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Falconer-Bird Pairs Carry Out Old Tradition

November 23, 2009 - WISCASSET -- As a boy, Larry Barnes of Wiscasset became interested in an ancient hunting sport of English kings.

Falconry, also known as hawking, involves taming and training a bird of prey to hunt not for itself, but for its trainer, a falconer.

That interest grew with the stories and photos by John and Frank Craighead, who were passionate about falcons.

"They wrote articles for National Geographic back in the 1930s, and their sister, Jean Craighead George, wrote 'My Side of the Mountain,'" Barnes said.

"The book was about a boy adventurer leaving home and getting a falcon and living on his own. It was an interesting book."

Barnes, a Realtor, entered the sport about a decade ago.

Recently, he was training a year-old female peregrine falcon to hunt ducks.

"What we do here in Maine is very unique," said the 51-year-old Barnes. "We hunt all through the winter, and that's really quite a challenge.

"Conditions change on a daily basis and is relative to height of the tide, overnight temperatures and how much snow you get. It's a great challenge, to go out and find the ducks and be successful."

For traditional game, he said, a falcon is taught to take a position above the falconer, 500 to 1,000 feet. They then wait for its trainer to flush out game. He said it takes two or three hunting seasons to get it right.

"I use a balloon or kite to suspend meat attached to a duckling lure," he said. "They fly up to grab that up on the string, and that teaches them if they take a position, they will get a reward."

"I've heard it kind of equated to extreme bird watching. To see a falcon stoop and take game is something very rare to see. In one regard, I love to see my birds be successful, but it's really the creation of a team, me and the falcon, that's the greatest reward for me."

Popular small game animals include duck, quail, dove, pheasants, squirrels and rabbit.

Vasco "Buster" Carter, a state biologist who oversees state falconry permits, said Maine has about 25 licensed falconers. There are about 3,000 nationally.

He said falconers must have federal as well as state licenses. Novice falconers must be at least 16 years old, pass an exam, have a mentor and maintain their apprentice's status for two years.

The next stage, general falconer, takes at least five years. After seven years, a falconer can become a master.

Falconers must also house a raptor in a large enclosure, known as a mews, which is inspected by game wardens.

"It's fairly expensive to get the facilities set up, and it takes a lot of skill in order to be successful throughout the application process and testing," Carter said.

Carter said part of the licensing process is to educate people so they understand what they are embarking upon. A major concern of falconers is the welfare of the birds.

"That's their responsibility," Carter said. "Once they capture and start training a wild bird for falconry, then the bird is dependent on humans for the rest of their lives."

He said falcons can be freed back into the wild, because they already know how to hunt for food.

According to Carter, the federal rules for falconry have been updated, and Maine is in the process of bringing state rules in line with federal ones. He said anyone interested in the sport can contact him at 287-5252.

Barnes said falcons are charismatic creatures. And that he plans to become involved in educating people about them.

"Most people don't know about falconry," he said. "But discussing birds of prey and the reintroduction of the peregrine in North America and Europe is a success story.

"They were wiped out on the East Coast of North America and most of the British Isles because of DDT, but a dedicated group of people helped bring them back."

By MECHELE COOPER, Kennebec Journal November 23, 2009


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