IN Great Britain we do not have a compulsory form of falconry apprenticeship and what schemes there are have been put together by some of the major clubs which tend to operate on a voluntary basis.

Several other countries require the tyro falconer to serve a proper apprenticeship with the Americans undoubtedly leading the way in such matters. They have operated an extremely well organised and thought out scheme for many years now and in practical terms it seems to work extremely well.

The scheme has its critics, some of them quite vociferous, but generally speaking it is well received by aspiring falconers and those who are responsible for their education.

The American scheme seeks to educate in the basics and give a thorough grounding to the tyro falconer or austringer before a hawk is obtained. It then assists with the obtaining, training and eventually flying of the first hawk.

It must be reassuring for the apprentice to know there is also a knowledgeable person to turn to when things are not going right. How many of us would have benefited from such support during our early days in the sport.

In my own case had a mentor been available to me I would have considered this a great blessing, although I would probably have bored him to death with my constant questioning and thirst for knowledge.

That is why I find it sad and somewhat disillusioning that more falconers and austringers aren’t prepared to take youngsters under their wing every now and again. To do so would undoubtedly help and put something back into the sport that has given them so much pleasure.

To do so also means that many more hawks and falcons passing through the hands of beginners should be better cared for and stand a greater chance of becoming a decent hunting raptor at the end of it. After all, the number one consideration for any falconer should be the welfare and health of any hawk.

Anyone who cares about their profession or sport must take a great deal of comfort when those they have guided and instructed continue their good practice. Although I do not have time to think about getting someone to practise falconry in my style some newcomers have aligned themselves with me, becoming full time apprentices.

It is pleasing to know there are competent and able falconers practising the sport with finesse and in an extremely ethical manner. This is mostly because of their dedicated manner to learn the sport but I feel some satisfaction at contributing to their success.

My last two apprentices have turned out to be very good falconers, or perhaps I should say one has turned out a good falconer and the other an exceptional austringer.

One was biased towards the larger falcons like Peregrines, Sakers and Gyrs whilst the other was very definitely a broad and short wing man with Harris Hawks and Goshawks being his great love.

My latest apprentice, Louise Boyer, has no pre-determined path she wants to follow and is so far captivated by all raptors and all branches of falconry. Her thirst for falconry knowledge is endless and her zeal for learning the practicalities of the sport know no bounds.

I have taken out with my hawks so that she has seen large and small falcons in action at their relevant quarries as well as Harris Hawks and a male African Goshawk. I have also made arrangements with various friends to ensure that she gets to see as many of the branches of our wonderful sport as possible.

Friends have taken her out with Eagles, Sparrowhawks, Red Tailed Hawks and Merlins and she has also seen working dog breeds hunting with hawks, falcons and eagles.

I have made a conscious effort not to restrict her learning to the type of falconry I practise but to ensure she sees a full spectrum of what the sport can offer. She can then make an informed decision on path she will follow.

At the moment she is still at university so time for hawking is a great deal more restricted than she would like but even so she spends every spare moment in the company of hawks and or falconers.

Jemima Parry-Jones has very kindly given her a male Harris Hawk that proved to unsuitable for public demonstration work and this has now been turned into a decent hunting hawk with some kills under its belt.

From my point of view, to see someone competently fly a hawk in the field and achieve a worthwhile kill less than a year after first expressing an interest in the sport is very rewarding.

I would urge anyone in the sport who can offer help and encouragement to newcomers to do so. Not only are you helping directly to keep the sport alive, you will also get a positive sense of achievement when your apprentice finally emerges from your shadow.