dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 9, 2008 23:06:08 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 10, 2008 2:01:52 GMT -5
Ok, you're making all the classic mistakes that an apprentice and/or pre-apprentice does. Forget about the "red-tail kit".....it's a rip off in the long run. Few people use a leather leash because they are hard to work with and the Packistani bells are the cheapest bells on the market. The jesses and anklets are easily made! Forget about the glove too....too expensive and a waste of money. I would only recommend actually buying the scale, the hoods and the sampo swivels. The following pieces of equipment must be in possession before a COR or license can be obtained:
a. Aylmeri Jesses b. Leashes and Sampo brand swivels c. Bath container d. Outdoor perches e. Weighing device (Digital scale or a Triple Beam accurate to within 1/2 oz.
You will also need the following equipment for your bird and its proper training:
f. Glove of appropriate size g. Bells & Bewits (if flying a Red-tail) h. Hood (if flying a red-tail) i. Telemetry is recommended but not required for a Red-tail j. Falconry bag or vest k. Lure (small bird for a Kestrel or a rabbit for a Red-tail) l. Creance about 250 yards long
I recommend buying 1/2 hide of kangaroo leather to make your jesses, anklets and bewits from; 1/2 hide will last for years!!! They are all extremely easy to make so don't waste your money buying them. For a glove, go to wal-mart or a welding supply place and get a pair of welding gloves. They are only about $5 a pair and work GREAT and its better than paying $45+ for a "falconry" glove and you can try them on to make sure you get the bet fit for your hand! Make your own leash. They are easily braided. If you cannot braid or don't know how to make one, I will make you one and mail it for $10....everywhere else sells them for $14.95 or more plus $5.95 or more for shipping. Don't buy a "falconry bath pan" either....way too expenive. Go to a construction/lumber yard and ask if they can spare an empty 50 gallon plastic drum. Most will give it to you when you tell them what it is for or only charge you $5 or $10. Take it home and measure 3" up from the rim and cut it with a circular saw or jig saw and to make it nice to stand on, get an old hose from your yard that leaks and cut a length long enough to go around the top of it. Split it down the middle with some scizzors and push it over the rough edge and you now have a bath pan for your bird (just remember to wash it with soap and water first)! Got to wal-mart and go to the sports section and buy a sports whistle (also called a stadium whistle). They are about $3 is all.
You can buy perches but I would make them yourself or go to a machine shop or welder and take pic of the perches and ask if they would make you one from the spare pieces of round stock they have lying around. Most will do it for free when you tell them what it is for or maybe charge you $20 instead of buying one for $145.00+. Remember you need a bow perch for the yard so the ends need to be sharpened and you need another portable one with the metal plate on the bottom for the vehicle.
For hoods, buy at least 2 but 4 would be better. Instead of buying from a falconry outfitter like the one you were going to, talk to an actual hoodmaker instead. They usually have better prices and cheaper shipping and I recommend you get 2 for a tiercel and 2 for a hen of slightly different sizes to ensure you get a good fit or WAIT until you actually trap your bird and give the hoodmaker the birds weight so they can send the appropriate one. There is NO guarantee you will get a hen because you want one and you may end up trapping a tiercel and if all you have is a hood for a hen, you're screwed!
The scale is obvious and needs to be purchased and when you buy your swivels, make sure you buy the Sampo Salt Water Ball Bearing Swivels. Instead of about $9 each, go to a Marine Fishing Store and buy them there and they are only about $5. Sampo are the strongest swivels and are THE BEST. The figure-8 swivels that are sold can break and are basically only designed for over-seas falconers but are sold here just to make a quick buck. Figure-8 swivels do NOT meet USA falconry standards so don't buy them! You will also need to buy a bag of grommets and some grommet setting pliers but go to Tandy Leather or another leather business or craft store cause you can usually get them about 1/2 price. Back to the scale. Instead of buying one first, go to your local police department (city or county) and tell them you are pursuing a career as a licensed falconer in your state and state and federal laws require that you have a digital scale that weighs in grams and ounces and goes up to 2000 grams and then ask them if they will donate one of them to you that has already been listed and released as evidence once the trial was over instead of incinerating it. All of them are destroyed after a case goes to trial and many Chief's of Police will give one to you. (It's how I got my first scales when I started falconry). If you go to the city and they say no, go ask the county Chief and if he says no, go to your highway patrol office and ask that Chief. If they say no then you'll need to buy one but usually one of them will give you one!
As for bells, buy the acorn bells....they really are the best. They are a bit more expensive (about $25) but will last for years on end. Some of my bells have lasted 22 years and I'm STILL using them on my prairie and harris' hawk!!!
Don't buy a falconry bag or vest from a falconry business either. Total rip off! Go to wal-mart and buy a fishing vest. They are only about $25 and have all the pockets you will need and a game bag in the back of them. Just add a few clips and grommets to the front to securely hold your hood when you take it off the bird and a couple of extra swivels and a couple extra pair of jess straps. Always make sure you put the leash and swivel in a zippered pocket so you don't loose them and always carry an extra leash too. You will also wanna take a sharp pocket knife and some game shears (I use the hand held pruning shears from the gardening section from wal-mart) to help cut up game for your bird. The larger extra pockets are great for putting in some bottled water and power bars for a snack when you're out in the field for several hours and they make a safe place to put your cell phone in case an emergency arises in the field and you need help. Being in a zippered pocket means the cell won't fall off your hip when walking or running in the field!
You can buy a creance if you want but again, you can buy and make your own from wal-mart for about $4. Just buy some polyeurathane line that is in the hardware section by the rope and chain (it comes in white, yellow, orange and pink) and for a weight, tie it to a piece of 2X4 that is 1 foot long. Measure out approximatelly 200 to 250 yards of the line and re-wrap it around the 2X4 making sure you tie one end to it (drill a hole in the 2X4 and tie the string thru it instead of just tying it to the board itself as it may slip).
The lure is also easily made. Go to Tandy leather or your local Boy Scouts of America thrift store and buy a tanned rabbit pelt that is about the same color as a cottontail. Take it home and roll up an old hand towel into an oval (the basic shape of a rabbits body) and sew the pelt over the rolled up towel. Attach (sew on) a swivel with heavy string and attach a line to it and you now have a lure for about $6.
Your biggest expense is the mew and telemetry. Obviously the mew is necessary but the telemetry is highly recommended. You will put a lot of time, money and effort into getting your red-tail and licenses and it is a shame if the bird flies off or if a gust of wind suddenly comes up and carries your bird away. Telemetry helps recover about 99% of lost birds; otherwise your bird is completely gone!
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 10, 2008 5:49:01 GMT -5
thx for the addvise Eddie i'm going to follow it. I'm not that good at makeing stuff like leather gear but my mom my help out(she's got alot of ccrafting skill) so i should have that covered. and my family is friends with the cheif of police so that should work out. do you beleive i need a hawk box for a red tail.
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 10, 2008 13:54:59 GMT -5
Many people use a giant hood (or hawk box) but most don't. Hoods are cheaper and work great and the biggest advantage is if you're out hunting with falconry friends and they are hunting and your bird is unhooded, it becomes aggitated and tries to fly at game or may try to bate and attack the other falconers birds. If you don't want a hawk just sitting on a perch in your truck you can use the hood and also use the giant hood to contain the bird, especially for when it poops. I've had RT's slice from the back of my blazer clear to the dash!!! Giant hoods are expensive though so if you do this I recommend buying a travel kennel and installing a perch in it for the bird. A kennel at wal-mart for a RT sized bird is only about $35 compared to about $300 for a giant hood!
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 10, 2008 13:56:42 GMT -5
also I'm plaining on getting books to study right now I'm going with: -The Falconer's Apprentice- A Guide to Training The Passage -Red-tailed Hawk -The Red-Tailed Hawk -Apprentice Manual -Apprentice Study Guide -Falconry Equipment -North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks roughly $131 for the book together accept North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks, because on mikes the price varies from day to day. any other books you guys recommend.
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 10, 2008 14:19:19 GMT -5
For the NAF&HH.....pay the price and get one quickly. The book is no longer in print so what is left on the market is all there is!!!! ebay has it once in awhile but they are expensive because of the bidding wars to get a copy!
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 10, 2008 15:02:15 GMT -5
i should be ordering this weekend from mike's falconry.
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 10, 2008 17:20:55 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 10, 2008 18:29:17 GMT -5
You use slits in the mews jesses and switch them to field jesses when you go flying and the field jesses have the hole punched in them so you can secure a line to the bird while down on the ground on quarry. The tail mount pleculums are good if you know what you're doing, otherwise have a seasoned falconer put it on for you.
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 10, 2008 19:43:42 GMT -5
well tomorrow i will be contacting the state fish and wildlife and asking for a packet. ;D
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 10, 2008 22:43:02 GMT -5
Where do you live again?
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 11, 2008 13:57:29 GMT -5
Eddie i live in new jersey. well i called the number for falconry info and i lady picked up who seemed a little frustrated,and that she wanted nothing to do with me and took my info address, zip code, name then said she would have someone send me some info i said a OK and bye. well the hole phone call was 30 to 50 seconds top. but at least I'm one step closer ;D o and the passenger red tail at my school is torturing me ;D. he seems to be every where i go .
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 11, 2008 14:18:23 GMT -5
In most cases you will find DWR officers and personnel like that. Most of them know absolutely nothing about falconry at all and just take messages and pass the info along to the head of that department. Most of them are rude because they get to sit on their fat ass and collect a nice state or federal paycheck with phenominal benefits. My heart just breaks for them!!! I suggest contacting Tony McBride, Principal Biologist at the Division @ 908-735-8793 for falconry license procedures and your local falconry club info is: New Jersey Falconry Club 23 Middleton Drive Lumberton, NJ 08048 Your clubs web page is: geocities.com/jerseyfalconryclub/
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 11, 2008 14:46:56 GMT -5
thx for the info Eddie. i think I'm going to wait till i get the info from them before i call anyone else. i already found the NJ falconry club. was plaining on going to the meet but sadly my mom was still at the time of her trying to discourage me so she planed a vacation on that date . is Tony McBride in charge of the whole country?
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 11, 2008 16:29:35 GMT -5
No, Tony is the falconry director for your state and all the regulations, permits and stuff go through him so call him and get the stuff. He's a really nice guy. I dealt with him when I was putting together my web page on the USA Game Departments, the states falconry web pages if they had one and each States falconry club info.
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 11, 2008 20:14:26 GMT -5
since i already called someone should i call him to?
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 12, 2008 1:08:08 GMT -5
I would call him so he can get the info to you. That way you're cutting out the idiot and going right to the source.
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 12, 2008 13:55:54 GMT -5
But i ready talked to the idiot so should i wait to see what happens
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 12, 2008 15:59:49 GMT -5
No. Like I said above, call Tony! He is the only one in your state authorized to give out the falconry stuff!
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 12, 2008 16:32:43 GMT -5
o OK. I think I'm going to wait till tomorrow so i don't call after he left.
|
|
dac
Junior Member
i'll use this image of one of my favorite bops until i get my own bird
Posts: 90
|
Post by dac on Mar 15, 2008 11:37:44 GMT -5
well i haven't called Tony McBride yet because i've bin sick. i did get a small packet from fish and wildlife that gave me a little info be most of it i already knew and another number to call. but as soon as i'm better i'm going to call Tony McBride.
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Mar 15, 2008 14:08:32 GMT -5
Tony will send you what you need. Most likely an Apprentice Packet and a procedure outline of what needs to be done in what order and if your State prints falconry proclomations you'll get one of them too, otherwise you'll have to go to the web site suggested and print it yourself. If you want go to my web page and print it. This is the Utah Apprentice Packet that is given in Utah but mine is a bit more in depth as the actual UT one was the absolute bare minimum basics whereas mine has more info and a better list of equipment and furniture that you'll need. Follow the directions. It is specifically made for printing and is difficult to read from the web page because of alignment issues with the words and pics! www.diversityinutah.com/packet1.html
|
|