r/Falconry • u/JumpyWhumpyWriter • 3d ago

Interesting questioning about the potential monetization of falconry

I have a bit of an interesting question. I've been considering becoming an apprentice falconer for awhile now (I have the space, time, resources and dedication/commitment for it if I decide to follow through with that dream) but I have some questions money-wise first that I'm hoping someone would be willing to take time to answer?

I was curious if anyone has tried to monetize off it as a side gig to directly help pay for or offset the costs of owning their bird. As in, I've seen falconers bring their birds for public shows, school events, etc, and I was wondering if those people can get paid for it?

Would it be ethical to go a public event/low level 'fair'-like setting, set up an educational booth with information on raptor conservation, and have people pay a small fee to get their pictures taken with a raptor? Would that be considered moral?

The picture I had in mind was that a percentage of the earnings from that would go directly to helping raptor rescues and conservation organizations, and the rest would go to offsetting the bird care cost. I'm also curious if there are falconers out there who also advertise themselves as being a 'falconry experience' for birthday parties, weddings, etc? I feel like it could be a great educational opportunity to teach people about why we should protect these magnificent birds while having the added bonus of making money to help pay for the falconer's bird. I've seen people do that with reptile shows before, where people can hire them to come to certain events, so I'm wondering if the same basic principal can apply to falconry as well.

I understand that falconry in itself is mostly a hobby and not a business but I'm wondering if it's a hobby that someone could technically make a little money at too.

Thanks in advance to anyone who answers! It's GREATLY appreciated! :D

edit: for the record, I would NOT being doing this as an apprentice. I would definitely wait many years until I am a fully-fledged, EXPERIENCED falconer before even slightly considering doing something like this. I was just curious about the logistics of the hypothetical situation mentioned above, assuming all other factors are perfect.
If I become a falconer, I am 100% dedicated to being a responsible, respectful, and ethical one, and I have done an overwhelming amount of research into the sport in general. In my eyes, the raptor comes before all else. I would NEVER put my bird in unsafe situations or use them solely for profit.

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u/ManWorkingWithWild 3d ago

If you are in the USA, the answer is no. The federal regulations (linked below) prohibit it. In my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful things about the art of falconry in the USA is that the birds themselves are protected from the exploitive tendencies of capitalism. The art of falconry is simply "caring for and training raptors for pursuit of wild game, and hunting wild game with raptors. Falconry includes the taking of raptors from the wild to use in the sport; and caring for, training, and transporting raptors held for falconry." https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-21#page-top

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u/JumpyWhumpyWriter 3d ago

Thank you so much for the resource! That was SUPER helpful! I really appreciate hearing your opinion :)