Video about Hawking in Arkansas

I thought I would add a link to this video I found early this October.
The falconer in the video, I believe, is a member of the Arkansas Hawking group. When I watched this video, I followed the link at the end of the clip, which later led me to the AP Falconry board.

My Outdoor TV

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Starling Project

I am currently researching ways to acquire food for my Red Tail.
This research has led me to many confusing conservation regulations, and in the end a few phone calls and forum posts to get the info I need.
Starlings and House sparrows are open season year round with no bag limits. But, my birding books don't list house sparrows as such. I don't know their latin name, etc. So I won't be trapping them until I can properly identify them.
But, I do, however, know what starlings look like....so I plan to trap them!!!
I found some links on Google, and a member of the AP falconry forum gave me another link....between those plans, I have been formulating a plot to eradicate any starling dumb enough to fall for my tricks!!!
I have contacted MDC for regulations regarding this project, proper permitting, proper handling and dispatching....AND I was told that I may use an Air rifle in the back yard!!!!!! Yes!!! But I was also told that I needed to double check this with the police department to be sure! Here is the ordinance:
Sec. 78-252. Discharge of firearms, BB guns and air rifles.

No person shall discharge any firearm or BB gun or air rifle which propels BBs or other metal by compressed air or gas except when done on his own premises or premises controlled by him, in proper and necessary cases.

(Code 1981, § 26-137)

Springfield Greene County Municipal Codes

Upon speaking with them about my intent, we agreed that shooting a starling on the ground would be legal if there was no way that the bullet (pellet) would endanger life or limb outside my property and was under my continuous control.....
However, I do not want to scare the neighbors, even if this allowed me to target practice with a protective and suitable backdrop, also within my control, it would be slightly less ethical! So, the way it reads, it is OK for me to use the pellet gun to dispatch the prey...however, shooting it at random birds in trees, would be outside my control....if I am a bad shot! ha ha ha.....But in my book, still not OK.
SO...there we go! I have the OK from the Police Dept. to shoot a starling, safely, under the assumption that they are a nuisance, and the pellets are controlled and confined to my property...
See what making a few phone calls can do? Clear things up, that's what!

Here are some links for starling traps. I plan to build one using what I find to be the best of all the ideas combined, using what we have laying around (which there is plenty of things laying around! LOL

http://www.naturesociety.org/hunt_a1.pdf

http://www.entrancesbysandy.com/id239.htm

http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/per/tip.htm

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page2168.html

As far as this goes, I think my bases are covered!
Will try to update when my trap is built....and after starting to trap and any info that I find relevant to this topic, when I can!

My November Guest By Robert Frost

My November Guest

My Sorrow, when she's here with me,
Thinks these dark days of Autumn rain,
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree,
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay,
She talks and I am fain to list:
She glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted gray
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauty she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And it vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday, I learned to know,
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so.
And they are better for her praise.

Into my Own By Robert Frost

Into My Own

One of my wishes is that those dark trees,
So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze,
Were not, as 'twere, the merest mask of gloom,
But stretched away unto the edge of doom.

I should not be withheld but that some day,
Into their vastness I should steal away,
Fearless of ever finding open land,
Or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.

I do not see why I should e'er turn back,
Or those that should not set forth upon my track
To overtake me, who should miss me here
and long to know if I still held them dear.

They should not find me changed from him they knew
Only more sure of all that I thought was true.

My first attempt at making a lure

Here is how my disaster of a leather working session went:
I started by cutting a big strip of leather and folding it lengthwise to find the middle. I cut it into two pieces then stacked the two somewhat even strips and tried to cut it into an oblong shape. I figured a pointy tip for the head and blunted for the tail....But it looks pretty much the same on each end to me!

I used a leather punch to make holes for grommets around the edges , but my grommets mushed easily.Those would be the four huge holes on the sides. I bought rivets, but they were too tall and bent over...SOOOO.....
I just brought out the nail and hammer and put EVEN MORE holes in the leather to stitch it up with the synthetic waxed sinew. Poorly, I might add! :)

I put a couple holes to thread the lace for the garnishments and tied that in.


This first picture is about halfway through, I am trying to attach the tail, which I am leery of coming out after much use. (it may be "Too" attractive! ha!) I stitch it in an "X" and around to the top. Then I remembered one lure should be weighted, and maybe padded. I didn't want to use BB's or anything like that for the risk of lead. My sister offered some fish tank pebbles, which sounded like an OK idea...but I ended up using flat marbles, Poly-fill, and leather scraps. I took some marbles back out because I didn't think the weight should be too realistic...I didn't know what would be best. I put in the grommet, added a little more poly fill and stitched it up. ( I say that like that could be considered sewing!)

This last picture is "DONE". All I am going to add a piece of line and swivel and good to go...(kinda) :-)
Hopefully it works...
This is what happens when you pretty much have just books and the internet to figure it out and what you have laying around, or buy cheaply!!! Well, maybe not that cheap!!


EDIT:
Here are some links for other lures:

Mike's Falconry Picture of two lures

Northwoods lures

Squirrel Hawking Lure

Here is a link to a PDF version of an article on Squirrel Hawking By Gary Brewer.
these were all useful to me in creating my first lure, and hopefully more later!!!