The road to an apprentice
falconry license is a long and winding one. There are
things to do, places to go, people to see. To some, it
seems like an impossible barrier. To others (like most
of the folks in our organization) it is just a walk in
the park. So if you are serious about doing falconry,
and you've come this far, here are my "Tips for the
Apprentice".
First:
join the Texas
Hawking Association and support your state club. I
invite all who are interested to join, whether serious
about doing falconry or just mildly interested. The
THA is the only reason falconry is legal in Texas. The
THA has worked hard over the years with the Texas
Parks and Wildlife to negotiate some of the best
falconry regulations in the country. In addition,
we publish several newsletters annually On The
Wing plus the Journal. We
have an annual Summer Picnic and an annual Winter
Meet, plus a couple business meetings scattered
through the year. A great place to meet the officers
and the membership of our club and maybe even a
prospective sponsor. Our winter meet, usually held in
Abilene during January, is quickly becoming a premier
state falconry meet. It attracts falconers from all
over the country who enjoy flying their birds on our
abundant small game and waterfowl. And it is a great
place for newcomers to meet, talk, and hunt with
falconers of all skill levels.
Two: Read 'North American
Falconry and Hunting Hawks' by Hal Webster and Frank
Beebe.
Read this book BEFORE
embarking on a quest to find a sponsor. It will answer
most of the basic questions you will have, and it will
show the person you hope to apprentice under, that you
are serious about not wasting their time. An
apprenticeship is a two year
commitment...........minimum. You want to be a good
student.
You also want to get
familiar with falconry laws both federal and state.
The THA has links to both the state and federal
falconry regulations. Again, they will answer most of
your basic questions. Jennifer
Brennan of the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Jennifer Brennan (Jennifer.Brennan@tpwd.state.tx.us)
is in charge of handling the state falconry permit
applications.
Three: Be patient
Grasshopper! Take your time. You've waited your whole
life to be a falconer, what is another season? The THA
publishes a membership list in all of our newsletters.
If approached politely, most falconers don't mind
showing interested persons' their birds and
facilities. Find out who your falconry neighbors are.
Find someone who lives close and get involved. Spend a
season watching how they handle their birds. How they
manage them. Spend some time flushing game for them.
If approached in this manner, most falconers will be
sponsoring you without you even asking. DON'T..........call
a falconer you have never met and ask them to sponsor
you over the phone. This hardly ever works. Trust me.
There is no short cut. Finding a sponsor is about
taking the time to learn about how someone else
practices the sport.
Four: When it is all over
and you have your first bird..................hunt it
everyday you can during the season. That's what
falconry is all about.
Good Luck and Good
Hawking,
Roger Crandall,
THA
Apprentice Coordinator
apprentcoord "at" texashawking.org
Another interesting article, written by Noel Murphy,
might also be of interest to anyone considering
Falconry. Click
HERE to read it....
