BOLAND FALCONRY CLUB

RULES AND REGULATIONS

A genuine interest in raptors and their conservation is a prerequisite to membership of the Boland Falconry Club.  The Club supports the whole principle of conservation in nature. The Club will assist conservation authorities wherever possible to this end.  Breaches of discipline will be severely dealt with and could result in the confiscation of raptors and termination of club membership.

GENERAL

All members must comply with the requirements of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Falconry Policy.  No member may keep a raptor unless his mews have been registered and the Club Secretary must be notified within one month of any change in the address of the mews. An official of the Club will undertake to inspect mews. Officials of CNC and Municipal Health or Environmental Services may also inspect the mews.  Members residing within residential areas must in addition also obtain letters of consent from directly abutting neighbours. Where members reside on an agricultural zoned farm or small holding larger than 1 hectare a letter of consent is not required.

Clearance of land for hunting and flying of raptors and the acquisition of all necessary permits remains the responsibility of the individual member.  Permission to hunt and to remove quarry must be obtained in writing from the landowners where hunting is performed. Applications for raptors for falconry must be endorsed in writing by the Club chairperson prior to submission to Cape Nature Conservation.

No member may dispose of a raptor to anyone, nor hack it back to nature without the prior consent of the Committee who will liaise with Cape Nature Conservation. All raptors to be hacked back shall be ringed and a report forwarded to the secretary within one month of release.

Loss or death of a raptor must be reported to the secretary immediately.  All dead raptors are to undergo autopsy by a veterinarian designated by the Club.

All A and B grade raptors are to be positively identified by means of a tamper-proof ring.  These rings are obtainable from the Committee and it is the responsibility of the member to ensure that his raptor is ringed and that the secretary is advised in writing, of the ring number. All falconers must at all time when practicing the art of falconry carry their falconer’s identity card, proof of landowner’s permission and general hunting license as prescribed by Cape Nature Conservation.

GRADING

All active ordinary members shall be graded into one of the following categories:

1  Apprentice falconer (D) – All new members will undergo a formal apprenticeship.  This will comprise of a first year during which they can observe active falconers and prepare their equipment and mews. This will be considered as Level 1-Novice Entry Level.  At the end of this year they will undertake a written examination. On successful completion of the examination they may undertake a second apprentice year during which they will elect an A or B grade falconer to act as their sponsor.  This will be known as Level 2-Novice. The sponsor will be responsible for checking their mews and equipment.  When deemed ready by their sponsor, they may undertake the care and rehabilitation of a suitable injured raptor.  This will be performed under close supervision and the sponsor will be answerable to the Committee for their performance.  If possible, they may hunt with the rehabilitated raptor prior to its release.  At the end of their second year, they will submit a report and weight graph on their bird to the Committee.   Successful applicants will then be upgraded.

2  Novice falconer (C) – Shall be allowed to fly a kestrel or an African goshawk. This will be known as Level 3 -Apprentice  Grade C. Novice falconers will be required to assist with the rehabilitation of injured raptors.  Novice falconers are to have all the necessary equipment as stipulated by the Committee.  In order to progress, the Committee according to competence must grade the novice falconer. This involves adequate control of the raptor when flying free and hunting successfully with the African goshawk. After successfully training an African goshawk, a novice falconer may fly a passage pale chanting goshawk or passage jackal buzzard.

3  General falconer (B) – Shall be allowed to fly all recognized falconry raptors except those specifically reserved for master falconers. This will be known as Level 4 – Falconer – Grade B. General falconers must have a pigeon loft with homing pigeons, and must have a trained pointing type dog to be eligible to fly the prescribed raptors. Furthermore, the general falconer must be in possession of a telemetry transmitter and receiver as prescribed by the Committee. (Exception may be made where a falconer may only have a transmitter, provided a suitable receiver is readily available to him.  This will be with the approval of the Committee).

4   Master falconer (A) – This will be known as Level 5 -Falconer Grade A. May fly raptors not listed under items 2 and 3 on approval of the Committee.  Master falconers must also be in possession of radio telemetry equipment as well as dogs, pigeons, etc. Raptors reserved specifically for master falconers include musket Red Breasted Sparrowhawks, Peregrines and all exotics with the exception of Harris Hawks.

All raptors need to be flown with a bell, except kestrels.  All hunting raptors birds are to be flown with telemetry by general and master falconers. No member may hold permits for raptors without the Club approval. Members of the Committee or the Cape Nature Conservation may visit all members at any reasonable time, and without prior arrangement to inspect raptors and equipment.  A member, who intends to go away from home, must ensure that a suitably qualified club member is available to supervise his/her hawk in their absence.

RAPTORS

The birds of prey recommended for falconry use are rock kestrels, greater kestrel, African goshawk, black sparrowhawk, red-breasted sparrowhawk, peregrine falcon, lanner falcon, pale chanting goshawk, jackal buzzard, Gabar goshawk and little sparrowhawk.  Other species may be applied for under special consideration of the Committee, based on merit and circumstances.

No nestling lanner falcon or kestrel is to be taken except for the establishment of captive breeding populations.

TRAPPING

Only Club approved trapping methods may be employed – for example, balchatri traps, mist nets, bow nets or pigeon harness.  The pigeon harness must be fitted with a radio transmitter.

Members trapping birds of prey must be in possession of valid trapping permits and must comply with the trapping protocol of Cape Nature Conservation.

REQUIRED FALCONRY FURNITURE

The following recommended equipment is to be used.

1. Aylmeri type jesses to be used at all times.
2. Swivels, leashes, creance, and lure of displayed type is a pre requisite
3. Hoods are to be made where applicable.
4. Perches and blocks are to be made of suitable material and construction.
5. Mews are to be at least 2m x 3m x 1,5m, lined with slats, shade cloth and sealed so that the captive raptor may be held free if necessary.  Lined with slats or shade cloth.  In addition to Club prerequisites mews must comply with municipal regulations, however, if a mew has a floor area of less than 20m² and built of poles and shade cloth, no building plan approval is required.
6. Scale accurate to at least 5g.
7. Bells and telemetry
8. Record book of daily weight, food and details of quarry.
9. An annual report has to be sent to the secretary including all quarry taken. Average flying weight and the molt weight to be submitted before November of each year
10. Applications for raptors for the next season should be submitted to the Committee before September 1^st of each year
11. Any committee member may view equipment.

The Boland Falconry Club defines Falconry as “The art of taking wild quarry with a trained hawk.” As such it does not concern itself with public Birds-of-Prey or “Falconry” displays.  Any members, who use their raptors for such performances on any regular basis or for gain, must comply with the Performing Animal Act 24 of 1935 and be in possession of a performing animal’s license.  Similarly, the Club does not promote the keeping of raptors in aviaries for display or otherwise.  The only exception to this will be raptors held for recognized breeding programs.