In September of 2023, I started my falconry next falconry season. My wife and I had just purchased our new home back in August and I had built my brand-new mews (raptor enclosure) with an entire work bench in the garage dedicated to my falconry equipment. I was ready to start looking for my second red-tailed hawk. When I go out and trap my birds, I prefer to be alone. There is something relaxing about driving on back roads, listening to your favorite songs and looking for birds on telephone poles.
I had started looking for passage red tailed hawks early in September, however none of the young birds were interested in the live bait. A passage bird means that it is a first-year bird that has not molted into its adult feathers. One morning, I was out early and had no luck seeing any young hawks, but my sponsor noticed a young bird actively hunting on the top of a pole when he was on his way to work. He sent me the location of the bird and I was on my way. When I arrived, the bird was on the same pole still hunting and I knew it was a good time to drive up and place my trap down to attempt to capture the bird. I utilize what's called a bal-chatri trap to capture my falconry birds. The bal-chatri trap is basically a metal cage with a live rodent or bird inside, and monofilament line tied into nooses on top of the trap. When a bird flies down to grab the live bait from the trap, their feet get caught with the nooses. The falconer will then move swiftly to the trapped bird and remove the nooses from the bird's feet. I placed my bal-chatri trap under the pole where the bird was hunting from and went back to my car to see if the bird would fly down to the trap. After watching the bird through my binoculars for five minutes, the bird finally flew down and grabbed the trap. I knew the bird was caught since I could see the noose attached to its foot. I moved in quickly so I could go get the bird off the trap, but the bird broke free as I was halfway there. I called my sponsor to let him know what had happened with the trap. My falconry sponsors place of work was close to where I was trapping so he was able to leave work to look at the trap to make sure everything was in working condition. As he was on his way, I saw another passage red tailed hawk on a telephone pole that I could try to trap. My sponsor arrived and we placed down the trap and waited. The bird flew down to the trap and was caught in the nooses. As we were going to get the bird off the trap, the bird broke free again.
Over the next week we re-tied all the nooses on the trap with a more durable line. Once my weekend came around it was time to go out and try to trap again. I went back to the same spot where the two birds broke the nooses on my trap. As soon as I arrived, there was the same bird that flew down to my trap the first time. The bird was sitting on a telephone pole about 50 feet away from where I first attempted to capture it. I got out of my car and set my trap under the telephone pole and quietly walked back to my car. I sat patiently and waited as the bird looked down at my trap. Then it happened: the bird flew down and grabbed ahold of the trap footing at the metal and tried to grab the rodent inside. I had an adrenaline rush and was crossing my fingers that this bird wouldn't break the noose this time.
Once I observed that the bird was caught in a noose, I got out of my car and ran to the bird with my towel and welding gloves. Once I had the bird in hand, I put a towel over it and gently wrapped it up and held it in my arms. I removed the noose from the bird's foot and walked back to my car where I had all my equipment. I first did a head-to-toe examination of the bird to make sure it was in good condition. I slipped on a hood over the bird's head so it could no longer see me and to help reduce the stress of the capture. I then put the wrapped bird onto a scale to see how much it weighed. My sponsor was able to drive down to my location and give me a hand putting the rest of my new bird's equipment on. We attached the anklets, which go around the leg just above the feet, then place what are called jesses through the grommet on the back of the anklet. Jesses are long thin straps of leather that allow the falconer to hold the bird to the gauntlet or glove.
It's an absolutely exhilarating experiencing trapping wild caught hawks and falcons. I am beyond thankful for my sponsor for helping me through the beginning of my falconry journey. He has provided me with so many resources to be a successful falconer. My bird's name is Tinker Bell, and this bird has been with me through a very rough life event this past season. Having Tinker Bell as my hunting partner has been a great outlet to release the pain I have been going through. This season has been excellent and by the end of it Tinker Bell and I caught 11 head of game. Enjoy the pictures bellow that highlight the best moments of our season.
Sincerely,
Alex
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