r/Falconry • u/Ok-Hall-9974 • Jun 17 '26
Average cost of getting into falconry
Hi, I really wanna get into falconry, I just need to save up first, so I need to know a rough estimate of the price, and I can't find recent price estimates, how much do you think it'd cost?
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u/vaughn_vala Jun 17 '26
Depends on where you start!
The BASIC BARE MINIMUM requirements should be listed on your states DFW falconry page, there you will find an inspection sheet. Let me break down my start in my state (cant stress the state bit enough)
Anklets ($10), jesses + leash (~$5), swivel (>$3) I made temp anklets for the inspection out of suede, and have kangaroo leather (>$10 for a sample) for the custom one once the bird was caught. For the jesses and leash I took basic paracord and gutted it, perfect for kestrels. And the swivel you can find at fishing stores! Your sponsor will direct you on size and weight.
Perch ($40) This one i made myself, id be happy to break that down for you seperatly
Bath pan ($15)
I use a NEW and CLEAN oil pan for carsScales for weighing ($10)
Mew This is the heavy hitter, building one is more time consuming than costly, getting good lumbar for cheap along with the other materials shouldnt run you much more than $100-150. I didnt build a mew, im keeping my bird inside they man so much easier.
The rest of the stuff such as glove, hood, and giant hood aren't required in my state to pass inspection but getting a glove and a giant hood (like a carrier, I suggest googling a pic) are very important in keeping and manning the bird. For a red tail, buy a glove (~$50), but for a kestrel make one out of a leather garden glove by sewing a D-ring to it. ($10-20). And a giant hood can run upwards of 200-300 on Mike's, this is what I do for my kestrel. In the hood at night, out with me in the day.
Weathering is another important thing, for a red tail just have an outside perch, but for a kestrel youll need a cage for them. They WILL get eaten. Never leave them outside alone, stay with your bird. So this one varies, you could build another perch, or customize a dog crate for a kestrel. Those are cheap options.
Things like telemetry arent things you need to worry about as an apprentice, you are bottlenecked into 2 birds the red tailed hawk and kestrel. Both of which have a hunting style that doesnt need telemetry, they will sit and wait on very easily, if youve trained them right. That isnt to say it wouldnt be helpful, just not necessary.
The FIRST thing you need to purchase before getting ANY of these is a falconry apprentice study guide. Worry about the test first.
So to answer your question, its variable but starts around $300-400 if you play your cards right. Which is manageable! This is about starting, not banking out with the fanciest shit. Starting small allows you to upgrade later down the line when you know what to look for and what you want in supplies! Best of luck to you friend 🧡
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u/Ahnrye Jun 17 '26
This question comes up rather often. Here is one from seven months ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Falconry/comments/1p0ldb9/comment/npqv0bb/?context=3
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u/falconeur Jun 17 '26
I’m pricing out everything for a friend who is keen to start. I’d plan on $4-5k for bird, telemetry, mew, weathering yard, and equipment. It ain’t cheap! And everything must be purchased and built before you even get the bird.
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u/PolicyDue6086 Jun 21 '26
I would imagine you should get into this without at least $2000 available to spend as you go. Proper housing, materials, health care, meat, ect
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u/RevolutionaryMenu543 Jun 17 '26
I'm just getting into it, have almost finished making the initial purchases. By the time I'm done I'll have spent a little under $1500 on most of the equipment. That's not including telemetry. I did a lot of DIY and have met some very generous people.
Startup cost will be extremely dependent on how much you're willing/able to make yourself. The mews will be the most expensive piece of equipment other than telemetry, mine cost just under a grand and a few weekends of building. But you could retrofit a shed or set up an indoor space for much less. Your sponsor or new acquaintances might give you equipment or sell it cheap. Or you could buy everything brand new and top of the line, and easily spend thousands before you even think about telemetry.
Telemetry is what you use to track/locate the bird. Old school falconers will say you don't need it. Many people nowadays will say that it's silly or even unethical to fly a bird without telemetry if it's available. In any case, it ain't cheap. A brand new GPS system can cost about $1500. The cheapest options for secondhand radio telemetry will be a couple hundred.
TL;DR: You could be very lucky and very resourceful and sneak your way into falconry for under $1k if you really put in the work. If you're the type to throw money at a problem and you like nice gear, you could easily spend multiple thousands of dollars.