Carolyn . . . the Falconer
OK . . . here is a neat part of who I am . . . and it has been many years coming to this. To date, I am on the cusp of becoming a general level falconer. This means I'll be completing my apprenticeship . . . and then no one . . . other than myself, can take away this aspect of my personality (except, well, you know, the government, if they ever outlaw the sport!)
From a very early age I have always loved birds . . . especially the raptors. I knew about falconry, but never knew any falconers. Now looking through my NAFA catalog (that's the North American Falconers Association) there is only one person in El Paso who is a falconer. Highly unlikely I would have ever met this person! It wasn't until I came to Wisconsin, and settled down, and bought a home and a little land, that this long-standing dream became a reality. And to top all that, the man who has been training me lives just 5 miles from my home. It doesn't get any better than that!
This man, Dave Noble, is a Master falconer. He's been doing this for so long, he's probably forgotten more things about the sport than I'll ever know. It makes me ever so disappointed that I came to falconry in my late 30's. Most people start when they are teens, or at age 18. So many years lost! I guess I'll just have to make up for lost time!
Anyway, Dave is a good friend . . . and he has been a most outstanding teacher! I would highly recommend him to anyone wanting to learn this sport. I don't think I could have had a better person to mentor me into the world of falconry!
The month of July is reporting month to the State of Wisconsin. Any day now I'll receive my blank report form, that I have to fill out and return. Dave will pen a few good words for me to be included in that report, and it will be submitted back to the state. Once they process it, my license should be upgraded . . . and I'll be a General Level Falconer. My apprenticeship will end . . . and then it is up to me to maintain myself as a decent representative of this sport. I shall continue my association with Dave, but he'll then just be a hawking buddy. But I'll still pick his brain for info . . . because as a General level, I can have 2 birds. I plan to trap and train a kestrel this year.
My current bird is a red-tailed hawk. Her name is Penthesilea. "Pente" for short. That's the name of an Amazon warrior queen. It fits! Pente is a really big girl . . . and she was pretty feisty when I was first training her. She's manned down pretty good now. We caught 12 rabbits earlier this year. Not too bad, but certainly nothing to boast about! We'll do better this hunting season. She's molting right now, but will be done by August most likely. Get her back into hunting shape, and we should be back in the field by September. Got to get a lot of practice in . . . so we look good at Kansas this year. Going to the NAFA meet, with Dave and Bill. Should be a load of FUN!!
My first hawk was called Scimitar. He was a nice, sweet bird who was very kind to his human . . . who had no idea how to handle a wild hawk. He was a good teacher for me, on how to care for a hawk, but he was not a very good hunting bird, for falconry. Dave suggested I let him go . . . and I did. Hopefully he made it through the winter OK, and is out there somewhere doing well. I'll never know!
Where to go from here? Onward and Upward! There is so very much to learn. I've just wet my feet, really. I might be ending my apprenticeship, but you never stop learning. I very much look forward to keeping this as an important part of my life!
cdb
From a very early age I have always loved birds . . . especially the raptors. I knew about falconry, but never knew any falconers. Now looking through my NAFA catalog (that's the North American Falconers Association) there is only one person in El Paso who is a falconer. Highly unlikely I would have ever met this person! It wasn't until I came to Wisconsin, and settled down, and bought a home and a little land, that this long-standing dream became a reality. And to top all that, the man who has been training me lives just 5 miles from my home. It doesn't get any better than that!
This man, Dave Noble, is a Master falconer. He's been doing this for so long, he's probably forgotten more things about the sport than I'll ever know. It makes me ever so disappointed that I came to falconry in my late 30's. Most people start when they are teens, or at age 18. So many years lost! I guess I'll just have to make up for lost time!
Anyway, Dave is a good friend . . . and he has been a most outstanding teacher! I would highly recommend him to anyone wanting to learn this sport. I don't think I could have had a better person to mentor me into the world of falconry!
The month of July is reporting month to the State of Wisconsin. Any day now I'll receive my blank report form, that I have to fill out and return. Dave will pen a few good words for me to be included in that report, and it will be submitted back to the state. Once they process it, my license should be upgraded . . . and I'll be a General Level Falconer. My apprenticeship will end . . . and then it is up to me to maintain myself as a decent representative of this sport. I shall continue my association with Dave, but he'll then just be a hawking buddy. But I'll still pick his brain for info . . . because as a General level, I can have 2 birds. I plan to trap and train a kestrel this year.
My current bird is a red-tailed hawk. Her name is Penthesilea. "Pente" for short. That's the name of an Amazon warrior queen. It fits! Pente is a really big girl . . . and she was pretty feisty when I was first training her. She's manned down pretty good now. We caught 12 rabbits earlier this year. Not too bad, but certainly nothing to boast about! We'll do better this hunting season. She's molting right now, but will be done by August most likely. Get her back into hunting shape, and we should be back in the field by September. Got to get a lot of practice in . . . so we look good at Kansas this year. Going to the NAFA meet, with Dave and Bill. Should be a load of FUN!!
My first hawk was called Scimitar. He was a nice, sweet bird who was very kind to his human . . . who had no idea how to handle a wild hawk. He was a good teacher for me, on how to care for a hawk, but he was not a very good hunting bird, for falconry. Dave suggested I let him go . . . and I did. Hopefully he made it through the winter OK, and is out there somewhere doing well. I'll never know!
Where to go from here? Onward and Upward! There is so very much to learn. I've just wet my feet, really. I might be ending my apprenticeship, but you never stop learning. I very much look forward to keeping this as an important part of my life!
cdb
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home