Falcons protect your wine - with Brad Felger

Hutch On Hunting

I began my fascination with the outdoors and wildlife at a very early age. Then in 1970, I got my first hawk and soon after that laws were passed that required a falconry permit to have a raptor so my Mom got her falconry license so that we were legal until I was old enough to get my falconry license. I got my falconry license in 1975 and even

today after so many years I am as passionate if not more passionate about falconry as I was as a youngster.

In addition to falconry, as a young man, I rehabilitated sick and injured raptors for the local game warden and released them back into the wild. I also assisted those who were directly involved with the peregrine falcon reintroduction program on the West Coast back when there were very few (5-7)active nests in California. Today there are well over 350 active nests in California, a true success story! Across the peregrine falcon’s range in America, they have been completely and are at or even above historical populations!

For the past 35 years Under a USFWS raptor propagation permit, I have been

captive breeding peregrine falcons and other species of falcons at our farm.

Then around 30 years ago I started exploring very sustainable methods of bird

control using falconry birds and techniques to chase problem birds away from

crops such as vineyards, berries, etc now the methods have expanded into

commercial properties and industries, and my company is named “Airstrike Bird

Control, Inc.” and we work in the western United States and continue to expand

our business and geographical areas as the need presents itself to us. I hold

another USFWS permit for abatement using falconry for the abatement business.

While Bird abatement using falconry techniques may look like falconry it is

quite different. With flying our raptors for abatement, the objective is to NOT catch any birds but instead to haze and scare away any birds that are trying to fly into the properties/crops that we are contracted to protect. We chase them away and they need to find food, shelter, and roosting spots elsewhere. It has proven itself to be very effective!

Falconry on the other hand is defined as “Hunting with a trained raptor on wild

quarry under natural circumstances!” Falconry involves many things and responsibilities and is a huge commitment and excellence is the standard of Falconry. Very few people are able to make that level of commitment of care and standards and as a result there are very few falconers in the USA. Last time I checked there were around 5,000 licensed falconers in the USA.

My bird(s) are my whole world, and they require and receive a tremendous amount of care and attention to detail. Falconry is likely the most difficult form of hunting and it’s as much about watching a beautiful flight on wild quarry as it is catching wild quarry! Don’t get me wrong, my intent is to successfully catch quarry with my bird, but the ultimate is a successful catch with a great flight!

When you witness a great flight and catch it's burned into your memory for many years to come! That’s the reward for all of the work to get to that point.

In addition to all of the permits that I have listed above, I also have a hunting license and have to observe hunting seasons when I hunt with my birds. But to me, the benefits far outweigh the work to get there!