The things we do

My sponsor has an interesting blog post today that i would recomend people read. Not only is he a falconer but he is a rehabber as well.

In falconry it sometimes all to easy to get caught up in the hunt and the head count. Some people treat it like a competition and gauge there success by that head count and all to often you hear my Hawk took this many head of rabbits, or i shot this many deer. I read different forums and different blogs, not all about falconry but some about hunting taking from the land. I think allot of people miss the point.

This year has been a hugh learning curve for me even more than the previous year. It's not been an easy year both from the amount of game, but medical issues and my own lack of hunting skills. In this area i have learnt the going is tuff rabbits are few and far between. Squirrels are culled before deer season so as not to alert deer to the presence of the deer hunter.

I have learnt water snakes have liver flukes that can be bigger than 2.5 millimeters long that turn a raptors poop to a watery black mess. I have learnt that a rabbit will evade 2 people on either side of it with a hawk over head waiting to pounce. I have learnt if it moves my hawk is going to attack it regardless of size and regardless of if it’s a living thing (Hence the rocking horse in the head count).

But most of all i have learnt i actually like being out in the fields drugging through mud, ice and snow.

Things are starting to change

Zoies eyes are starting to change from light to dak brown it seems strange in many ways that come next october she will look completly different makes me wish i had taken more photos of her this season.

Hers an interesting link regarding Red-Tail Hawks in Oklahoma

Prohibiting bee keeping

I had heard a rumour that my local town is trying to stop bee's from being kept inside the city limits. a few phones calls and i go directed to the OKLAHOMA APIARY ACT.


§2-3-125 - Local Government Regulations and Ordinances Regarding Honeybees and Hives
No county, municipal corporation, consolidated government, or other political subdivision of this
state shall adopt or continue in effect any ordinance, rule, regulation, or resolution prohibiting,
impeding, or restricting the establishment or maintenance of honeybees in hives. This provision
shall not be construed to restrict the zoning authority of a county or municipal government to
establish appropriate locations for apiaries.

I am waiting to hear back from my local town hall. I think i need to find out who else is keeping bee's in my town and organise a meeting.

End of the season

I had decided to take Zoie down to Frisco/McKinney for an end of season jaunt. Steve my sponsor was supposed to come with me but for some reason decided to drop a 90lb pack of floor tiles on his foot. I meet up with Jay Lehmer. We had a couple of good flights 2 on rabbits. Unfortunately she was unable to connect but did get a nice size lizard. We then took Jays Harris out Gator. Unfortunately we didn't manage to kick anything up for him and went home empty handed.

I fed Zoie up and she spent the night in the mews for the first time. The plan is to get her through the molt as soon as possible and be read to go again mid to late august. I have learnt so much in all aspects both from a management side , health and hunting side and cant wait for the summer to be over and we can start going after game again.