My Falconry

I've been a practicing falconer since 1994. As a small child, I was introduced to this magical sport by my father. Like a lot of young children, I was fascinated by nature, especially the predator/prey relationship. Then I saw the movie My Side of the Mountain, and it was all over. After my apprenticeship, I had the pleasure of working for one of the original commercial falcon breeders here in the U.S.; he is a true "gentleman" of our sport. We trained up to 40 Gyrs and Hybrids for sale to the Middle East. During this time, I flew Harris’ hawks and Accipiters on the quail and chukar of Northern Nevada. The backdrop of the High Desert in the Great Basin made for some truly beautiful hawking. Nine years into the sport, I moved to Northern Idaho to pursue my dream of flying longwings on upland game. It has truly been an adventure and, at times, a rough ride. The flying of falcons from big pitches can be so rewarding and, yet, so challenging; it constantly leaves one wanting more: more of the beauty, and more of the speed and spiritual fodder that it offers. Many of you will likely agree that there are days when you feel so privileged to have witnessed such beauty and power, and then other days when you wish you had learned to love golf instead.