Study Information

For the Missouri test I have been studying the California Hawking Club's Study Guide, and the online falconry test. The test can only be used on internet explorer, not Mozilla Firefox. :(
The online quiz, I believe is located at:
http://www.onlinefalconry.com/USFederalFalconryExam.htm

there is also a practice test at the Arizona falconry association website as well, but I haven't really been using it much. I hear it is a good idea for those states that are not still using the USFW one.

I have been studying the online quiz questions, which are also found in the CHC resource. I purchased the apprentice manual as well, but it is not neccesary for studying the test, only the state regulations and the chc are needed in Missouri...from what I have been told.
I have heard from several people that test in other states are harder than here and require more studying. NY I think and AZ being the ones that stick out in my mind.
I have also been told not to do too much outside reading before the test, as the tests are dated and you still must know the answers that they had then.
The books I bought first:
Peterson's field guide to Hawks of North America
Birds of North America (golden, actually this one was just laying around the house)
National Geographic Birds of North America.
I also bought a folding pocket guide to Hawks, just for a quick reference while hawk watching.
I then purchased Falconry and Hawking by Phillip Glacier
and I am waiting to receive Hawks in flight by Clay Sutton
and The Red tailed hawk by Liam Mcgranaghan.
I decided to also purchase the falconer's log book (Oakes) because I thought it would be helpful in record keeping when the time comes. And I got the coloring book for the kiddies!!
hopefully these will be coming in soon.
I had spent all morning ringing the MDC phone, until I was told it is Columbus day, so I promptly gave up!!! But I am going to schedule my test and go for it. I have been studying for a week solid and feel like I have a grip on the info. that I have, so I will just test, wait and see. If I fail, I have to wait 90 days to retake. If I pass, I will need to find a sponsor.
I have however, been reading the Glasier book, and it is good. It took me a while to figure out that a car's bonnet is it's hood, but that is not exactly a falconry thing, just a "Misty really needs to travel more" thing! I guess I just am not hip to the British terminology, but that is why we call it a context clue!! you have just got to read into it.
A note:
Last year, when I first began to read about falconry and Hawks in general, I was so confused when I tried to get through any of the study guides and everything else.
I encourage anyone reading the Study guide to read it once, just to become familiar, then read it a second time, as if your answers really count and see how much you have retained. You won't know all (or perhaps any) answers the first time around, but keep in mind, the first time around you really didn't know anything about the topic. So keep reading, and rereading. Eventually it will start making sense. And don't expect to know what to do besides take the test, because that is about all this information is good for (the CHC and online test anyways, not the books!)

So that is where I am. Tomorrow I will be calling to schedule the test, and waiting on that. I am going to reread the CHC, and feel prepared. We will see how it goes from there.
BTW I scored 101 of 102 which is 99.02% on the online quiz today. Yea!!:)
So here we go.

my next posts will likely be about my new books, and online links that I have been finding.
If you are interested in seeing Hawks in action, try You Tube. If you are interested in seeing them in the wild, go to National Geographic. They have great videos!