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Texas Hawking Association 34th Annual Field Meet
Killeen, TX
January 16-19 2015

Meet Hotel:

Killeen Shilo Inns Suites Hotel
3701 S W.S. Young Dr.
Killeen, TX 76542
(254)699-0999

(Mention you are with THA)

Room Rate: $79 + tax

Adult - $18

Child - $9 (12 and under)

Registration:

Regular registration runs through December 23, 2013. All THA members who register during regular registration receive a meet T-shirt and only pay $35.00. Anyone registering late or at the meet will pay $45.00 and may purchase a t-shirt for $5.00.

Registration Fees:

THA Members - (before 12/23/2013) $35.00

(THA Family Members $10.00)

Non-Members - $45.00

Members Registering at Meet - $45.00

Online Meet Registration:
For online meet registration through December 23, click here.

For PDF (print/paper) registration form, click here.


2014 Friday Night Speaker: Mr.Steve Duffy

In the spring of 1967 the kind and loving nuns at Our Mother of Perpetual Guilt in Silver Springs, MD determined I was a health risk to the playground population and confined me to the school library for the remainder of the year. While frantically flipping through the pages of the National Geographic Magazine collection, in high hopes of finding photos of topless South Pacific island girls, I happened upon a falconry article “Life With An Indian Prince”. I became totally captivated by all things raptor. In the fall of 1968 I lured in and trapped my first bird. I began flying longwings when I moved to Laramie Wy. In 1975 and some how also managed to obtain a very appropriately named B.S. Degree. I have worked with the Peregrine fund, Condor Recovery Team and currently work as an avian field biologist on wind and pipeline projects.

In 2005 I started spending 3-4 weeks a season on hawking “road trips”. In 2009 the “road trips” increased in length to 6 months.

Although I’ve exclusively flown longwings for the last 13 years I have flown and taken game with Red Tailed Hawks, Coopers hawks, Goshawks, Harris’s Hawks and a Golden Eagle. I am currently flying “Hemi”, a Gyr/Peregrine tiercel in his seventh season and “Twiggy” a 2010 passage Tundra.

It became very clear to me at a young age that Falconry was a sport, an art and a way of life. I have actively pursued that lifestyle. When not flying falcons my time is spent gardening, fly fishing and working on social development projects.

Talk Title: “Road Trip Falconry”



2014 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Lynn Oliphant

Lynn Oliphant is a professor emeritus from the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, and founding member of the Prairie Institute for Human Ecology. He received a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Washington and moved to Saskatchewan in 1971." He is the author of a fascinating work on developing raptors as hunting partners in "The Four Week Window." Dr. Oliphant's describes his book in the following manner:

"This book is not about an approach to ‘training’ or ‘strategies of game hawking’, but rather about how to ensure any bird you have develops in a manner that makes it optimally ready for hunting as a full partner with you and your dog(s) within a few short weeks after fledging. It is about understanding the normal development of raptors and making the best use of this knowledge to achieve your bird’s full potential……While directed primarily at the development /training of large falcons, I believe the basic principles and ideas are applicable to any species of raptor bred in captivity or taken from the wild as an eyass."



Hal Webster and David Frank:

We are pleased to announce that Hal Webster, the co-author/editor  of North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks and David Frank, who owns Western Sporting, are planning to attend our meet together. There will be a book signing, and there should be copies of the 9th edition for sale.

David Frank has also mentioned the possibility of a discussion forum on the current state of falconry in the U.S. with Hal Webster and THA members Friday evening after the scheduled presentations. However as everyone knows, Hal is getting along in years so we will have to wait and see if he is up to participating.


Schedule of Events – Except Dinner Out, All Events at Clarion

Friday Jan. 17, 2014
10:00AM - 5:00PM: Weathering Yard
4:00PM - 7:00PM: Late Registration
6:00PM - 7:00PM: Happy Hour - Meet & Greet / Vendors
7:00PM - 7:30PM: Welcome and THAnks Awards Presentations
7:30PM - 830PM:  Presentation by Steve Duffy– Friday Night Speaker

8:30PM - 11:00PM: Meet & Greet Continued, Impromptu Workshops, Vendors
8:30PM - 11:00PM: Possible round table forum with Hal Webster on the State or Falconry in the U.S. (This is contingent on how Mr. Webster is feeling- we probably won't know until it happens.)


Saturday Jan. 18, 2014
7:00AM - 5:00PM: Weathering Yard
11:00AM - 2:00PM: Late Registration


Saturday Jan. 18, 2014
5:00PM - Doors Open to Members at the Texas Ranger Museum
5:30PM - 7:00PM:Vendor and Raffle Sales Open to Members
7:00PM - 7:30PM: Dinner Served
7:30PM - 8:00PM: THA Business & Awards
8:00PM - 8:30PM: Keynote Speaker Dr. Lynn Oliphant
8:30PM - 9:00PM: Vendor and Raffle Sales Continued (30 min.)
9:00PM - 10:00PM: THA Raffle and Auction
10:00PM: Closing
(**All times are approximate)


Sunday Jan. 19, 2014
7:00AM - 5:00PM: Weathering Yard
12:00pm-2:00pm: Open Business Meeting


Sunday Jan. 19, 2014  Dinner Out
7:00PM: THA Dinner Out – Venue TBD

 

Page updated 12/28/2013
Any issues or problems, please contact

Greg Pearson president@texashawking.org
Mike Wiegel: treasurer@texashawking.org 

 
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Texas Hawking Association. Copyright 2013