Pretty Darn Cool

[Big Skyz]

This is pretty cool. Well at least I think it is. My oldest son has him a new Merlin falcon. The bird got it's first kill with him yesterday. Anything that reduces the number of starling in the world is a good thing in my opinion. He has had the falcon about a month and the training has been going very well. Falconry is a fascinating form of hunting and I used to enjoy training raptors with my son when he was a just a kid. Without further delay I'd like to introduce you to Spook the Merlin Falcon.
https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=80199&d=1518535199

My son has also changed quite a bit over the years. I haven't posted a picture of him in a while here is a recent pic. He's kind of hairy bugger these day. Looks the part of a falconer though. :)
https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=80198&d=1518535197

[BarryBobPosthole]

Very cool indeed. Keep us posted.

So how does he aquire his birds? Are most of them captive bred in that market?

BKB

[Big Skyz]

Nope wild birds that he traps. They must be younger yearling birds.

[airbud7]

Cool...me want one...:D

[BarryBobPosthole]

So where is the notch in their beak that is talked about? I’ve heard the way to tell falcons from hawks is falcons have a notch in their beak. But I’ve never been able to figure out where on the beak that is.

BKB

[LJ3]

It's right above his beard.

[Booger]

I have a hard enough time taking care of my chickens. Can't imagine the time and effort to trap, train and hunt with a hawk or falcon. One of the mega cool things in the outdoors I would love to be able to do, but sadly never will. Pretty dang ol neat Troy.




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[Chicken Dinner]

I’ve seen them work in person a couple times. Very cool!


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[Thumper]

I assume it’s a wild bird. How long can you hunt with them before you have to release ‘em Sky?

[DeputyDog]

That is so cool. Glad to see he kept his interest in that. I remember the posts from before he went on his mission.


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[Big Skyz]

Thumper I really don't know the answer to that. I'll ask my son and get back to you.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I could ask like a million questions.

In trainng do they get to eat the bird and do they bring it back to hand?

I read up on falcons and that notch in their beak is specialized to sever the spine of the prey right at the neck. How’s that for a handy shaped tooth?

I found this too which is cool.

http://redandthepeanut.blogspot.com/2012/02/notch-in-peregrine-falcons-beak.html

BKB

[Big Skyz]

BKB, they get to eat some of the kill, but they monitor their weight really close. Plus if the bird isn't hungry it won't hunt so you don't want it to get too full. Once the hunt is over though, they get a good meal.

[Bwana]

Just be careful where he flies his bird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgVz6EEjJtc

[Thumper]

OH SHIT! That sucks. :(

[BarryBobPosthole]

Oh man.

BKB

[airbud7]

Just be careful where he flies his bird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgVz6EEjJtc

ruh-roh

[Big Skyz]

Bwana, as they say...you can't fix stupid. In this case it wasn't the bird so much as the falconer.

[Thumper]

Bwana, as they say...you can't fix stupid. In this case it wasn't the bird so much as the falconer.

I agree. That's the first thing that came to MY mind.

[Trav]

My neighbor does it, he has a Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon and either a Red Shouldered Hawk or a Kestrel I can remember which. It is really a lot of work, you have to weigh them before and after you fly them and a lot of other stuff but they are really cool. He also keeps a pigeon coop for a ready supply of falcon fodder.