Dirt Hawking season has begun

[GreenMachine]

I haven't gone out yet this season, but I got an update from a local falconer that his birds are already getting injured this hunting season.  His birds must be overly excited too.

We will be going out on Saturdays and/or Sundays periodically through to later Winter 2020.  If you've ever wanted to see a hawk in action up close and personal, this is the venue.  Yes, we'll accept others who'd like to join in on the experience as well.  You'll be enlisted to scurry up prey as a trained partner to the hawks.

If you:

1) are 14 y.o. or older
2) can follow adult supervision and the falconer's safety instructions
3) can walk through sagebrush for up to 3 miles on each hunt (sometimes muddy and messy)
4) promise to avoid the hawks as you would a hunting dog (let them be, to focus on hunting)
5) are not grossed out by the cycle of life; rabbits will be dispatched on these hunts
6) enjoy hunting for 3 - 4 hours before breaking for the day before lunch
7a) accept the risks associated with being in close proximity to a wild bird of prey and Nevada's wild outdoors
7b) come at your own risk; hold SSA and the falconer harmless for any injury you may sustain**

and agree to those conditions...then watching a raptor hunt and kill prey using only its talons, as it does instinctively is going to be like being in on a NatGeo Falconry documentary first hand.  Bring your camera!

Just a note.  Many falconers who let other people get close to their birds of prey charge several hundreds of dollars for a few minutes of having such an experience.  Our local falconer welcomes you to join on his rabbit hunts free of charge.*

Post up if you're interested in participating and let's make an outing of it.** - GM


* Although, I always offer to pay him something, so it's a two way street.  I feel better about it that way.  Owning these majestic birds isn't cheap on the order of magnitude of what you'll see.  So I feel good about pitching in $25 each time, but that's me.  I'll leave it up to each of you.  This is a no obligation experience and SSA takes only the thrill and diversity from it.

** No one has ever been injured on these outings.  I just mention this in the unlikely instance that something does happen.  Hawks have no interest in attacking humans, WE ARE NOT their source of food.  However, if you put a hand in front of their source of food, they will "foot" that prey and may drive their talons through a person's hand.

[GreenMachine]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO-871m_w58

Our birds of prey are living descendants of these other feathered raptors.  They even hunt as a pack.

[GreenMachine]

We will be hunting wascally wabbits Saturday 01/24 at 8:00 AM.

General 2 hours of dirt hawking, then everyone goes their separate ways.

If interested PM or reply and I'll PM you the address.  I can only invite two other people of 13 y.o. or older. 

Watching a prehistoric raptor hunt or learn to hunt, in the case of some of our young hawks, is other-worldly.  You can really get a feel for the dinosaur in their behavior.