Meet Grinnell, my Red-tailed Hawk
- Thread starter 406LIFE
- Start date
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Cool name, cool avocation.
TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
Congrats. I look forward to hearing all about your adventures with Grinnell.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
406, you don't by chance carry a Freedom Arms 454 Casull do you....
dirtclod Az.
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2018
- Messages
- 2,776
Found pics of the Redtail Hawk I saved,can't get them to upload to
my laptop.Soon...
my laptop.Soon...
BAKPAKR
Well-known member
How cool! When you drink beer, do you drink Dos Equis?
Paul in Idaho
Well-known member
Awesome. I used to dream of becoming a falconer, but life put me on a different road. I look forward to seeing more of your posts with Grinnell.
Hem
Well-known member
I like Red-Tailed Hawks . My only tat..a little faded after 20 years, but a daily reminder that ultimately I am a free spirit.
Thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting.
406LIFE
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2016
- Messages
- 3,112
So some entry information into falconry:
The process to become one is long and laborious, by design. You have to have a sponsor who is already a General class falconer. The first handful I asked declined; they just didn't have the time to invest in bringing someone on board. This is honestly the biggest hurdle to getting into the sport. There are around 100 in Montana, and they are difficult to find. Once I did find a sponsor he wanted me to follow him around as he flew his peregrines. Then if he felt like it was a fit, he would sponsor me. He ended up doing that, but then I didn't hear from him for sometime. He was an older gent and didn't text and after a few phone calls and knocks on the door it became apparent I would need a new sponsor. The search again took a while and I found one and we hit it off. Sadly, we found out just a couple weeks later that my original sponsor had passed, but we didn't know.
Once sponsored, the homework begins. There are state and federal regulations that you HAVE to memorize. Then there are the various other topics to dive into: Raptor ID and biology; avian diseases and treatment; falconry furniture (the gear); strategy and tactics. You have to become an expert on these because there really isn't anyone else who can help. When I felt confident, I took my falconry test, 100 question multiple choice. I left there wondering if I even would pass. There isn't a study guide, and the questions vary wildly. Anyone else know the seasonal migration pattern of a ferruginous hawk? Or what frounce is and how to treat it? Or an easy one, what birds can an apprentice falconer fly?
Once you pass you then build your mews, which is a large structure to house the bird. The specifics of size and features depend on your bird; mine is 8x16. Then you invite your local game warden to come out and inspect it (who likely hasn't ever done it since there really are so few falconers). This is a great time to help them to better understand the sport and its special needs. My GW had done one before, early in his career. I don't fault him at all; again, there is a reason we are so vigorously tested on every facet of falconry, we NEED to know what we are doing.
If everything goes well, and the GW thinks you can handle this, he will send in the paperwork and you'll get a permit to "capture and keep raptors for the purpose of falconry". This is very different than an rehab permit.
Now the fun begins: trapping a bird. There are a few methods, but the most popular is using a balchatri trap. Originating out of India, these are fishing line nooses tied to a wire mesh box with bait inside. When the bird sees and attacks the bait it gets tangled. Then the rodeo: you run up on the shocked and defensive flying weapon of death and try to avoid a beak that is made to rip flesh and two feet of four talons over an inch long to grab it and secure it. Getting "footed" is common and not pleasant. Raptors have a winch mechanism in their feet that allows them to clamp and not need to expend the energy we do to hold it. And it is strong. It is utterly amazing how strong they are.
Raptors are entirely food driven and the process of taming them is called "manning". You do this through operative conditioning, bringing the bird to the point where its hunger overcomes its fear. It took Grinnell about 2.5 days, which is very quick for a RT, the average being a week. Using food as the motivator, you train the bird to recognize you as the food source and an easy one. You hold tidbits on the glove encouraging it to fly to it, starting at six inches and expanding to 100ft. The bird doesn't need to be taught to hunt, just that it is easier to work with the falconer than on its own. This doesn't take much, raptors, especially redtails are notorious lazy.
Questions I've gotten from you:
Bonding: it'll take about 3-5 weeks to get to the point that we are hunting together, but there will never really be a bond like a dog has. It's not emotional, its strictly about food. The emotion is all on my side.
What do I feed: frozen chicks, mice and quail. I use deer hearts and liver as small dime size pieces for tidbits in training.
What will we hunt: small game, rabbits and squirrels. They aren't really quick enough for catching birds.
Has she attacked you: No, but in training yesterday she decided my head was the place to land. I was not comfortable with that. Her talons weren't digging in, but they were there. Since they go to the highest point they can, I lowered my head and she walked to my shoulders where I could get her on my glove.
What's next? I work her as often as I can, checking her weight and using the food as a reward. In the next week we should get up to 20ft indoors flight and then move outside and fly on a creance (light line with weight). When she does that reliably we free fly and increase the distance.
The process to become one is long and laborious, by design. You have to have a sponsor who is already a General class falconer. The first handful I asked declined; they just didn't have the time to invest in bringing someone on board. This is honestly the biggest hurdle to getting into the sport. There are around 100 in Montana, and they are difficult to find. Once I did find a sponsor he wanted me to follow him around as he flew his peregrines. Then if he felt like it was a fit, he would sponsor me. He ended up doing that, but then I didn't hear from him for sometime. He was an older gent and didn't text and after a few phone calls and knocks on the door it became apparent I would need a new sponsor. The search again took a while and I found one and we hit it off. Sadly, we found out just a couple weeks later that my original sponsor had passed, but we didn't know.
Once sponsored, the homework begins. There are state and federal regulations that you HAVE to memorize. Then there are the various other topics to dive into: Raptor ID and biology; avian diseases and treatment; falconry furniture (the gear); strategy and tactics. You have to become an expert on these because there really isn't anyone else who can help. When I felt confident, I took my falconry test, 100 question multiple choice. I left there wondering if I even would pass. There isn't a study guide, and the questions vary wildly. Anyone else know the seasonal migration pattern of a ferruginous hawk? Or what frounce is and how to treat it? Or an easy one, what birds can an apprentice falconer fly?
Once you pass you then build your mews, which is a large structure to house the bird. The specifics of size and features depend on your bird; mine is 8x16. Then you invite your local game warden to come out and inspect it (who likely hasn't ever done it since there really are so few falconers). This is a great time to help them to better understand the sport and its special needs. My GW had done one before, early in his career. I don't fault him at all; again, there is a reason we are so vigorously tested on every facet of falconry, we NEED to know what we are doing.
If everything goes well, and the GW thinks you can handle this, he will send in the paperwork and you'll get a permit to "capture and keep raptors for the purpose of falconry". This is very different than an rehab permit.
Now the fun begins: trapping a bird. There are a few methods, but the most popular is using a balchatri trap. Originating out of India, these are fishing line nooses tied to a wire mesh box with bait inside. When the bird sees and attacks the bait it gets tangled. Then the rodeo: you run up on the shocked and defensive flying weapon of death and try to avoid a beak that is made to rip flesh and two feet of four talons over an inch long to grab it and secure it. Getting "footed" is common and not pleasant. Raptors have a winch mechanism in their feet that allows them to clamp and not need to expend the energy we do to hold it. And it is strong. It is utterly amazing how strong they are.
Raptors are entirely food driven and the process of taming them is called "manning". You do this through operative conditioning, bringing the bird to the point where its hunger overcomes its fear. It took Grinnell about 2.5 days, which is very quick for a RT, the average being a week. Using food as the motivator, you train the bird to recognize you as the food source and an easy one. You hold tidbits on the glove encouraging it to fly to it, starting at six inches and expanding to 100ft. The bird doesn't need to be taught to hunt, just that it is easier to work with the falconer than on its own. This doesn't take much, raptors, especially redtails are notorious lazy.
Questions I've gotten from you:
Bonding: it'll take about 3-5 weeks to get to the point that we are hunting together, but there will never really be a bond like a dog has. It's not emotional, its strictly about food. The emotion is all on my side.
What do I feed: frozen chicks, mice and quail. I use deer hearts and liver as small dime size pieces for tidbits in training.
What will we hunt: small game, rabbits and squirrels. They aren't really quick enough for catching birds.
Has she attacked you: No, but in training yesterday she decided my head was the place to land. I was not comfortable with that. Her talons weren't digging in, but they were there. Since they go to the highest point they can, I lowered my head and she walked to my shoulders where I could get her on my glove.
What's next? I work her as often as I can, checking her weight and using the food as a reward. In the next week we should get up to 20ft indoors flight and then move outside and fly on a creance (light line with weight). When she does that reliably we free fly and increase the distance.
S
sharpshooter97
Guest
Super cool, I would also like to continue to see new posts in this thread. I look forward to following along, red tails have always been my favorite bird growing up watching them follow the tractor to hunt mice and rabbits when we were cutting hay
Sterling Archer
Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2018
- Messages
- 42
Awesome. Looking forward to seeing your adventures with Grinnell.
406LIFE
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2016
- Messages
- 3,112
Hit another milestone this week: Introduction of the Lure.
Grinnell is flying from perch to glove abour 20 ft. That's all the indoor space I have to give her, so we will need to begin flying longer distances outside on the creance. That's a thin line of about 150ft with a weight attached to it. This allows her to fly unencumbered with some weight on the end of the line in case she gets distracted. Before we get to that, she needs to have another way of being recalled, enter the "lure". Really its a leather dog toy with the squeaky taken out. Big amounts of food are tied to it, so she begins to associate full crop (second stomach) with it. As her training with it progresses, she will, hopefully, drop anything she's doing and fly to it. This will continue for about a week until she will "attack" it upon sight.
Grinnell is flying from perch to glove abour 20 ft. That's all the indoor space I have to give her, so we will need to begin flying longer distances outside on the creance. That's a thin line of about 150ft with a weight attached to it. This allows her to fly unencumbered with some weight on the end of the line in case she gets distracted. Before we get to that, she needs to have another way of being recalled, enter the "lure". Really its a leather dog toy with the squeaky taken out. Big amounts of food are tied to it, so she begins to associate full crop (second stomach) with it. As her training with it progresses, she will, hopefully, drop anything she's doing and fly to it. This will continue for about a week until she will "attack" it upon sight.
fishing4sanity
Well-known member
Looking forward to seeing & learning more. That last big bite reminded me of when my sons lived at home and it was mealtime.
N
ntodwild
Guest
This is great stuff. Rare is always cool! Great post.
406LIFE
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2016
- Messages
- 3,112
A little flying action. About ready to free fly and in a week or so, hunt.
Hummer
Well-known member
Congratulations on your ascension to falconer. I hope you have a long and mutually rewarding relationship with Grinnell. Falconry is an endeavor that takes time and devotion that few are willing to give.
I've handled and banded many thousands of birds but falcons, hawks and eagles command an intense presense and purpose like no other bird species. You are both privileged and obligated to uphold an irreproachable standard of care. I wish you all the best!
I've handled and banded many thousands of birds but falcons, hawks and eagles command an intense presense and purpose like no other bird species. You are both privileged and obligated to uphold an irreproachable standard of care. I wish you all the best!
Similar threads
