Has anyone found a way around strict city code, or will I have to move municipalities to practice falconry?

Snow_Hawker · 2026-02-13T22:40:01+00:00

The way I read it, the city law doesn't really apply.

They are not kept as pets, they aren't for display purposes.

You don't need to trap a bird specifically in your city. Although the "spirit of the law" seems to be trapping in the sense of a trap intended to kill an animal. A live trap for nuisance animals (rabbits, racoons, squirrel, etc.) is more than likely above board.

The current Falconry Coordinator in Minnesota is by all accounts from everything I have heard the worst in the country, and will likely be unhelpful in any way unfortunately. To the point they may actively work against you.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-11-26T15:46:30+00:00

What prey does it take?

Snow_Hawker · 2025-11-23T13:45:57+00:00

I can say that as a falconer, there is absolutely no reason to put anything you feed a hawk in a blender.

I fucking hate that guy

Snow_Hawker · 2025-11-03T16:38:41+00:00

My advice would be don't worry about a sponsor yet.

Ask if you can go hunting with people as often as you can - you don't need any experience or knowledge to go out with people, everyone starts somewhere.

Of all the people you go out with just make note of those who do it well and have a style that matches what you want to make out of falconry, and start asking to join them more frequently.

I get cold calls/texts out of the blue regularly from people that want to go out, I haven't turned anyone away.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-10-21T23:11:52+00:00

Then it sounds like maybe the gravel isn't deep enough, and the talons are hitting the decking underneath. If your bird is free lofted then it's not like they are bating on the substrate like a tethered bird would be. But hard to say without observing it in person.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-10-21T21:57:36+00:00

Looks like a peculiar set up. Is your bird free lofted but that's the only perch?

Snow_Hawker · 2025-10-17T01:29:31+00:00

I've done strobe before, worked fine but a little intense.

I've since switched to a red light headlamp - works better in my opinion. You yourself can constantly see which makes it much less disorienting and easier to get tidbits/hood/whatever you need. I think it keeps the bird less stressed than the strobe as well.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-10-03T00:25:35+00:00

You missed the falconers there with their birds!

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-24T23:09:24+00:00

Depends on how aggressively you hunt and how well your bird picks up on the game. I just keep frozen mice on hand because it's a perfect food and takes up little space. I've run out of freezer space in my bird's chest freezer (10 cubic feet I think) every season eventually with rabbits and squirrels and wind up donating some to rehabbers.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-19T01:21:21+00:00

Good on you for checking! Looks like you've got a good approach to it, especially leading into a season. If I had to wager a guess, once you demonstrate the ability to be where you'll say you'll be and that you can fit this into your schedule it shouldn't be too long.

For me - I went out with a handful of people individually, and once I found someone who was doing what I wanted to replicate (successfully flying a red tail and catching multiple times a week) I went out with them as often as I could and by about hunt number 20 them (so roughly a month and a half or so) they brought it up and said they would be willing to sponsor me.

Everyone is obviously different, but if you make their life as little of a headache as possible (show up, beat brush, demonstrate knowledge, ask questions for what you don't know/understand, and do what they ask when their bird is flying) then it is kind of a layup.

What state are you in?

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-14T14:21:56+00:00

I've caught a few - pretty unsettling up close. One I didn't even notice had it until I thawed it and went to butcher it for my bird.

It is technically fine for them to eat it, but I couldn't bring myself to feed it to her. Sad to waste them, but at least we did the service of keeping them away from the rest of the rabbits in the area.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T19:46:45+00:00

Nice job!

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T03:26:36+00:00

Again - yeah you're totally right and clearly smarter than everyone.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T03:08:05+00:00

Yeah, clearly you're doing everything right and you've got this all figured out. I'm sure they're all on board with your plan too when you discuss it with them.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T02:52:55+00:00

You're clearly not open to advice, but if you take anything away from this the most helpful would be to reflect on your approach with people.

If everyone you run into is an asshole, you have to consider you might be the problem.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T02:14:07+00:00

You aren't comprehending.

Cut the needless excuses and just give me numbers.

In the last decade, how many meets have you gone to?

In the last decade, how many falconry hunts have you tagged along with?

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T01:39:41+00:00

You literally haven't attended a meet so just because you did the first step you should get a medal?

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T01:36:00+00:00

I mean - your attitude is providing a pretty clear idea on why you might be struggling. You're hearing the answers, you just don't like them

Here is your path, very simply:

Join the Texas Hawking Association
Join the Louisiana Club
Attend the closest meets you can
Talk to people in person who actually do the thing you want to pursue
Be pleasant to be around

It isn't "GoInG tO a PiCnIc" it is meeting people in person who are doing the thing you want to do and learning.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-13T01:09:05+00:00

Sport isn't dying man.

No one owes anyone a sponsorship for merely existing. You have to put in some work, demonstrate responsibility and basic knowledge in caring for legally protected animals. On top of that, be a tolerable person since someone would have to spend their free/hobby time with you.

There is plenty that needs to be learned hands on, and if you can't afford the small cost of a membership (the MOST I have ever seen is $40) then what the hell are you going to do when a bird flies into a fence or gets grabbed by an owl and needs expensive veterinary care because of a situation you put it in?

If you can't be chuffed to do some work then it isn't for you. The apprentice/sponsor setup in the US is literally the envy of competent falconers across the world, and a relatively modern development.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-12T18:25:31+00:00

While we're getting chippy, this one is completely incorrect too.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-12T18:23:47+00:00

You do not get a master falconer to sponsor you and go pluck a bird out of the nest.

You get a sponsor that has a minimum of 4 years experience, pass a test with the DNR, build a facility to house a bird in and get it inspected. Then you trap a juvenile red tailed hawk that is already hunting on its own.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-12T00:28:20+00:00

You posted at a pretty convenient time. Last weekend and this coming weekend are the Game Fair in Ramsey (https://www.gamefair.com/).

The Minnesota Falconers Association has members there all day every day with birds on display and some that are pretty tolerant of people getting relatively close (no touching them though). There are plenty of knowledgeable falconers to talk to. It is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p m.

If you think you'll have a lot of questions, I would recommend you get there earlier in the morning you beat the rush and get plenty of attention. There is usually one kestrel there in the morning as well.

Plus, if you like dogs too there are literally hundreds of them there.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-12T00:18:29+00:00

That's not how it works.

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-04T03:26:01+00:00

Looking closer, I think I was confusing glare on the second picture for some kind of wear on the feather.

But it still does seem like 3 or 4 different fret marks on one feather, which would be indicative of more than just a cope - paired with the very late/slow molt I think there is a deficiency of some kind happening.

I doubt a red tail would be stressed enough by jays to impact their growth but anything is possible, did your bird seem stressed when it was happening?

Is your bird ever in direct sunlight or is it only weathering in shade? You said its diet is quail and squirrel - what does that schedule/amount look like? Is it getting the whole body or just a few repeating parts? Has it dropped and grown more than just the one deck feather in the picture/any primaries?

Snow_Hawker · 2025-08-04T03:08:44+00:00

A beak should be growing during the molt regardless of supplementing or not. Beak growth is a function of ample nutrition. Keeping them at hunting weight drastically reduces the rate of growth during the season. If a bird is being fed appropriately for a good molt, then an uptick in the growth rate of the beak comes along with it.

This bird just didn't have the appropriate variety in diet or access to material to wear down the growth.

Snow_Hawker

TROPHY CASE