Available: September to May
Duration: 5 Day Comprehensive apprenticeship style course – (one-to-one) private tuition.
Course Includes unlimited lifetime mentoring
Raptors used on the course: Red-Tailed Hawk and Harris’ Hawk
Firstly, falconry is a huge commitment and lifestyle change, do not underestimate the implications that this may put on your life! Private tuition on my intensive apprenticeship style falconry course is available to beginners who can demonstrate the necessary time, commitment, determination and facilities to practise falconry to the required standard. My tuition course is the most comprehensive falconry course available.
I believe falconry cannot be taught on a short course with multiple students at falconry centres that forget about their students once the course is over and “money’ has been taken. I prefer to offer a one-to-one apprenticeship (which includes lifetime mentoring) where the student will have the freedom to book five individual days when they want, and don’t have to be block booked. Only moving onto the next training module when they feel confident.
You will shadow me whilst I pass on my extensive knowledge with five morning classroom sessions, followed by five afternoon practical flying sessions in the field. Emphasis is on maximum handling and flying of the hawks until I’m confident you have the required ability, confidence and dedication to own and fly a bird of prey.
“To understand falconry, you must understand the nature of the relationship between man and bird.” – Stephen J Bodio
Train with a truly experienced falconer and published author “The Art of Falconry” (My extensive work with goshawks can be read in the goshawk chapter) I spend most of my time in the field flying my Harris’ Hawk & Red-Tail Hawk.
Apprenticeships are on a private one-to-one basis so you get maximum interaction and time with the birds & falconer. Starting with the basics then moving onto advanced training techniques hunting with a Red-Tail Hawk and Harris’ Hawk, working alongside our ferrets and German Wire-Haired Pointer. You can also extend your apprenticeship course
I am confident that you will leave my apprenticeship with the correct attitude and knowledge to give you the best possible start in your newly acquired lifestyle.
I take a personal interest in your raptors welfare. Obviously I cannot cascade my lifetime of knowledge during a 5 day course, as you embark on your falconry journey with your first, or even second bird it’s comforting to know that included in your course is the backup of my lifetime “unlimited” mentor programme, where I will be available on the phone/video call, email or in person incase of the inevitable problem. You’ll have the confidence to rely on expert knowledge 24hrs per day 365 days a year.
My definition of the ART is to allow people a preview into a raptors world by flying the birds as close to their natural wild state as possible. This means most of our hunting is done by following-on, which gives the raptors the freedom to select their perches and take on lengthy flights that require serious fitness and would be impossible whilst confined to just glove flights. I’ve been doing this with Goshawks, Peregrine Falcons, Harris’ Hawks, Redtail Hawks and a Bonelli’s Eagle for over 20 years. The latest GPS telemetry track logs from my Bonelli’s Eagle last for 3 hours flight time, with heights up to 2000ft where distances in excess of 47 miles have been recorded.
PRICE
£POA
The course covers the following
- History, Etiquette and Ethics
- Terminology
- 5 days in the field
- Legal requirements & Implications
- Types of Perches – Tethering – Falconers knot
- Housing & Hygiene: Mews, Weatherings & Aviary Design
- Freelofting for all species
- Food & Nutrition – Food Preparation & Supplements
- Health, Morphology, Anatomy & Biology
- Species Suitability
- Purchasing your first bird
- Foreseeing Behavioural Problems
- Hoods & Hooding
- Essential Falconry Equipment: Swivels, leashes, gloves, travel boxes, vests, scales, baths, lures, bells, bewits, anklets & jesses
- Leather equipment construction
- Picking up & carrying
- Feeding, manning & training techniques
- Weighing & weight management
- Flying on a creance
- Flying Free
- Following On – Waiting on
- Lure & pole lure training
- Entering
- Hunting Techniques & Fieldcraft
- Quarry spikes/dispatch pliers
- Advanced Training Techniques
- Appetite, stretch receptors, rangle, washed meat – reclaiming
- Coping & Imping without casting
- Lifetime mentoring
- Waking Accipiters
- Eagle training techniques
- Conditioning & Enseaming
- Operant Conditioning – Positive Reinforcement Training
- Development & Behaviour
- Motivation
- Weather – Barometric Pressure
- Theory & Practical Telemetry & Tracking – Digital & GPS
- Telemetry mounting methods: Tracpack – Leg – Tail
- Intensive First Aid Course: Crop Tubes – Trauma Care – Drug Administration – Bleeding – Splints – Parasites – Wing Trauma – Shock – Sour Crop – Wingtip Oedema – Emergency Feeding etc
- Disease Prevention – Bumble foot – Viral – Fungal
- First Aid Kits
- Bad Practices
- Fitness Training Techniques
- Hawking in the Field
- The Moult
- Kite & Mechanical lure Training
- Obtaining your own bird – Breeders
- Obtaining land
- Clubs – Field Meets
- Ferreting Techniques
- Hawking Dogs
- Freedom to extend course
- Problem solving in the field
- Preparing game for consumption – Butchery & Bushcraft skills
- The Philosophy of the Falconer
- Get the full potential from your raptor
Due to the time and commitment I dedicate to the students on my courses and lifetime mentoring program I only accept a small number of clients on my courses per year.
Watch my free Eagle Training Diary and hunting with Goshawks, Harris’ Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Eagles and Hybrids videos that show what can be achieved when you dedicate the necessary “time” knowledge and skills. The satisfaction when watching your Raptor living a life as close to its elusive wild cousins as possible is a huge privilege that allows those few individuals that dedicate the time, a secret key to unlock, and reconnect with the natural world.
Courses take place in Staffordshire & Shropshire
