Post by jim on Mar 28, 2004 7:14:09 GMT -5
Texas reg '65.269' trapping seasons and collecting areas page 5 of 6.
letter (e) only American Kestrals ( Falco sparverius) and the Great-Horned owl (Bubo virginianus) may be taken when over one year old.
NAFHH by Beebe and Webster had this to say.
pg.222 chap. 28 "Nearly all Horned-owls' and the occasional wild cought accipiter, are virtually untamable"
pg.211 chap. 26 " There are few creatures on earth more stubbornly resistant to restraint or taming than an adult wild-cought Horned-owl."
pg. 212 chap. 26 " Horned-owls taken from the nest three weeks or so after hatching are usually hostile, often persistantly so."
pg. 212 chap. 26 " Younger birds taken a week to ten days after hatching, apparently imprint to the human, and the result is very remarkable, for such birds are just as persistantly and determinedly tame as the others are persistantly wild."
It would appear to the observer that whoever wrote the Texas falconry regs did not make a very wise decission in regards to "owl take".
It is this and things like this, that I hope to point out to the Texas Parks, as well as the US fish and wildlife in the hopes of making positive changes for our future in falconry.
I often hear what amounts to be emotional arguments as to why eyessess should not be taken. Please understand that as soon as you go emotional with any of these governmental agencies you will lose. Your arguments have got to be based on good sound science and biology.
I will relate a story. When I was 14 years old I was sitting In the front seat traveling south, New York to Texas when my dad says look at all the owls. Sure enough there were owls everywhere, both sides of the road and in the middle. many were stuned, Injured but most were pretty flat. We did not get out of the area before our truck struck two that flew in front of us.
If you read enough you will come across the phenomenom I discribed. There is an increase of prey and then an increase in owls then a die off of the prey species. Whats left isn't pretty but it is natural. overpopulaton Death by starvation, canabalism. I can logically say that many more owls die of starvation, canibalism and vehicular death than could ever be killed by falconry and yet I will get a post saying " I don't think an apprentice should be allowed to take an eyess" Why not take an eyess?
Are you so bothered by the chance that a falconer might make a mistake that you would deny him/her the chance to. What is your argument that it can't be released to the wild couse it's an imprint, so what niether can parrots, cats, dogs or many other animals that man is associated with. If it even had to be euthinized that shouldn't bother you and even if it did I'm sure that a rehabber or maybe an educational permit holder could be found for the bird.
My only regret is that by the time I can effect a change it will be too late for me, I only hope that I can stay energized for the future apprentices that come latter.
letter (e) only American Kestrals ( Falco sparverius) and the Great-Horned owl (Bubo virginianus) may be taken when over one year old.
NAFHH by Beebe and Webster had this to say.
pg.222 chap. 28 "Nearly all Horned-owls' and the occasional wild cought accipiter, are virtually untamable"
pg.211 chap. 26 " There are few creatures on earth more stubbornly resistant to restraint or taming than an adult wild-cought Horned-owl."
pg. 212 chap. 26 " Horned-owls taken from the nest three weeks or so after hatching are usually hostile, often persistantly so."
pg. 212 chap. 26 " Younger birds taken a week to ten days after hatching, apparently imprint to the human, and the result is very remarkable, for such birds are just as persistantly and determinedly tame as the others are persistantly wild."
It would appear to the observer that whoever wrote the Texas falconry regs did not make a very wise decission in regards to "owl take".
It is this and things like this, that I hope to point out to the Texas Parks, as well as the US fish and wildlife in the hopes of making positive changes for our future in falconry.
I often hear what amounts to be emotional arguments as to why eyessess should not be taken. Please understand that as soon as you go emotional with any of these governmental agencies you will lose. Your arguments have got to be based on good sound science and biology.
I will relate a story. When I was 14 years old I was sitting In the front seat traveling south, New York to Texas when my dad says look at all the owls. Sure enough there were owls everywhere, both sides of the road and in the middle. many were stuned, Injured but most were pretty flat. We did not get out of the area before our truck struck two that flew in front of us.
If you read enough you will come across the phenomenom I discribed. There is an increase of prey and then an increase in owls then a die off of the prey species. Whats left isn't pretty but it is natural. overpopulaton Death by starvation, canabalism. I can logically say that many more owls die of starvation, canibalism and vehicular death than could ever be killed by falconry and yet I will get a post saying " I don't think an apprentice should be allowed to take an eyess" Why not take an eyess?
Are you so bothered by the chance that a falconer might make a mistake that you would deny him/her the chance to. What is your argument that it can't be released to the wild couse it's an imprint, so what niether can parrots, cats, dogs or many other animals that man is associated with. If it even had to be euthinized that shouldn't bother you and even if it did I'm sure that a rehabber or maybe an educational permit holder could be found for the bird.
My only regret is that by the time I can effect a change it will be too late for me, I only hope that I can stay energized for the future apprentices that come latter.