Sterling, MA Rabbit Hunter with the Beagle - Thank you!

Sounds good, thanks!

I figured hawks can eat whenever they want, why do they put them in a season? That doesn't make any sense.
Because the state licenses the hunter, not the implement.

I'm sure if teh DPRM could come up wtih a way of making raptors buy licenses and stamps, they would.

Note to the person that wanted to go along with the falconer -assisting (e.g. beating the brush piles with a stick) in the hunt is considered to be "hunting" per the Mass regs. You "need" a license. I put "need" in quotes, because I asked an EPO about it, and he said, yes, you need a license, but we generally don't bother falconers, because they're all crazy." [laugh]

As for hunting larger game, Go Roc or Go Home:

Edward_Julius_Detmold49.jpg


 
Because the state licenses the hunter, not the implement.

I'm sure if teh DPRM could come up wtih a way of making raptors buy licenses and stamps, they would.

Note to the person that wanted to go along with the falconer -assisting (e.g. beating the brush piles with a stick) in the hunt is considered to be "hunting" per the Mass regs. You "need" a license. I put "need" in quotes, because I asked an EPO about it, and he said, yes, you need a license, but we generally don't bother falconers, because they're all crazy." [laugh]

As for hunting larger game, Go Roc or Go Home:

Edward_Julius_Detmold49.jpg


Because the state licenses the hunter, not the implement.

I'm sure if teh DPRM could come up wtih a way of making raptors buy licenses and stamps, they would.

Note to the person that wanted to go along with the falconer -assisting (e.g. beating the brush piles with a stick) in the hunt is considered to be "hunting" per the Mass regs. You "need" a license. I put "need" in quotes, because I asked an EPO about it, and he said, yes, you need a license, but we generally don't bother falconers, because they're all crazy." [laugh]

As for hunting larger game, Go Roc or Go Home:

Edward_Julius_Detmold49.jpg


You are exactly right. It's also illegal for me to concealed carry while flying my bird because I am hunting and that is a big no-no. Being a petite female who is often alone in the woods or fields, I have a real problem with that. It's not like I can call the bird down to save me if someone meant me harm. And I wouldn't say we're *all* crazy, just a good many of us.
 
You are exactly right. It's also illegal for me to concealed carry while flying my bird because I am hunting and that is a big no-no. Being a petite female who is often alone in the woods or fields, I have a real problem with that. It's not like I can call the bird down to save me if someone meant me harm. And I wouldn't say we're *all* crazy, just a good many of us.
I think he meant "crazy" in the best possible way. [laugh]

I once told a Crew rower that I thought they were crazy - he started to get all "WTF?" until I said, "You're out rowing if f'in snowstorms! That's crazy!" He agreed.

Same deal.
 
You are exactly right. It's also illegal for me to concealed carry while flying my bird because I am hunting and that is a big no-no. Being a petite female who is often alone in the woods or fields, I have a real problem with that. It's not like I can call the bird down to save me if someone meant me harm. And I wouldn't say we're *all* crazy, just a good many of us.
Them...😂
 
You are exactly right. It's also illegal for me to concealed carry while flying my bird because I am hunting and that is a big no-no. Being a petite female who is often alone in the woods or fields, I have a real problem with that. It's not like I can call the bird down to save me if someone meant me harm. And I wouldn't say we're *all* crazy, just a good many of us.
Concealed means concealed! Your safety is more important than stupid government regulations that serve no purpose.
 
Concealed means concealed! Your safety is more important than stupid government regulations that serve no purpose.

This +1

Also hunting rabbits in MA with a handgun is perfectly legal. Not sure if a EPO would give you shit if you had a handgun on you while hunting with your bird.

Hunting implements​

Shotguns (including smoothbore muzzleloaders): No larger than #1 birdshot.
Archery: Archery equipment is legal. You must use a device that works by flexing and releasing a bowstring. You may not use poisoned arrows, explosive tips, bows drawn by mechanical means, or any device that propels an arrow, dart, or bolt by gunpowder, compressed air, or any other means. Crossbows may be used only by hunters with a crossbow permit.
Rifles and handguns (including rifled muzzleloaders): Rifles and handguns are legal.
 
This is a whole new world. I had no idea people still did this. Props, OP, on keeping this going.

So I get that you need the license to hunt with the bird, and that the season ends on the 11th and all that... but what happens on the 12th? Does your bird have to hang out in the mews for months until the season opens, getting hand-fed? Or does she get to fly around and kill stuff, just not with you?
 
This is a whole new world. I had no idea people still did this. Props, OP, on keeping this going.

So I get that you need the license to hunt with the bird, and that the season ends on the 11th and all that... but what happens on the 12th? Does your bird have to hang out in the mews for months until the season opens, getting hand-fed? Or does she get to fly around and kill stuff, just not with you?
The off season is where things get a little funny and it's something I've actually found myself struggling with to be honest. We're not allowed to take the bird hunting but of course, in the wild a raptor doesn't quit chasing and killing stuff. During the summer, raptors moult all their feathers and grow a complete new set and during that time, we feed the bird a very rich diet so they have lots of energy to make that happen. When it's hunting season, they are on what is known as "hunting weight", NOT starving...just at a weight they are fit and motivated to chase. During the summer, when they are "fed up", if we tried taking them hunting they'd just sit in a tree in the sun ignoring you. Anyway, during the moult, we keep them fat and happy perched out in the sun and give them plenty to eat. Red tails in particular are very good at regulating energy expenditure and when they have a full belly, they are perfectly happy sitting around. So, yeah I don't take her to the field to hunt but I can fly her in my yard or back woods. If I were really ambitious (crazy), I could fly her on critters with no season like red squirrel but you risk the bird breaking those delicate new feathers growing in. Honestly, I am perfectly fine not hawking during those months. Who wants to be crunching through a tick ridden field in July?
The other option we have if you are keeping a wild caught bird is I can simply release her and she'll go back to being a wild thing. She is a first-year (passage) bird so she doesn't have a territory, mate or even her adult plumage yet. I plan on keeping her one more season and then letting her go. They reach maturity around year three and that is when they would be looking to find a mate and I want her to get out there and make babies.
 
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