Falconry
I am very honored to be a general falconer, who has been interested in birds and birds of prey for a long time. I studied under Master Falconer Hamdy Kassem, and flew the passage female red tail hawk featured in the background in my second season.
A Cultural Heritage
Michigan Hawking Club
I am a member of the Michigan Hawking Club, which supports and promotes the sport of falconry, and conservation of birds of prey throughout Michigan. With the club, I participate in field meets, and under the direct supervision of my sponsor, educational programing. I also use it as a networking tool to allow me to learn from expert falconers. If you live in Michigan and are interested in falconry, this is the place to go.
Regulation
Falconry is the most regulated field sport in the US. Its practice requires a license, and a permit for possession of a raptor. The Michigan DNR is in charge of Falconry Regulation in Michigan.
North American
Falconers Association
I am a member of the North American Falconers Association. NAFA has served the falconry community of North America for fifty years. Through the organization, raptors are conserved and falconry is promoted. NAFA members worked with the Peregrine Fund to help save the peregrine falcon from extinction.
History of Falconry
Falconry has been designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, to show its significance to our history. Falconry has been practiced for thousands of years, and is very widespread across the world.
See PBS's Raptor Force for more information.
Pictured above, my falconry sponsor Hamdy Kassem, whose family has been practicing falconry for generations.
"A satisfactory hobby must be in a large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant...all in all, falconry is the perfect hobby. "
Aldo Leopold
"Of the origins of falconry, only one thing is certain; man emerged from antiquity with a hawk on his fist."
Roger Tory Peterson