Sooo, you have decided to pursue the art of falconry. You have found that USF&WS Regs require you to find a sponsor and undergo an apprenticeship. You might consider the following guidelines in finding a sponsor.
A. Before going any further be sure you have a basic idea of the commitment to a raptor you will be taking on. Try reading Getting Started from this website.
B. Next, telephone your state's Fish and Game Department and request their falconry regulations, applications, and any related material including their small game regulations for hunting.
C. If you have never had a hunting license, you will have to inquire about your state's requirements for acquiring a hunting license. It may entail taking a hunter safety course, and firearms handling skills. Do this early because classes typically are limited and infrequent. It doesn't matter if you never intend to hunt with a gun.
Next, read the falconry and hunting regs. This is important because now when you engage in conversation with falconers you won't sound like you don't know anything. You must understand the legal issues of this sport to practice it.
The following step is to educate yourself in falconry. Now it's going to start costing you money. You need to buy a few books. See the Suggested reading list in the section about Getting Started in falconry. Your local library may have them, but I doubt it. You will need these books to study from for your falconry exam. You will also need a book that identifies raptor species and their typical habitat and range. Some states will allow you to take the falconry exams before you find a sponsor, if so do it, and pass it. Nevertheless, read the books, all of them; know something, and proceed with the next step.
Next is to get socially involved with falconers. To do this, start inquiring with your state's falconry clubs. A list of club addresses can be found below. Contact them. Ask them if there are any falconers that can take you out and show you the sport. Don't ask if there are any falconers that will sponsor you yet; the answer is "no". They need to get to know you. They need to find out if you are genuinely interested. Ask to go to their picnics, game dinners, demo flights, etc. Ask to join their club and get their newsletters. You then will find yourself out with falconers flying their birds, finding out if falconry is for you. Go to the events and let people know you are looking for a sponsor. You will then find one, no problem.
Finally, join NAFA, North American Falconers Association. Get their newsletters and participate in their events. Stay informed.
Sounds like a lot of work? That's because it is a lot of work. Falconry is demanding. It's similar to having field trial dogs, or show horses, etc. If all this sounds like to much hassle, you don't have what it takes to be a falconer, so don't try. Falconers do not want the casually interested in our sport because those types of people end up giving us a bad reputation. Those types typically neglect their birds or have trouble with the law. If I was your sponsor the things in this article are exactly what I'd have you do. Oh, there is one other thing you can try, there is a falconry school in Vermont, you can go there to find out if you like handling raptors and get exposer, for a fee of course. So, here is the approximate investment so far, not including your time:
| Falconry Books | $100-200 |
| Hunting Course NRA | $100 |
| Hunting license (small game) | $ 25 |
| Local Falconry Club Dues | $ 25 |
| NAFA Dues | $ 35 |
| Phone calls, postage, fuel to demos | $ 50 |
These are average figures, and will very from state to state.
Still interested? Getting the picture? When you find a sponsor, then you'll need the equipment. You need to build a Hawk Mews, which could run $1000 just for materials.
If you do all this and let your local club know you are interested and need a sponsor, they will help you find one. If they don't, ask them if there is something about your application they have a problem with. Write us and we will ask them for you , if they have a problem with you, lets fix it and proceed.
Have fun, and know falconry is the best field sport known to man. Good luck!
Alaska Falconers Assn P.O. Box 670386 Chugiak AK 99567
Arizona Falconers Assn 721 Aztec Rd, Golden Valley AZ 86413
Arkansas Hawking Association 345 CR 804 Green Forest, AR 72638
Great Lakes Falconers Assn P.O. Box 377, Deerfield IL 60015-0377
Iowa Falconers Assn 519 Walnut St., Wilton IA 52778
Kentucky Falconers Assn 307 Cox Waters Rd, Shelbyville KY 40065
Long Island Falconers Assn P.O. Box 1095, Cutchogue NY 11935
Minnesota Falconers Association 22454 Durant St. NE, East Bethel MN 55011
Missouri Falconers Assn 9 E O'Fallon Dr., O'Fallon MO 63366
Montana Falconers Assn 3616 Mescalero Trail, Billings MT 59106
Nebraska Falconers Assn 155 Mormon Trl, Lincoln NE 68521
Oregon Falconers Assn 10440 Simpson Cany, Klamath Falls OR 97601
Potomac Falconers Assn 800 Richardson Dr, Harwood MD 20776
Washington Falconers Assn 12289 NE South Vill, Kingston WA 98346
Wisconsin Falconers Assn 206A W Main St, Waterford WI 53185
Wyoming Falconers Assn 980 Cliff St, Lander WY 82520
North Carolina Falconers Guild 3118 Campbell Rd, Raleigh NC 27606
New Mexico Falconry Assn P.O. Box 338, San Antonio NM 87832
New York State Falconry Assn 3086 Haskell Rd, Cuba NY 14727-9432
Ohio Falconry Assn 2412 Scheid Rd, Huron, OH 44839, OhioFalconry@aol.com
Jersey Falconry Club 23 Middleton Dr, Lumberton NJ 08048
Southern Nevada Game Hawkers 7801 Homestead R, Pahrump NV 89048
Central MS Hawking Club, 425 Melody Ln. Brandon MS 39047
Penn Falconry & Hawk Trust RR 12 Box 472 Elham, York PA 17406
Texas Hawking Assn 1400 Theodora Cov, Austin TX 78753
California Hawking Club 10191 Bluestone Co, Spring Valley CA 91977
Colorado Hawking Club 3699 Biscay Ct, Aurora CO 80013
Kansas Hawking Club 546 Broadview Ln, Andover KS 67002
Louisiana Hawking Club 17209 Chickasaw Av, Greenwell Springs LA 70739-6111
Michigan Hawking Club 1251 6th St, Pentwater MI 49449-9406
Florida Hawking Fratern P.O. Box 588, Loughman FL 33858
North American Falconers Association Corresponding Secretary :
Lisa Cherry, 37362 Pourroy Rd, Winchester, CA 92596-0673 (909)698-2333 info@winchesterfalconry.com
British School of Falconry at The Equinox Hotel
Historic Rt 7A PO Box 46 Manchester Vermont 05254