was getting pretty frustrated. I had been doing rehab locally for a number of years and had fortunately met a few other falconers and was finally able to convince one to sponsor me with the caveat that I would basically do it on my own. Just sign my papers. As a certified autodidact, I figured with my current knowledge of raptors and the internet, etc.. I could manage. I also really didn't want to pledge myself to some egotistical, arrogant falconer that would probably end up making me want to kill them. LOL. Hehe.. getting the idea? I am not really a people person. And this was a serious impediment in this system. I wasn't looking for a club to join, I just wanted that relationship with a wild animal. That's where I shine. So... I muddled through. From where I am now, I can certainly see where I could have used the help of a knowledgeable falconer on a more frequent basis.. can we say hindsight? There are gaps in my knowledge (which you have been filling in, thank you). But I am still moving forward, slowly. Right now, my physical limitations are my biggest challenge. But I "endeavor to persevere". In fact there have been a lot of challenges but I didn't sign up because I thought this was going to be a cake-walk. OK, anyway, back to the system. How do we fix it or make it better. Well, in the current framework, I am not sure there is a way. Incentivizing being a sponsor could and would go very badly. This would no doubt bring out the worst candidates. Perhaps get rid of the sponsorship framework altogether or make it optional. Instead have the local falconry clubs have a team of mentors whose job is to coach, not sponsor, people working their way to a license. These people would hopefully sign up because they enjoy the concept of teaching the next generation and are hopefully good at it. Whatever solution comes, since it is the government, you can be sure it will be a worst option scenario. Sorry, not to go into politics.. it's just been my experience that's how it goes. And of course, there is the pay it forward concept. Will I? I don't know. I happen to live in a place where I am the ONLY falconer for many miles around. At least as far as I know. Hehe, not being a people person I would have to believe mightily in someone before I would even consider it. But if the right person came along, and if I felt I was actually qualified to mentor someone, I would probably do so. We'll see. Once more, thanks for everything, Ben. You've been more help than you know, and I am very grateful to have you there. I always get nervous when you take a hiatus. Last time was a car accident and this time you were sick. You certainly don't owe us anything, so when I ask for a heads up take it with a grain of salt :-P All the best!
the falconry sponsor/apprentice system was not something handed down by the government. It was created by a group of NAFA leaders in the early 70's and was a unique example of self-regulation designed by the user group not the government. The current federal regs are based on that. While it may have seemed frustrating the system has overall protected the sport, helped preserve the paradigm of wild take, and protected the birds from overexploitation. Most aspiring falconers feel let down by the sponsor system initially, but later realize that the sponsor is really there to make sure your equipment, facilities, basic husbandry, and direction toward hawking are moving in the right direction - beyond that most sponsors that have experience, recognize the need to back away and let the person learn and achieve on their own initiative. There is a fine line between appropriate interventions and providing too much support that prevents some formative learning. It's important to understand the difference between a legal sponsor and a falconry mentor. We all wish they were on-in-the-same, but they dont have to be.
I love the sponsor/apprentice way of doing things but I got lucky and have a great sponsor. I can see where it could be less ideal. However, I do not think that giving a first year apprentice the freedom to choose whatever species they think they want is the way to go. This is a living animal and it doesn’t deserve to be messed up or mistreated just for somebody to figure out if they’re really into falconry. I am only a second year apprentice so I honestly don’t think I can give my two cents but I do know that having a second pair of (confident) hands to help put anklets and furniture on your bird the first time is invaluable! Like you said, having someone their in real time to help trouble shoot a situation is where the learning and growth comes from. At least for me. I take owning a bird of prey very seriously and I’m glad I had all the help I needed. I can sleep at night knowing I’m not doing wrong by my bird that was entrusted to me. Great video. Thanks!
My problem with the system is there are so few falconers in my state, and they are all in the southern part of the state. Either they would have to drive four hours to get to me or I would have to drive the same to get to them. But their are falconers in the two bordering states only a few minutes away from me. But due to them being in other states they can sponsor me. Maybe something could be changed in the rules to allow for cross state sponsorship or something like that.
I can’t Waite to start falconry ! I could only imagine the feeling of almost being one with the bird to help hunt ! It is so amazing how they did this so long ago I’m so happy people still have the opportunity to do this !! It sound very time consuming but it would be well worth it !! This is probably the coolest way to hunt ever !
I absolutely love my sponsor, but I honestly am not a huge fan of the sponsor apprentice system for falconry. Its better than many alternatives but it has its flaws and I think its too restrictive. Its Just my opinion but I also don't feel that its at any point where I think it needs to be changed because it does have more pros than cons.
In the uk, we don't take a test or need a sponsor. Unfortunately we can't trap/take wild birds either. Every bird has to be captive bred and is registered to the keeper with a ring number. Downside is that you can't fly a passage bird. There are also lots of breeders that are just in it to make money and will sell to anybody. This leads to lots of poorly managed birds 1-2 years old, up for sale when the owner gets bored of them.
I am a first year apprentice in TN. There aren't many willing to do it here, and I struggled to get anyone to even call me back for several months. The COVID situation didn't help. It was quite frustrating. I kept trying, and I finally lucked out and found a great sponsor. He gives me a lot of latitude, but is always there to answer my questions and lets me know his thoughts and point out what I can change to help a situation. I really respect his advice, but I do ask about other ideas from videos like yours. He has always been open to me trying them out. I think I just lucked out and found a sponsor who isn't so opinionated. I do wish there was a way to encourage more people to sponsor. I am fairly introverted myself, but I plan to make it a point to try to repay the favor by sponsoring others after I get my general license.
@@SL-vx1sx I work in East Brainerd and live in Meigs county. We should try to link up. I just helped another first year apprentice trap a redtail last weekend. What’s a good way to get in touch with you?
I think one of the best reasons for the sponsorship program is for people to learn how to properly care for their birds like what to feed them, how to house them, how to at least exercise them, etc. I've heard horror stories from the UK where people got pet owls or hawks, left them in bird cages and the animal died or had to be surgically removed. Where I'm based (Ontario, Canada), we have to have a license to fly indigenous species, but not non-indigenous species, which really just is odd to me. I encourage anyone interested in getting into falconry to do the apprenticeship if only just to learn how to care for the birds since I would at least want them not to suffer. One of the worst things IMO about our system, is the list of birds available to apprentices. An apprentice can go out and get a goshawk, a bald eagle, or a golden eagle right from day one of they want. I knew an apprentice who had a bald eagle, a european goshawk and a ferruginous hawk and completely ignored his sponsor. I can't imagine the disasters that happened.
@machinegunlament I'd recommend reaching out to the Ontario Hawking Club. They have members across the province and can help you connect with a sponsor. There are also some falconry centres that offer apprenticeship courses you could look into if one is near where you are locating. I would recommend avoiding the Ontario Falconry Centre, though, as the owner pleaded guilty for a number of charges for animal mismanagement and illegal keeping/sales of birds of prey to my knowledge.
I think incentives for sponsors may help alleviate the problem of too few of sponsors, but ultimately, I dont think theres a perfect solution in either direction. I think the sponsorship system is overall a good system and I'm not even a falconer yet and won't be for a good while. I'm lucky to have a pretty decent community down here in Arizona though my opinion may change when it's time to cross that bridge.
I take cash or credit cards. In all seriousness, what possible incentive could be offered, and by who? It makes no sense because falconry just isn't structured in any way where someone could incentiveize sponsorship. Besides directly paying someone to sponsor you. Why should my license, in any way, be contingitant, hindered, slowed, or restricted because I don't want to sponsor someone?
@@sweetchic9853 I would never suggest forcing a sponsorship as that would be bad for the sport and bad for the birds. I'm also in agreement with the difficulty of incentivising outside of what you said. I was merely talking out of my butt in regards to the big maybe. I honestly think the sponsorship system is fine for getting the right people into the sport.
@@sweetchic9853 what if the incentive was you could keep an extra bird on top of what your class allowed if you had been a sponsor? Just an out of the box idea. Some may not care but it could be a big deal to others.
Apprentices in Maryland can only possess one bird for every 12 months it can either be a red tailed hawk a red shouldered hawk or a American kestrel. A general falconer can have only three birds total it doesn’t matter if they’re wild or captive bread. A master can have five wild caught birds and Unlimited captive bred birds
I think it would be nice to have a recognized accredited Education program route as well, in addition to sponsorship, maybe to lessons the burden on the sposor. The sponsor can then focus on the practical applications.
Ben, is there any way I can contact you directly? I remember you mentioned in a video about GyrxPers that if you could pick one bird for game hawking it would be a female peregrine falcon. In the process of looking for a good beginner's desert duck hawk, I've spoken to people who say a pure anatum falcon is the way to go, but I've also had a good friend and experienced longwinger gush over gyrperegrine tiercels as "the Harris hawks of longwings". Your video on hybrids was very informative and I was hoping I could pick your brain a little more about the ins and outs of pure PEFAs and hybrids. If it's okay to contact you, please let me know how you would prefer to be contacted. Thanks!
hey, man, just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all of this - these archaic laws, and really all hunting regulations, seem unnecessarily complex. I've wanted to hunt my entire life, but never had someone to take me. Now, I'm learning archery and firearm hunting in the Shenandoah Valley (on public land) and I'd really like to get into falconry, but it seems a bit challenging to get your foot in the door.. I plan to find a way, but it's annoying. Hunters need to get some sort of group of citizens or get a little more active individually in their local and fed voting.. I know it's more complicated than that, we have PETA and other emotional anti-logical folk fighting against us because they think bambi was real
15 years ago I went through an informal circus internship in the US with no laws governing how it functions. I had to chase after that just as hard as I am falconry. The only difference seems to be the focus of the paperwork involved. Protection of humans vs protection of wildlife. Beginning a circus apprenticeship there is a great obvious risk to oneself. Beginning a falconry apprenticeship the risk is less obvious. I think the laws in place for falconry allow for self-reflection in a time where information is less governed. If laws governing falconry were less strict I believe the sport would be attacked and possibly damaged due to animal regulations in the USA. The rules in place seem to be designed to allow the USA to begin the journey towards creating our own culture around falconry while also ensuring it continues to be legal.
Canada has a different legislation in every province... where I live, in Québec, sponsoring someone simply means to sign for his permit. You are not legaly responsible for his/her failure, but I am doing the best I can to get my first apprentice to succes ;) 15 birds max, any speicies except great/snow owls and eagles that need a 3 years experience (lvl 2 permit with vet inspections of your 30 birds max) golden eagles are prohibited all the way (what a shame!!!) We also have wild take permit for passage goshawk, cooper, redtail or merlin, 1 bird per year per falconner and once registered, you have full reproduction rights on it. Not bad. As you said, people do with what they have, and more permisive is better I think.
The sponsorship program is the government's way to regulate something it doesn't like or understand to death. The sponsor thing should be encouraged and even give perks( like extra bird if you sponsor somebody) not required I looked up my local falconry ppl in my area and 1 apprentice a couple hours away and general are 4+ hours and master was even further. If we want the sport to be more than a rare unknown thing this needs to change. Writing is on the wall when you search for info and get ”do falconers starve their birds?) As a top result. Make it more friendly to the entry level guy and you will see better results.
Unfortunately I live in West TN. And I can't find a falconer anywhere close to me. There really should be a system for those of us that are passionate about falconry and want to learn. But as of now, it'll just have to stay on my wish list.
If you're asking me to be your sponsor this is what I'm thinking about. Mostly I don't want someone wasting my time or making me look bad to my peers in this sport. It would be nice to know that person is ready to go trapping and doesn't need a ton of help making equipment. As a sponsor I'm not here to teach you everything about falconry, but I will if you're willing to listen. I'm here to lead you in the right direction and to encourage you to learn by flying your bird as often as possible. I'm here to make sure you can properly care for a bird. What's that mean? It means you can be relied on to properly feed and house a bird without it dying or causing injury to the bird or yourself. I'd prefer you be a good falconer from the start but I want to sponsor someone who wants to have fun over anything else. I prefer to sponsor someone who loves falconry(see "what is falconry") as much as I do. Then you'll do great from the start.
The apprentice program is highly restrictive and slows the flow of falconers into the system. In order to thrive falconry needs an educated population. With the current slow growth rate of the sport in my opinion we should look at streamlining a bit before it is forgotten. Maybe make it one year instead of two. Make a journeyman find an apprentice before becoming a master. I think my state of TN still doesn't know what to do with the micro hunting. Less regulation is always better.... until it isn't. It takes a special person to be able to deal with with an apprentice. God bless anyone that has made an effort to support us fledglings.
Its funny its harder for me to get a native bird, but I can order loads of other animals from around the world. Most people treat pets better than friends.
In Brazil don't have specific falconry laws. Can not trap wild birds for falconry, only captive breed birds, but is so dificult Hunt with falconry birds legaly because our Animals are protect by laws. There are a Lot of bureaucracy.
I think the reasoning for these laws are for the bird's well-being. It could be very bad for the bird if an untaught, unsupported person took on a wild animal for the first time. I'm interested in falconry myself (dream bird = peregrine falcon), and I like the idea of having a real person to teach me. I don't eat rabbits or squirrels for religious reasons, so I intend to hunt birds like ducks, pheasants, pigeons, so I need to quickly get to the point where NYS will let me have the right bird safely for both the bird and I. Question - peregrine falcons are the right bird for the game I want to go after, yes?
I think the sponsorship program in the US is necessary to keep from ending up with a lot of dead birds. (I would like to see kestrel removed as apprentice birds, weight management is far too delicate.) A lot of potential apprentices want someone to teach them how to be a falconer. But ultimately sponsors aren't there to teach an apprentice how to be a falconer. While there are basics to understand, this isn't a set of facts to be memorized or a list of skills on a checklist to be ticked off as they are learned. To be a successful falconer you have to get to a point where you understand a raptor's behavior at a fundamental level. This covers the entire spectrum of their behaviors. How the bird sits on your fist or the perch, how it leaves and lands on the fist, how it flies or moves from limb to limb. How it looks at you as it tries to understand you and your behavior. How it reacts to game in different situations. Etc, Etc, Etc. This can only be acquired through experience, not through instruction. The sponsor's role is not to teach you any of this, but to keep you from killing your raptor until you get to a point of competence that you can keep your raptor healthy and in hunting condition while you continue to learn without supervision.
My state has around 30 licensed Falconers. Websites are run by old people with no technical skills, no responses from social groups, meet ups don't occur, and I'm required to be sponsored by someone in my state. How is this even a realistic solution to this problem?
The way the laws are setup seem like they're built around the idea that we should not be doing falconry, that's the default state and the laws are roadblocks/gatekeepers to restrict interested people from entering into the hobby. The sponsorship being mandated is a poor choice in my opinion because we can learn all we need for most things online or from books, I think it's a really good idea to have a mentor though because it seems like a lot of work and responsibility to properly train a bird in falconry, but as a mandate I think it's not good. I also think it's bad that there are so many regulations around breeding birds, because I think it would be better to have more opportunities for more species to have captive bread birds available. I actually think this is where the UK does a better job, by not being so involved, but both ways have drawbacks. I just feel like there are too many roadblocks for the sport to really be popular. I agree with the taking a test though, and having to pass the test to acquire a bird is smart I think since that shows you have knowledge and are willing to work for the bird you might work with.
I’m looking for a sponsor in Utah county. I’m 21 years old and have passed the test. Do any of you know of some good resources that I can use to find a sponsor?
It's almost impossible to get a sponsor where I live, as falconers are very sparce and concentrated in places where I am not. I can understand, though, as I live in the desert (Arizona) and I'm at the point where I might try to get Native American papers or whatever they're called (since my family lost theirs generations ago) so I may train with my own people... Of whom I barely know. I've worked for so long and, especially as a younger person, it's becoming increasingly harder to find a sponsor option within range or within personal constraint. I'd do almost anything to become a Master Falconer and I must live with the fact I have to hold myself back. I wish falconry were at least more widespread and accepted because, since it is not, I may have to drive 5-10 hours out of town every day if I even want a chance.
If it's difficult to find a sponsor in areas of the country I would think that someone would take advantage of that situation and make some money for themselves. Is it illegal to make a profit from being a sponsor?
I would say, for me at least, the largest downfall of the Sponsorship program is the ability for any General Falconer (with enough time) to become a Sponsor. There are no further requirements beyond time in the sport. I do not believe everyone has what it takes to be a mentor. Furthermore, it is common thought that an apprentice should ask no questions or seek no advice beyond their Sponsor. Understandable as the Sponsor has their license on the line and they are taking the time to mentor. However, the pitfall of this is that the Sponsor does not have all the answers. Furthermore, they may be an absentee Sponsor, as you mentioned in your video, but still want you to stay away from social media and not ask questions of other falconers. Couple this with the fact that willing Sponsors are so hard to come by and an apprentice could start to feel trapped in their struggles.
Hi, Coming in from Colorado, Colorado Springs to be exact. I have just recently found an interest to Falconry, have yet to take the exam or anything further. I just wanted to ask, should I take the exam before finding a sponsor or after? Also I live in the city but have friends with land/property. If one day i got a bird would that be suitable hunting grounds?
It would be wise to reach out to your local falconry club and start making some contacts in your area. Most falconry clubs are good about helping you find a sponsor that would be able to help you. You can take the test any time. But it is nice to be getting to know a prospective sponsor around the same time. They can give you pointers on what to study for. As far as land to fly for, it all depends on what species you are flying and what prey you are going after. It is always good to be adaptable and find new places to hunt if the need should arise.
We have several elitists where I live. One is even one of the officers of the club and refuses to train anyone. She talks down to everyone and is very disrespectful. I don't mind being told what to do and why, but I don't appreciate being talked down to. I'm also a vet with ptsd and a tbi.
So a guy goes through all the shit and finally becomes a master and then he says, "Screw everyone else, I'm busy." Nice system. Maybe if you wanna keep your license as a master, you're required to pay it back.
Dear Ben. In NW Ohio our Falconers Don’t want to take me under there Wings. I have Tried for Three Years and also try my State next to Me ! Also work at a Rehab until the Far Left Workers hate your Idea and Other Falconers on a few things so they let me Go. Also one Day I had my Star and Stripe hat on. Wow I wish I did not live in Ohio. Bye Ben
In india there is no legal falconry....
But there are some old falconers who are passing this art to their generations....!
The sport is like almost dead with only a handful of people doing falconry in hard time....!
Here falconry is officially prohibited because some Indian (foolish) experts said that falconry is harming both the hunter and the quarry... But truth is agriculture has wiped out every thing in its vicinity....!
I do falconry only in free time... Just for 2-3 months depending upon the time I get. And with only shikra available. Easy to do train and hunt. Enjoy and experience new things with new bird every year.
I wish I could visit you and enjoy being with you guys hunting with Harris hawks and peregrine.❤️
Love from india.
We have a sponsorship system here in Canada! I really hope to become a sponsor myself at some point. I find joy in teaching people about falconry.
My sponsor had a good way of structuring his sponsorship. I had to buy the same frequency of telemetry as him, join and participate in the state club and NAFA, hunt with him at least twice per month, and before all of that, I had to hawk with him for a season to see how it was in the field. It was very involved, but it was necessary.
That sounds like a great sponsor! I hope to have one that involved, who has much love and respect for falconry.
good sponsor!
Having survived the apprentice program a few years ago, I think I am qualified to say a couple of things about it. It's horrible! When it works well, lovely! But that is often not the case and it is rife with problems. My experience left a lot to be desired. Just getting to the point of needing to find a sponsor was difficult enough. Which is fine, shows a bit of determination and if you really want it bad enough, you do it. Take test, hunter safety, build mews, gather your gear, get inspection. Check. During this time I also made an effort to talk to falconers to find a path to a sponsor. Wow. Lots of closed doors, empty promises, egos, hoops. Gotta love this concept of falconers ignoring you, on purpose, with the expectation that you will bang your head on their door until they finally figure you might be worth talking to. Maybe that works to weed out young people, but at nearly 60 years old, I wasn't up for playing that kind of nonsense. I joined the California Hawking Club in the hopes of having somewhere to meet more falconers, but that was a dead end. Their website and forums were useless. As were their supposed officers that were supposed to counsel newbies and help them along the way. By that time I was getting pretty frustrated. I had been doing rehab locally for a number of years and had fortunately met a few other falconers and was finally able to convince one to sponsor me with the caveat that I would basically do it on my own. Just sign my papers. As a certified autodidact, I figured with my current knowledge of raptors and the internet, etc.. I could manage. I also really didn't want to pledge myself to some egotistical, arrogant falconer that would probably end up making me want to kill them. LOL. Hehe.. getting the idea? I am not really a people person. And this was a serious impediment in this system. I wasn't looking for a club to join, I just wanted that relationship with a wild animal. That's where I shine. So...
I muddled through. From where I am now, I can certainly see where I could have used the help of a knowledgeable falconer on a more frequent basis.. can we say hindsight? There are gaps in my knowledge (which you have been filling in, thank you). But I am still moving forward, slowly. Right now, my physical limitations are my biggest challenge. But I "endeavor to persevere". In fact there have been a lot of challenges but I didn't sign up because I thought this was going to be a cake-walk.
OK, anyway, back to the system. How do we fix it or make it better. Well, in the current framework, I am not sure there is a way. Incentivizing being a sponsor could and would go very badly. This would no doubt bring out the worst candidates. Perhaps get rid of the sponsorship framework altogether or make it optional. Instead have the local falconry clubs have a team of mentors whose job is to coach, not sponsor, people working their way to a license. These people would hopefully sign up because they enjoy the concept of teaching the next generation and are hopefully good at it.
Whatever solution comes, since it is the government, you can be sure it will be a worst option scenario. Sorry, not to go into politics.. it's just been my experience that's how it goes.
And of course, there is the pay it forward concept. Will I? I don't know. I happen to live in a place where I am the ONLY falconer for many miles around. At least as far as I know. Hehe, not being a people person I would have to believe mightily in someone before I would even consider it. But if the right person came along, and if I felt I was actually qualified to mentor someone, I would probably do so. We'll see.
Once more, thanks for everything, Ben. You've been more help than you know, and I am very grateful to have you there. I always get nervous when you take a hiatus. Last time was a car accident and this time you were sick. You certainly don't owe us anything, so when I ask for a heads up take it with a grain of salt :-P All the best!
Sounds like my personal experience as well.
the falconry sponsor/apprentice system was not something handed down by the government. It was created by a group of NAFA leaders in the early 70's and was a unique example of self-regulation designed by the user group not the government. The current federal regs are based on that. While it may have seemed frustrating the system has overall protected the sport, helped preserve the paradigm of wild take, and protected the birds from overexploitation. Most aspiring falconers feel let down by the sponsor system initially, but later realize that the sponsor is really there to make sure your equipment, facilities, basic husbandry, and direction toward hawking are moving in the right direction - beyond that most sponsors that have experience, recognize the need to back away and let the person learn and achieve on their own initiative. There is a fine line between appropriate interventions and providing too much support that prevents some formative learning. It's important to understand the difference between a legal sponsor and a falconry mentor. We all wish they were on-in-the-same, but they dont have to be.
I have been waiting patiently for a vid. Glad your feeling better Ben.
I love the sponsor/apprentice way of doing things but I got lucky and have a great sponsor. I can see where it could be less ideal. However, I do not think that giving a first year apprentice the freedom to choose whatever species they think they want is the way to go. This is a living animal and it doesn’t deserve to be messed up or mistreated just for somebody to figure out if they’re really into falconry. I am only a second year apprentice so I honestly don’t think I can give my two cents but I do know that having a second pair of (confident) hands to help put anklets and furniture on your bird the first time is invaluable! Like you said, having someone their in real time to help trouble shoot a situation is where the learning and growth comes from. At least for me. I take owning a bird of prey very seriously and I’m glad I had all the help I needed. I can sleep at night knowing I’m not doing wrong by my bird that was entrusted to me. Great video. Thanks!
My problem with the system is there are so few falconers in my state, and they are all in the southern part of the state. Either they would have to drive four hours to get to me or I would have to drive the same to get to them. But their are falconers in the two bordering states only a few minutes away from me. But due to them being in other states they can sponsor me. Maybe something could be changed in the rules to allow for cross state sponsorship or something like that.
THANKS.
I can’t Waite to start falconry ! I could only imagine the feeling of almost being one with the bird to help hunt ! It is so amazing how they did this so long ago I’m so happy people still have the opportunity to do this !! It sound very time consuming but it would be well worth it !! This is probably the coolest way to hunt ever !
I absolutely love my sponsor, but I honestly am not a huge fan of the sponsor apprentice system for falconry. Its better than many alternatives but it has its flaws and I think its too restrictive. Its Just my opinion but I also don't feel that its at any point where I think it needs to be changed because it does have more pros than cons.
I urged both of my apprentices to fly birds that they had game for. Both of them have trapped birds to fly and learned that aspect as well.
In the uk, we don't take a test or need a sponsor. Unfortunately we can't trap/take wild birds either. Every bird has to be captive bred and is registered to the keeper with a ring number. Downside is that you can't fly a passage bird. There are also lots of breeders that are just in it to make money and will sell to anybody. This leads to lots of poorly managed birds 1-2 years old, up for sale when the owner gets bored of them.
Great video thx for making it.
I am a first year apprentice in TN. There aren't many willing to do it here, and I struggled to get anyone to even call me back for several months. The COVID situation didn't help. It was quite frustrating. I kept trying, and I finally lucked out and found a great sponsor. He gives me a lot of latitude, but is always there to answer my questions and lets me know his thoughts and point out what I can change to help a situation. I really respect his advice, but I do ask about other ideas from videos like yours. He has always been open to me trying them out. I think I just lucked out and found a sponsor who isn't so opinionated. I do wish there was a way to encourage more people to sponsor. I am fairly introverted myself, but I plan to make it a point to try to repay the favor by sponsoring others after I get my general license.
What part of Tennessee? Are you in the Facebook group?
@@lighterknotClose to Cleveland. No, I am not on Facebook.
@@SL-vx1sx I work in East Brainerd and live in Meigs county. We should try to link up. I just helped another first year apprentice trap a redtail last weekend. What’s a good way to get in touch with you?
@@lighterknot I responded on one of your videos in your channel. Let me know if you didn't get it. I show a count but can no longer see it.
@@SL-vx1sx I think CZcams deleted the comment. If you had contact info I think they will delete it automatically unless you make it less obvious.
I bet Bens a master class.with the amount of falconry knowledge in that brain of his he should be a Master of master class. 😂
Been waiting for this no lie 🙈🙈😇
I think one of the best reasons for the sponsorship program is for people to learn how to properly care for their birds like what to feed them, how to house them, how to at least exercise them, etc. I've heard horror stories from the UK where people got pet owls or hawks, left them in bird cages and the animal died or had to be surgically removed.
Where I'm based (Ontario, Canada), we have to have a license to fly indigenous species, but not non-indigenous species, which really just is odd to me. I encourage anyone interested in getting into falconry to do the apprenticeship if only just to learn how to care for the birds since I would at least want them not to suffer. One of the worst things IMO about our system, is the list of birds available to apprentices. An apprentice can go out and get a goshawk, a bald eagle, or a golden eagle right from day one of they want. I knew an apprentice who had a bald eagle, a european goshawk and a ferruginous hawk and completely ignored his sponsor. I can't imagine the disasters that happened.
I'm moving to Ontario, any recommendations on who I should talk to there?
@machinegunlament I'd recommend reaching out to the Ontario Hawking Club. They have members across the province and can help you connect with a sponsor. There are also some falconry centres that offer apprenticeship courses you could look into if one is near where you are locating. I would recommend avoiding the Ontario Falconry Centre, though, as the owner pleaded guilty for a number of charges for animal mismanagement and illegal keeping/sales of birds of prey to my knowledge.
I think incentives for sponsors may help alleviate the problem of too few of sponsors, but ultimately, I dont think theres a perfect solution in either direction. I think the sponsorship system is overall a good system and I'm not even a falconer yet and won't be for a good while. I'm lucky to have a pretty decent community down here in Arizona though my opinion may change when it's time to cross that bridge.
I take cash or credit cards.
In all seriousness, what possible incentive could be offered, and by who? It makes no sense because falconry just isn't structured in any way where someone could incentiveize sponsorship. Besides directly paying someone to sponsor you.
Why should my license, in any way, be contingitant, hindered, slowed, or restricted because I don't want to sponsor someone?
@@sweetchic9853 I would never suggest forcing a sponsorship as that would be bad for the sport and bad for the birds. I'm also in agreement with the difficulty of incentivising outside of what you said. I was merely talking out of my butt in regards to the big maybe. I honestly think the sponsorship system is fine for getting the right people into the sport.
@@sweetchic9853 what if the incentive was you could keep an extra bird on top of what your class allowed if you had been a sponsor? Just an out of the box idea. Some may not care but it could be a big deal to others.
Apprentices in Maryland can only possess one bird for every 12 months it can either be a red tailed hawk a red shouldered hawk or a American kestrel. A general falconer can have only three birds total it doesn’t matter if they’re wild or captive bread. A master can have five wild caught birds and Unlimited captive bred birds
good discussion!
I think it would be nice to have a recognized accredited Education program route as well, in addition to sponsorship, maybe to lessons the burden on the sposor. The sponsor can then focus on the practical applications.
Ben, is there any way I can contact you directly? I remember you mentioned in a video about GyrxPers that if you could pick one bird for game hawking it would be a female peregrine falcon. In the process of looking for a good beginner's desert duck hawk, I've spoken to people who say a pure anatum falcon is the way to go, but I've also had a good friend and experienced longwinger gush over gyrperegrine tiercels as "the Harris hawks of longwings". Your video on hybrids was very informative and I was hoping I could pick your brain a little more about the ins and outs of pure PEFAs and hybrids. If it's okay to contact you, please let me know how you would prefer to be contacted. Thanks!
hey, man, just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all of this - these archaic laws, and really all hunting regulations, seem unnecessarily complex. I've wanted to hunt my entire life, but never had someone to take me. Now, I'm learning archery and firearm hunting in the Shenandoah Valley (on public land) and I'd really like to get into falconry, but it seems a bit challenging to get your foot in the door.. I plan to find a way, but it's annoying.
Hunters need to get some sort of group of citizens or get a little more active individually in their local and fed voting.. I know it's more complicated than that, we have PETA and other emotional anti-logical folk fighting against us because they think bambi was real
15 years ago I went through an informal circus internship in the US with no laws governing how it functions. I had to chase after that just as hard as I am falconry. The only difference seems to be the focus of the paperwork involved. Protection of humans vs protection of wildlife.
Beginning a circus apprenticeship there is a great obvious risk to oneself. Beginning a falconry apprenticeship the risk is less obvious.
I think the laws in place for falconry allow for self-reflection in a time where information is less governed. If laws governing falconry were less strict I believe the sport would be attacked and possibly damaged due to animal regulations in the USA. The rules in place seem to be designed to allow the USA to begin the journey towards creating our own culture around falconry while also ensuring it continues to be legal.
Canada has a different legislation in every province... where I live, in Québec, sponsoring someone simply means to sign for his permit. You are not legaly responsible for his/her failure, but I am doing the best I can to get my first apprentice to succes ;) 15 birds max, any speicies except great/snow owls and eagles that need a 3 years experience (lvl 2 permit with vet inspections of your 30 birds max) golden eagles are prohibited all the way (what a shame!!!) We also have wild take permit for passage goshawk, cooper, redtail or merlin, 1 bird per year per falconner and once registered, you have full reproduction rights on it. Not bad. As you said, people do with what they have, and more permisive is better I think.
The sponsorship program is the government's way to regulate something it doesn't like or understand to death. The sponsor thing should be encouraged and even give perks( like extra bird if you sponsor somebody) not required I looked up my local falconry ppl in my area and 1 apprentice a couple hours away and general are 4+ hours and master was even further. If we want the sport to be more than a rare unknown thing this needs to change. Writing is on the wall when you search for info and get ”do falconers starve their birds?) As a top result. Make it more friendly to the entry level guy and you will see better results.
Honestly I think sponsorship is the way to go. If I didn't have a sponsor I probably would have killed a red tail. Or been killed by an Eagle.
Unfortunately I live in West TN. And I can't find a falconer anywhere close to me. There really should be a system for those of us that are passionate about falconry and want to learn. But as of now, it'll just have to stay on my wish list.
If you're asking me to be your sponsor this is what I'm thinking about.
Mostly I don't want someone wasting my time or making me look bad to my peers in this sport.
It would be nice to know that person is ready to go trapping and doesn't need a ton of help making equipment.
As a sponsor I'm not here to teach you everything about falconry, but I will if you're willing to listen. I'm here to lead you in the right direction and to encourage you to learn by flying your bird as often as possible. I'm here to make sure you can properly care for a bird. What's that mean? It means you can be relied on to properly feed and house a bird without it dying or causing injury to the bird or yourself.
I'd prefer you be a good falconer from the start but I want to sponsor someone who wants to have fun over anything else. I prefer to sponsor someone who loves falconry(see "what is falconry") as much as I do. Then you'll do great from the start.
I live in the US and while strict, I believe our laws are best suited for the birds themselves and I'm ok with that
The apprentice program is highly restrictive and slows the flow of falconers into the system. In order to thrive falconry needs an educated population. With the current slow growth rate of the sport in my opinion we should look at streamlining a bit before it is forgotten. Maybe make it one year instead of two. Make a journeyman find an apprentice before becoming a master. I think my state of TN still doesn't know what to do with the micro hunting. Less regulation is always better.... until it isn't. It takes a special person to be able to deal with with an apprentice. God bless anyone that has made an effort to support us fledglings.
Its funny its harder for me to get a native bird, but I can order loads of other animals from around the world. Most people treat pets better than friends.
We missed u hope ur ok need my falconry fix
In Brazil don't have specific falconry laws. Can not trap wild birds for falconry, only captive breed birds, but is so dificult Hunt with falconry birds legaly because our Animals are protect by laws. There are a Lot of bureaucracy.
Hi Ben Woodruff I am Lin Woodruff
I think the reasoning for these laws are for the bird's well-being. It could be very bad for the bird if an untaught, unsupported person took on a wild animal for the first time. I'm interested in falconry myself (dream bird = peregrine falcon), and I like the idea of having a real person to teach me. I don't eat rabbits or squirrels for religious reasons, so I intend to hunt birds like ducks, pheasants, pigeons, so I need to quickly get to the point where NYS will let me have the right bird safely for both the bird and I. Question - peregrine falcons are the right bird for the game I want to go after, yes?
I think the sponsorship program in the US is necessary to keep from ending up with a lot of dead birds. (I would like to see kestrel removed as apprentice birds, weight management is far too delicate.) A lot of potential apprentices want someone to teach them how to be a falconer. But ultimately sponsors aren't there to teach an apprentice how to be a falconer. While there are basics to understand, this isn't a set of facts to be memorized or a list of skills on a checklist to be ticked off as they are learned. To be a successful falconer you have to get to a point where you understand a raptor's behavior at a fundamental level. This covers the entire spectrum of their behaviors. How the bird sits on your fist or the perch, how it leaves and lands on the fist, how it flies or moves from limb to limb. How it looks at you as it tries to understand you and your behavior. How it reacts to game in different situations. Etc, Etc, Etc. This can only be acquired through experience, not through instruction. The sponsor's role is not to teach you any of this, but to keep you from killing your raptor until you get to a point of competence that you can keep your raptor healthy and in hunting condition while you continue to learn without supervision.
This is a wonderful comment!
My state has around 30 licensed Falconers. Websites are run by old people with no technical skills, no responses from social groups, meet ups don't occur, and I'm required to be sponsored by someone in my state. How is this even a realistic solution to this problem?
The way the laws are setup seem like they're built around the idea that we should not be doing falconry, that's the default state and the laws are roadblocks/gatekeepers to restrict interested people from entering into the hobby. The sponsorship being mandated is a poor choice in my opinion because we can learn all we need for most things online or from books, I think it's a really good idea to have a mentor though because it seems like a lot of work and responsibility to properly train a bird in falconry, but as a mandate I think it's not good. I also think it's bad that there are so many regulations around breeding birds, because I think it would be better to have more opportunities for more species to have captive bread birds available. I actually think this is where the UK does a better job, by not being so involved, but both ways have drawbacks. I just feel like there are too many roadblocks for the sport to really be popular. I agree with the taking a test though, and having to pass the test to acquire a bird is smart I think since that shows you have knowledge and are willing to work for the bird you might work with.
I’m looking for a sponsor in Utah county. I’m 21 years old and have passed the test. Do any of you know of some good resources that I can use to find a sponsor?
It's almost impossible to get a sponsor where I live, as falconers are very sparce and concentrated in places where I am not. I can understand, though, as I live in the desert (Arizona) and I'm at the point where I might try to get Native American papers or whatever they're called (since my family lost theirs generations ago) so I may train with my own people... Of whom I barely know. I've worked for so long and, especially as a younger person, it's becoming increasingly harder to find a sponsor option within range or within personal constraint. I'd do almost anything to become a Master Falconer and I must live with the fact I have to hold myself back. I wish falconry were at least more widespread and accepted because, since it is not, I may have to drive 5-10 hours out of town every day if I even want a chance.
If it's difficult to find a sponsor in areas of the country I would think that someone would take advantage of that situation and make some money for themselves.
Is it illegal to make a profit from being a sponsor?
I'm sure it is
Are you allowed to be sponsored from someone outside of your state ?
I would say, for me at least, the largest downfall of the Sponsorship program is the ability for any General Falconer (with enough time) to become a Sponsor. There are no further requirements beyond time in the sport. I do not believe everyone has what it takes to be a mentor. Furthermore, it is common thought that an apprentice should ask no questions or seek no advice beyond their Sponsor. Understandable as the Sponsor has their license on the line and they are taking the time to mentor. However, the pitfall of this is that the Sponsor does not have all the answers. Furthermore, they may be an absentee Sponsor, as you mentioned in your video, but still want you to stay away from social media and not ask questions of other falconers. Couple this with the fact that willing Sponsors are so hard to come by and an apprentice could start to feel trapped in their struggles.
considering the mortality rate for red tails the first year is 80%.... illegal possession of a raptor is punishable up to a $20k fine and jail time
I loath paper sponsors. I have been many an apprentice's dirty little secret.
Hi, Coming in from Colorado, Colorado Springs to be exact. I have just recently found an interest to Falconry, have yet to take the exam or anything further. I just wanted to ask, should I take the exam before finding a sponsor or after? Also I live in the city but have friends with land/property. If one day i got a bird would that be suitable hunting grounds?
It would be wise to reach out to your local falconry club and start making some contacts in your area. Most falconry clubs are good about helping you find a sponsor that would be able to help you. You can take the test any time. But it is nice to be getting to know a prospective sponsor around the same time. They can give you pointers on what to study for. As far as land to fly for, it all depends on what species you are flying and what prey you are going after. It is always good to be adaptable and find new places to hunt if the need should arise.
We have several elitists where I live. One is even one of the officers of the club and refuses to train anyone. She talks down to everyone and is very disrespectful. I don't mind being told what to do and why, but I don't appreciate being talked down to. I'm also a vet with ptsd and a tbi.
In Michigan....looked over a year for a sponsorship....big joke
So a guy goes through all the shit and finally becomes a master and then he says, "Screw everyone else, I'm busy." Nice system. Maybe if you wanna keep your license as a master, you're required to pay it back.
Dear Ben. In NW Ohio our Falconers Don’t want to take me under there Wings. I have Tried for Three Years and also try my State next to Me ! Also work at a Rehab until the Far Left Workers hate your Idea and Other Falconers on a few things so they let me Go. Also one Day I had my Star and Stripe hat on. Wow I wish I did not live in Ohio. Bye Ben