Basic Idea About What Is Falconry and How You Can Enjoy It

Do you want a different kind of adventure involving natural means and belonging to nobility? Do you have an interest in hunting? Then, you might want to check out falconry. What is falconry as a sport and an art? It is hunting wild game or quarry using a bird of prey. Yes, not even the best pellet gun is used for falconry. It's all about animal hunting animal as a sport.

Common Birds of Prey

One of the important things you have to know if you want to be a falconer is which birds are used to hunt. Even if you have the best air rifles, you can't use these to hunt for wild game or quarry. It's possible to bring an air gun or rifle during hunts but only as an added layer of protection as you wait exposed in the wild while your bird of prey hunts.

These birds of prey are also known as raptors. The most commonly used birds are the Harris Hawk and the Red-tailed Hawk, although falconers traditionally preferred the Peregrine Falcon or the Northern Goshawk. With a speed exceeding 200 miles per hour when it sets its eye on a prey, the Peregrine Falcon is the obvious choice of Falconers.

The Northern Goshawk, along with the Golden Eagle, is most popular in Europe. The Golden Eagle is said to be used in Eastern Europe to hunt for big prey like wolves and foxes. In the Middle East, where falconry is part of its heritage and culture, the Saker Falcon is traditionally used.

This may surprise you, but certain owls like the Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Great Horned Owl are also used in falconry.

As a novice, you may use the Red-tailed hawk, which is common in North America. Most beginners also use the Kestrel but they are too small and hard to care for. Thus, the Red-tail Hawk is more preferred.

Enjoying Falconry

Falconry is not just about hunting. It involves the capturing, training, and caring for the bird of prey before using it for hunting.

Apparently, the fun begins in catching your raptor. The challenge lies in capturing a specific bird of prey in the wild without injuring it. You may opt to buy it especially if you prefer a special breed, but it is more rewarding to capture your own bird.

Housing and caring for your raptor is also part of the fun in falconry. You should learn about the particular needs of your bird. Caring for a raptor is so much different from caring for a pet dog or bird. Proper housing is also important. Raptors are not kept in cages but in an enclosed space called a mew that has the size of a small bedroom, at least. There, the raptor must have a place to perch.

Training your bird is another fun and challenging aspect in being a falconer. You must have the guidance of an expert falconer to train your raptor effectively. Your bird should be trained for hunting and obedience. It must be trained also to return to you after catching its prey.

Of course, the best part of falconry is the hunt. It is where you will get your final reward for all the time, effort, and money you invested in getting your bird, housing it, caring for it, and training it. What could be more exciting than hunting with the use of a bird, rather than a gun?

Falconry is not just a unique and exciting sport but also an art and a heritage of aristocracy and nobility.