Hello everyone.

My name is Zachary Peebels.

Honestly I never even knew that falconry was a sport due to its low profile in the general masses. I've always been vexed by the natural world and how it can be coaxed into giving mankind everything from pleasure and gratification, to food in his belly. As I said when applying to the IFO, that little screech owl my father found injured rushed back into my mind when I learned of falconry. I was truly moved by the experience of being so close to a raptor.

For the moment I'll cut short my youthful encounters and get with the program.

I contacted IDNR and requested ALL their information on falconry. They sent a large brown envelope with around 75-100 pages (which I am still reading) including the laws, application forms, sample citations, and housing/equipment requirements with their illustrations.

At Barnes and Noble, I found the Peterson Field Guide to Hawks of North America and have began reading it as well.

I will not seek a sponsor until I have fully educated myself in the written areas of Falconry.

This post is simply my way of saying "I'm here and nice to meet you all!"

Welcome Zac.

It's great to see you are educating yourself. The first thing you must realize, in case you hadn't already, is that this is a hunting field sport. Many people are shocked to realize that falconers actually are hunting! I guess their only time of seeing it was at the renaissance fair with a guy in a silly hat holding a bird! Do you currently hunt?

Anyway, It isn't really a total necessity to have previous hunting experience, but it helps. You just need to have the desire and ability to. For many falconers, they are simply interested in falconry and no other type of hunting. That's o.k. too. As long as you realize that the birds design by nature is as a preditor and nothing else. Beautiful? Yes, they are! Hunters? Definitely! The more you can hunt them, the better they do mentally and physically.

Not trying to beat anyone up verbally, just making sure folks have a realistic expectation going into this is all.

Another great book to check out would be "North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks" by Beebe and Webster. Is your interest in flying falcons or hawks in the future? Not sure is an acceptable answer as well. Many times people don't know at this stage in the game. However, the best advice is to fly something that you have appropriate game for in your area that you will hunt! Don't try a Peregrine falcon if all you have are rabbits! You and your bird will be VERY frustrated!

Let us know if you have more questions.

Hey Zachary,

Just wanted to say hi as well and welcome you to the IFO. If you're interested in learning more about falconry, you are more than welcome to come to any one of the meets we have throughout the season. You can always take a look in the "Meets and Events" tab in the forum directory. Here's the link:

http://illinoisfalconers.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=12

Reading everything I could get my hands on was how I kept myself occupied while I was learning right away. There is no substitute for learning first hand though. You'll get to see falconry for what it is right up close, get an idea if it's something that you're interested in long term, and a great time to get a lot of your questions answered. Hope to meet you sometime soon.

Jason Schell

One of the reasons I am so attracted to falconry is because I've hunted my whole life.

I can remember the first squirrel I took. I was around 8 years old, used a 22 rifle (wasn't a great shot so the first bullet gutted him and the second was placed under his jaw for the finish)

As for now I'm a straight shot with guns and bows so I'm REALLY looking forward to the day of my first flight. A long time from now probably but still highly anticipated. This is a challenge that I feel up to. Fairly certain falconry has been a nobility sport for a reason! =)

In the area of literature, today I bought three more books from Amazon.com and they should arrive in about a week.

The Falconer's Apprentice
The Art and Practice of Hawking
A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors

Zac,

Not sure if you knew about it, but thought I'd mention it anyway. There are a few on line suppliers for falconry equipment as well as books.

www.northwoodsfalconry.com
westernsporting.com
www.mikesfalconry.com

There are a few more I'm missing, I'm sure. However, Ebay has some stuff sometimes too.

Thank you for the links David. Very helpful.

I know when an apprenticeship is started in IL the three options are American Kestrel, Red-Tailed Hawk and Red-Shouldered Hawk.

In terms of care for the bird, is it best for apprentices to start with Kestrels rather than Hawks?

If it comes down to a matter of preference and courage, I can handle the bigger bird. (I'm not afraid of a talon-handshake or a quick snap, I've worked with vicious dogs and been bitten by them).

Also, will a basic apprentice kit REALLY get me by, or should I go for the gold and get a deluxe setup?

Hey Zac. In reply to your questions:

"In terms of care for the bird, is it best for apprentices to start with Kestrels rather than Hawks? If it comes down to a matter of preference and courage, I can handle the bigger bird. (I'm not afraid of a talon-handshake or a quick snap, I've worked with vicious dogs and been bitten by them)."

There are advantages to both Kestrels and Red Tails. One of the advantages to Kestrels for some apprentices may be the space necessary to house. Another may be based on game availability. When it comes to whether or not a Red Tail is the way to go, it being the bigger bird is probably the least point considered. Red Tails are extremely durable. Weight control of a Red Tail can be much more forgiving of apprentice error than a Kestrel. But more than anything, what it ultimately may come down to is your sponsor's input.

"Also, will a basic apprentice kit REALLY get me by, or should I go for the gold and get a deluxe setup?"

This is also a bit cart before the horse. Those kits are very general kits for apprentices. Your future sponsor may say that one of those are perfect. Then again they may not. It's much easier to find a sponsor that you enjoy working with and learning from before making those decisions. Then you can discuss with your sponsor what equipment, housing, bird, training techniques, etc. you are going to be using for your falconry for the next two years. Otherwise you could end up picking out your equipment, deciding what kind of bird you're going to fly, and building your mews, only to then have to try and find a sponsor that is happy with the decisions you've already made and agrees to work with them.

Any sponsor that really cares about your progress is going to want to teach you the way that they've found that has worked for them first to give you a base to work off of to make decisions on your own when your apprenticeship is done. You may also find that your sponsor will teach you to do things quite differently than the books you are reading. That's why my advice is always that the sooner you can get out and start learning from falconers first hand, the faster you'll learn what you're going to need to learn as an apprentice. Hope that helps.

Welcome to the IFO ZAC..!

I'm still adamant in my search for a sponsor in Southern IL. I've worn the bindings on my books in waiting lol.

I find it's hard to accept that there is not vast interest in falconry throughout my area as we seem to have a quite dense population and variation of raptors.

Bald Eagles have moved back into the treetops of the Old West Frankfort Lake, many different owls taunt the nightly soundtrack and hawks and kestrels stalk our country roads.

I've even spotted a few peregrine falcons and watched them hunt from barn tops, successfully catching field mice, which was amazing to watch at a fairly close range (65-70yds).

Kindly, I won't exclude the brave Turkey Vultures that I encounter daily on my drives to and from work as they take the roadsides for cleanup meals. One of them is fairly large with an estimated 5.5-6 ft wingspan and seems fearless. I can get as close as 15-20 feet before this behemoth flies up to a tree branch.

If there is a sponsor out there near Franklin County, please contact me on here and I will give you my email address and phone number.

Thanks!