Description
Dartmoor Hawking School of Falconry is one of the few private Falconry centres in the country, set within the heart of Dartmoor National Park which is internationally recognized as some of the most dramatic and stunning scenery in the country. we are not open to the public so all our time is devoted to our clients to give one of the most interactive and personal experiences with birds of prey available.
The school is based in 35 acres of its own land to give plenty of space to allow clients to really see Birds of Prey flying at their best, and we have access to about 15,000 acres of hunting/flying ground away from the site.
We have a very professional team of Falconers who will ensure your time with us the most enjoyable possible. We have a very hands-on approach and for the introduction and experience days the emphasis is very much on clients handling and flying birds. For those wishing to learn the art of Falconry we pride ourselves in being among the best teaching establishments in the country, and will tailor the course to specific requirements. We are one of the few Schools offering courses specifically for those who wish to start flying Falcons.
Owl Experience
This is a nice hour long introduction to owls, you will get to meet the various owls at the school From Gladamir the Siberian Eagle owl with a 6' wingspan, down to Bijou The scops owl weighing less than 4 oz's,and will be able to fly a couple of them yourselves
Falconry Introduction
This is a 2 hour session aimed at people with a natural curiosity. This is a lovely hands on introduction to Falconry and Birds of prey, based around the variety of Birds we have here, You will fly various owls and hawks and get to have a large falcon whistling passed your ears at very high speeds. Our special family group rate gives an exclusive session just for yourselves.
Falconry Experience Day
This is aimed at people who would like a deeper insight into falconry, the birds we use, and how they work with and respond to us. You will spend the morning handling and flying owls ,and learning about the powerful large falcons we have as they are put through the paces. The afternoon (after a light lunch) will be spent going on a walk with Harris hawks (Weather permitting this will be up on Dartmoor ) and learning about this incredible social raptor and watch them flying together as a team. This day is aimed to give you a good insight into falconry but we must stress that it is not intended to teach falconry to any level and will not give you sufficient knowledge to train your own bird.
Hunting Days
For those wishing for a fuller falconry experience we can offer a full day's hunting with hawks.
Your day will begin with a quick introduction to the Birds at the school, and the Dogs, ferrets and Falconers that will be assisting in your session, and then we will introduce you to the Harris hawk that will be yours for the day. You will then be taught the basics of how to handle the hawk in a way that is safe to both you and the bird, and we will move on to the hunting grounds.
Our quarry is mainly rabbits and pheasants (in season) and you will get to see the incredible ability of you hawk as it strives to do what it was evolved for and catch its own quarry. On the full days hunting we can also take clients out to see the speed and style of falcons hunting (quarry and flight style will depend on the season) , and are one of the few centres in the country able to offer this.
5 Day Course
Our courses are tailored to your requirements, but our basic course runs for five days which is in our opinion the minimum amount of time required to give you a sound enough knowledge to be able to look after and fly your own bird of prey. We cover all aspects of ownership from housing through to purchasing equipping, feeding,health care, legislation, manging its day to day life, through to training and flying and hunting. We are an approved administration point for the new LANTRA beginners falconry award (see below) and assessment for this can be arranged.
Lantra Award
This award has been developed by Lantra Awards with the help and assistance of professional Falconers throughout the UK. It is a formal award intended for those new to Falconry, or those who wish to keep Raptors and/or Owls. It is approved by the Hawk Board and is administered by Lantra Awards. The award assumes that candidates have no previous knowledge or experience and covers all aspects of Bird of Prey Management and Husbandry up to Flying to the fist on a line or creance. Further Awards in respect of more advanced Husbandry, Breeding and Falconry may be introduced later to compliment this award and to provide a progression path for candidates.
The award is granted to those candidates who are able to demonstrate an understanding of the relevant background knowledge, and those practical skills necessary to keep a Bird of Prey in a healthy and happy condition.
You do not have to take the award after doing one of our courses but assessment can be offered for those who wish, we also are quite happy to asses people who have not been taught by us.Taking a course with us will not Guarantee you gaining the award.
Falconry Services
We can meet most needs for flying displays of birds of prey from village show to main ring at county shows or something different for the wedding reception, if necessary providing a static display of birds that can be present for the day. All our displays conform to the hawkboards guidelines.
Our educational presentations and talks can use a team of smaller birds that are quite happy to fly in the enclosed environment of classrooms or village halls, and are educational and entertaining.
Small groups can arrange their own private displays with lots of audience participation at the school and we can put a variety of packages together for those looking for corporate entertainment.
Some of our birds have been used and are available for Television and film work, and modeling.
We are very flexible and everything we do can be tailored to meet clients' exact needs: please feel free to give us a call to discuss your wants.
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