2013 OFA Field Meet

February 15-17

Pawhuska, OK

The Oklahoma Falconers’ Association kicked off its 40th anniversary with a fantastic field meet in the tall grass prairie of Osage County.  On the third weekend of February, we braved the cold weather and camped at Dr. Ken Riddle’s picturesque ranch alongside Bird Creek. There were a good number of members in attendance and we were also visited by Chad Parkey, the grandson of Fred Q. Casler, the first Oklahoma falconer. Chad, an avid hunter himself, had a great time reliving falconry experiences of old with his grandfather, and witnessing modern day classical duck hawking with passage falcons.  He commented in an email the next day that, “ I believe there is a fine line between obsession and commitment and clearly you and the group have crossed that line, to the point that you are absolutely committed and obsessed, or obsessed and should be committed. All joking aside I really do appreciate what you and the association have done and continue to do to insure that the sport and the birds thrive. Your enthusiasm and love of the sport would have made Fred Q very proud!” 

The weather could not have been better for flying longwings and a number of ducks were taken throughout the weekend by the falcons flown.  Those flying red-tails had slips at cottontails, and surprisingly also had the opportunity of a few jack rabbit flushes, which is almost unheard of in this part of the state.  A highlight of the weekend was first year apprentice, Langston Edwards, trying to dig a cottontail out of a hole with his bare hands, when suddenly, the bunny leaped out and ran up and off his chest just before getting caught by his Red-tail. We all had a great time hawking in the open skies of the prairie landscape, and agreed that it was a great way for us to finish up the season.

  Click on the pics below to enlarge.

-Ryan Christensen

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