Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Falconry in Baja?
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
-Albert Einstein
Falconry
Since Baja’s Golden Age of fishing is long gone and the netters, seiners, and pangueros are still determined to catch that lonely last
sardine to make into chicken feed or fertilizer….most experiences are that the current sport fishing in the SOC is certainly getting worse every year
and what is left is going to the chickens...birds. So..if birds it is, then… here’s a thought about...Birds. More to the
point...Birds of Prey.
(I think the above is called a 'segway' to what's below..) 
This is a falconer and his well-trained bird of prey performing at a renaissance fair I attended recently. Watching this raptor going through his
training so expertly got me to thinking…
Maybe Falconry just might be a good activity for Baja?
As most experienced travelers know, bringing your expensive shotguns and ammunition to Baja is inviting disaster. So…why not go out with your
hunting bird? Plenty of small game out there and a great way to exercise both you and your bird while providing a dinner of..…rabbits,
quail, dove, ducks, etc.
A nagging and morbid thought occurs…'God forbid the commercial guys decide to rape the deserts, too.'
While at this renaissance fair I had the opportunity to talk with this falconer, Ted, and learn some more about this sport other than the basics I
already knew. He also gave a lecture with pamphlets and describes falconry as an art, requiring long hours, constant devotion, finesse, subtlety and
skill. The falconer must train a bird of prey to fly free, hunt, and then accept a return to him…to captivity no less. The whole event was very
worthwhile and I came away with a new awareness and appreciation of falconry.
"Falconry is not a hobby; it’s a lifestyle," according to Ted. Falconers must devote time to their birds each and every day, 365 days a
year.
This one is a Harris Hawk and quite popular to falconers.
This one is the Red-Tailed Hawk.
He admonished that falconry is not for everyone and is not a suitable pastime for children.
In addition, it takes a thick skin. Animal-rights activists and some environmentalists condemn falconers; some hunters claim falcons interfere with
"their" hunting; and many falconers have lost a bird to inept or ill-intentioned hunters.
Further, he says one must begin with knowledge, learning about the various gaming birds, their stages of life, characteristics, prey, care, feeding
and suitability for the falconer and the hunting environment. Some medical knowledge is a must, too, because a falconer must be able to recognize and
treat health problems. Plus learning about proper housing for the birds, and knowing how to use the equipment. Another factor to keep in mind: a
falconer must know the rules and regulations that affect the sport and the laws that apply to birds of prey. There are a ton of those for every
country and state, including Mexico. Mexico is a member of NAFA…North American Falconers Association.
Some history (naturally). Humans have been practicing falconry—caring for and hunting with raptors—for close to 4000 years.
The idea that the raptor is hunting for the human is controversial—anyone who is against hunting would probably be against falconry. And the concept
that a wild animal is kept in captivity can definitely ruffle some feathers. Ted counters these arguments: His red-tailed hawk would hunt without him,
he says, and would probably hunt more often, because she can’t store the leftovers in the freezer. And Ted contends that his relationship with his
hawk is the same as any relationship a human has with an animal—a dog, a cat, a horse—it’s just a little less common. However, Red-tailed Hawks
haven’t been domesticated for generations like dogs and cats; his hawk was born wild.
What say you? Do any on you know or have heard of any such falconers clubs or organizations in Baja? I certainly think it would add to one’s quiver
of Baja activities, realizing it would take an interested & dedicated person to pursue this effectively.
I’m interested because my favorite part of any sport has always been… the opportunity to play.
[Edited on 4-10-2014 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2396
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
Member Is Offline
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very nice,, informative
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