How to Falconry

Navigate the legal requirements and formal training process required to practice falconry legally in your jurisdiction. Example: Contact your state wildlife agency to obtain falconry examination study materials covering raptor biology, husbandry, hunting regulations, and safety protocols, schedule and pass the written falconry examination with minimum 80% score demonstrating knowledge of raptor care and hunting laws, find an experienced general or master falconer willing to sponsor your two-year apprenticeship providing mentorship and supervision, complete required facility inspection where sponsor evaluates your mews construction, equipment quality, and bird care preparation, apply for federal falconry permit through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service including background check and fee payment, obtain required hunting licenses for your state since falconry is classified as hunting activity, understand species restrictions limiting apprentices to red-tailed hawks or American kestrels as first birds, and maintain detailed records of all hunting activities, bird weight, and training progress as required by law.

Build regulation-compliant housing facility providing secure shelter and outdoor space for your raptor's health and safety. Example: Design mews minimum 8x8x8 feet for red-tailed hawk with smooth interior walls preventing feather damage, install proper ventilation with screened windows on opposite walls ensuring air circulation without drafts, construct weatherproof roof with slight slope for drainage and adequate insulation for temperature control, build double-door entry system preventing bird escape during feeding and cleaning with secure locking mechanisms, install gravel floor with drainage system allowing easy cleaning and preventing bacterial growth from moisture, create adjacent weathering yard minimum 8x12 feet with overhead covering protecting bird from aerial predators while allowing natural sunlight, mount perches at varying heights using appropriate diameter hardwood preventing foot problems, ensure all screening uses proper gauge preventing toe injury while containing bird securely, and schedule required inspection by state wildlife officials confirming facility meets legal standards before acquiring bird.

Gather specialized equipment necessary for safe bird handling, training, and field work with your raptor. Example: Purchase properly fitted falconer's glove with extended cuff protection covering forearm from sharp talons during handling and training sessions, obtain precision digital scale accurate to 5 grams for daily weight monitoring essential for bird's health and training motivation, acquire quality leather anklets (Aylmeri style) providing comfortable attachment point without damaging bird's legs, purchase training bells allowing audio tracking of bird's location during free flight, obtain strong leather jesses connecting anklets to leash for safe restraint during transportation and initial training, invest in reliable whistle for consistent recall signal training your bird to recognize and respond to, secure weatherproof falconry bag organizing equipment and fresh food during field outings, and consider telemetry system for tracking free-flying birds preventing loss during hunting expeditions.

Legally obtain a suitable raptor following proper trapping regulations and bird selection criteria for successful training. Example: Obtain trapping permit from state wildlife agency specifying approved capture locations and seasonal restrictions, typically autumn when young birds are most trainable, select healthy passage red-tailed hawk (first-year bird) showing good body condition, bright eyes, clean nostrils, and responsive behavior indicating suitable temperament, use approved trapping methods such as bal-chatri trap with live bait positioned in areas with good hawk activity, ensure immediate transportation container ready with proper ventilation and padding preventing injury during transport to mews facility, conduct initial health assessment checking for injuries, parasites, or illness requiring veterinary attention before beginning training, weigh bird immediately establishing baseline weight crucial for subsequent training and health monitoring, allow 24-48 hour settling period in mews before handling permitting bird to acclimate to new environment, and document all capture details including location, date, bird measurements, and initial weight for required record keeping.

Develop trust relationship with your raptor through careful conditioning and positive reinforcement training techniques. Example: Begin by sitting quietly near mews allowing bird to observe your presence without direct interaction, building familiarity over several days, start feeding through mews bars using tweezers maintaining distance while bird associates your presence with food rewards, gradually reduce feeding distance until bird accepts food from tweezers held closer to bars without showing stress behaviors, introduce your gloved hand through feeding port allowing bird to step onto glove for food rewards when comfortable, practice daily weighing routine establishing consistent handling pattern while monitoring bird's response to training progression, use voice consistently during interactions helping bird recognize your presence and intentions, begin whistle training associating specific sound with food presentation for future recall training, monitor bird's behavior carefully for signs of stress including excessive panting, aggression, or refusal to eat, and progress slowly ensuring bird remains calm and cooperative throughout each training session building solid foundation for advanced training.

Teach your raptor to return reliably to artificial lure preparing for free flight hunting scenarios. Example: Introduce training lure by presenting it with fresh food attached allowing bird to associate lure with feeding reward, begin lure training inside mews with bird on long leash preventing escape while building confidence, swing lure in figure-eight pattern at ground level encouraging bird to pursue and catch with food reward, gradually increase lure distance requiring bird to fly longer distances for food reinforcement, combine whistle signal with lure presentation creating dual recall system for reliability, practice daily lure sessions monitoring bird's weight ensuring proper motivation level (typically 10-15% below trapped weight), move training to larger enclosed area like garage or barn providing more flight space while maintaining control, introduce distractions during lure training building bird's focus and commitment to returning despite environmental stimuli, vary lure presentation angles and speeds developing bird's hunting skills and responsiveness, and achieve consistent 100% recall success before progressing to free flight training ensuring bird's safety.

Transition to unleashed flight training developing hunting skills and field readiness in controlled environments. Example: Choose large open area away from roads, power lines, and trees for initial free flight sessions ensuring bird safety, attach radio transmitter if available providing backup location system in case bird fails to return immediately, remove all restraining equipment allowing completely free flight while maintaining whistle and lure ready for recall, start with very short flights building confidence and success rate before extending range and duration, practice in different weather conditions preparing bird for varied hunting scenarios, introduce live prey opportunities beginning with easier targets building hunting confidence and natural behavior, maintain detailed weight records adjusting feeding schedule to optimize hunting motivation while ensuring bird health, gradually extend hunting range as bird demonstrates consistent recall and hunting success, work with sponsor falconer during initial free flights benefiting from experienced guidance and safety oversight, and document all training progress preparing for eventual general falconer status and advanced hunting opportunities.