The Apprentice: Once joining one of the clubs, the new member starts his/her apprenticeship under a delegated sponsor. The apprenticeship period can last from one-and-a-half to two years. During this time period, the new member gets together with his/her sponsor as often as possible to gain practical experience. This consists of general raptor husbandry; illnesses; glove, hood and other equipment-making and training procedures. Much of the theoretical knowledge is gained from selected books, which are interpreted / explained by the sponsor. When the sponsor is confident that his/her apprentice has gained enough knowledge, the apprentice may write the falconry examination and present his/her equipment for inspection. Should the apprentice pass both the examination and inspection, he/she will then be graded to a D-grade falconer.
The D-grader: Most of the provinces prefer to start the D-grade falconer off with a rehabilitation bird. This generally includes Kites, Goshawks and Buzzards. Some clubs have birds in rotation, which are used to teach general husbandry and handling. After about a year the D-grade falconer, still under his/her sponsor, is graded by a grading committee. A pass means that he/she is upgraded to a C-grade falconer and his/her bird is either released or passed onto another D-grader.
The C-grader: The C-grade bird of choice is the African Goshawk, which is a very amiable species. It habituates easily and is a great little hunter. At this level, the C-grader is able to start doing some serious falconry, however still under the guidance of his / her sponsor. Should the C-grader show a good aptitude for the sport, then he/she should be able to approach the grading committee for grading in about one year. It takes the average falconer about two years.
The B-grader: At B-grade level certain criteria must be met, as the young falconer is now able to stand on his/her own, having completed the apprenticeship. Telemetry tracking equipment must be used, along with a pointer dog, to aid in finding the desired prey. The B-grader starts out with a Black Sparrowhawk, which is one of the world’s most ferocious hunters, but is very difficult to man (tame). This grade may take two or more years to master. Once graded on the Black Sparrowhawk, the B-grader may now fly a Lanner Falcon. Lanner Falcons are easier to man, but harder to hunt successfully. This stage could take two or more years. From the Lanner falcon, the B-grader is graded to an A-grade falconer.
The A-grader: The A-grade falconer may now fly a Peregrine Falcon, which trains very much like a Lanner. Once he/she has flown a Peregrine successfully, the A-grader is now permitted to fly a hybrid or, under special circumstances, an Eagle.
In closing, falconry takes many years of dedication and sacrifice to master and, unless the individual has the daily time requirements, it would be almost impossible to practice the sport correctly and responsibly.
For more information or to become a falconer, visit our contact page or our club pages to find a club near you. |
