Originally Posted by
The V
Great Pictures! that has to a trilling way to hunt... How long does the apprenticeship last... I always have thought falconry was a cool sport.... I saw a video just yesterday on you-tube - a guy was hunting with his falcon and two dogs... I was curious how he would train the dog not to attached the falcon. It was a pretty cool video...
The apprenticeship lasts 2 years. I'm actually eligible to upgrade to "general" next week. Gonna get the paperwork rolling then. But, being an apprentice really doesn't limit what you can do, except you're only allowed one bird. You have a "sponsor" that's supposed to help you with any problems and guide you. You don't necessarily have to hunt together or anything.
Most of the people that use dogs raise the dogs and birds together from a young age. Or, the dog grew up around a hunting bird, whether it was the same one or not, and is accustomed to them. This isn't ALWAYS the case, but often, at least with the true falcons and goshawks.