*****Change in Forum Rules*****

[Falcon Boy]

Hello everyone,
For many reasons, we have decided to do away with adding people as 'licensed falconer' status on the boards. Those who's accounts which already carry that label will retain it.
As part of this policy change, we will be doing away with our long standing policy of not allowing discussions around trapping raptors on the forums. As many of you know, this information is plentiful on the internet outside of this forum. The policy had started nearly a decade ago when trapping information was generally only available in books. However, due to the proliferation of falconry websites and forums, the information is bountiful VIA google. As such, there is no longer much point to restricting it here.
If you have any comments or concerns, please feel free to either reply to this thread or send me a PM.
Happy Hawkin',
FB

[Chigger]

I wish people were more careful with that information. I do agree with you, now days it's easy to find so we might as well quit worrying about it. If the wrong people are using the information for illegal activity they will get caught eventually!

[chrismt89]

Are you just opening up the licensed section to all or deleting it. Itd be a shame to loose the threads.

[SkyRider]

It will be staying as-is for now. Members who already have access to it will continue to have access to it. We're just now allowing trapping to be discussed outside of those locked forums.

[chrismt89]

Ok I get it now lol thanks

[oneshot]

So if I understand this right, the locked forums are still locked to us now licensed falconers???

[Falcon Boy]

Yes that is correct. Sorry. However if you have any discussions you would have liked to have had in that section you can now have that discussion elsewhere on the forum. Don't worry you're not missing anything the licensed section hasn't had a new post (with the exception of one thread which started in the open section about trapping) since May. It has never been a very active board. Over the next few weeks if there is anything particularly interesting I'll consider moving the threads over to the public section.

[oneshot]

Sept 29, 2012 0:10:48 GMT -5 Falcon Boy said:

Yes that is correct. Sorry. However if you have any discussions you would have liked to have had in that section you can now have that discussion elsewhere on the forum. Don't worry you're not missing anything the licensed section hasn't had a new post (with the exception of one thread which started in the open section about trapping) since May. It has never been a very active board. Over the next few weeks if there is anything particularly interesting I'll consider moving the threads over to the public section.

Hmmm. A person goes thru all that time studying to pass the mandated test for falconry, then spends the time to find a sponsor, add to that the time and expense to build a mews/weathering area for their BOP, then they finally recieve their permits and are not allowed into the Licensed Falcory Section to possibly gain some useful information? Makes perfect sense to me, not. This sounds like something our government would do, not what a group of experianced falconers wanting to help others would/should be doing. I'm not trying to cause problems or offend anyone here, just expressing my feelings/thoughts on this matter. I'll stop here because I'm really disgusted with this decision towards newly licensed falconers.

[Falcon Boy]

With all due respect, if you went through all the headache to get a permit and the highlight of the whole deal is getting access to a few threads on a message board, your priorities are quite interesting. What was said on those boards was posted in the privacy of having licensed falconers only who can read it. That is why i did not open it up. The other option was to completely delete the licensed boards. I don't mind doing that either. As i said, they are not active so it makes literally no difference.

The sole reason the boards exist is to provide information for aspiring falconers. They have been here for nearly a decade. If that doesn't say that experienced falconers care about getting information to new folks, i don't know what does.

There is more information contained in this site than anyone could go through in a day. Many times I have considered closing the site all together. If you look through, i've had threads about it at least once a year for the past 2-3 years. And that's only the times i've gone public with my thoughts. Why you may ask? It literally costs me time and money. But instead, year after year, I've kept the boards open. I'll let you in on a secret: There is literally absolutely nothing on any of these boards that you cannot find in a falconry book, other falconry site, or by talking to a falconer. The convenience for the user is that I've taken my time (and skyriders) and my money to keep these boards running to bring information in one place.

If you want to leave the boards feel free, that goes for anyone. I never mind if folks leave. Here are a few other places you can find information:

www.nafex.net - very active boards with lots of licensed falconers

falconryforum.co.uk/ - UK based boards

www.themodernapprentice.com - more information than you could shake a stick at

www.raptorsnest.com - a place to find classifieds and breeders

www.mikesfalconry.com - a place to buy equipment

In sum, a lot of time and money has gone into creating this resource for pre-apprentice and apprentice falconers. In the end, just think about what it really comes down to: It's just a website....who cares!?

[Falconry Chick]

Sept 29, 2012 14:07:41 GMT -5 Falcon Boy said:

In sum, a lot of time and money has gone into creating this resource for pre-apprentice and apprentice falconers. In the end, just think about what it really comes down to: It's just a website....who cares!?

ah FB you make me giggle, very well put and in any case you are the owner/admin so really no one has any place telling you how to run your own site anyways, that's like walking up to the owner of a small town local business and telling them how to run it LOL

[oneshot]

It seems no one is getting my point so I won't bother continuing....

[Wolf]

Noah,

I understand and am grateful for the time Blood sweat and Tears you've placed into this forum and commend you for it. Should you be contemplating you no longer wish to be responsible for it please let me know. I would be honored to take it over. You already know where I stand on previous posts ive made on the forum.

I left as your moderator because I had too much going on. Its not fun when you have alot on your plate.

[Falcon Boy]

Hi Alex,
I didn't realize you still visit the boards! I truly do appreciate all the time and work you have put into them as well!

[wes]

FB and staff I've been here for about nine years are so, you'll have always done your ethical best at a very tuff job .
This forum is very user friendly and stacked with useful information that would take a lots of time to compile, other forums have much to do to match what you'll have done. Keep up the great work!

Wes

[jkosprey]

I'm glad for the change, particularly on trapping techniques...this is not *classified* material. And as for keeping it under wraps, even outside of the falconry world, it is easily located in any halfway decent wildlife management or ornithology textbook.

I've noticed that many falconers pride themselves in their ability to remain ambiguous or less than forthcoming. The members of this board are generally excluded of course. I think this is detrimental to the sport. Falconry has never been incredibly popular in North America. It is difficult, it is time consuming. I honestly believe that even if falconry were completely de-regulated, there would be a minimal effect on raptors. Most people just wouldn't bother. Those that do would seek research an assistance.

In any case, not that it's worth much, but you have my support on the matter.

*I feel compelled to add based on the change in status that this opinion is not from a kid trying to get started. I was a falconer for several years and unfortunately had to give it up....for the moment*