Discovering Falconry: Insights From Montana Falconer Jim Chaffin

Montana has a lot to offer for people who are looking for a hobby, especially if you are looking for something to do outdoors. Some hobbies are more than just something to pass the time. Some become a way of life.

One such hobby is Falconry. It is the hunting of wild animals using a bird of prey, that's the definition according to Wikipedia.org. That's a simplified way of describing something that for a lot of people is so much more than that.

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting a falconer who happens to live in a neighborhood close to mine. I had seen him with one of his beautiful birds on his arm in the past, and I had the privilege to sit down and talk with him about his birds and his hobby.

Montana Falconry Is a Lifestyle

Jim Chaffin, a retired plumber, has been a falconer in Missoula for 65 years. His passion for his birds and the way of life is evident while talking with him. In the short amount of time I spent with him, and his son James, I learned more than I ever thought about falconry, which has been around for over 4,000 years.

Chaffin currently has two Arctic Gyrfalcons. A sixteen year old female named Alais and a six year old male named Herger. While we spoke, Herger was perched politely on his gloved right hand and was paying attention the entire time.

Permits Are Required for Falconry

For those that want to practice falconry, a permit is required in the state of Montana from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

What I thought was a simple question about asking what Chaffin feeds his birds turned out to be much more complicated than I thought. The short answer is quail. A longer answer is the birds eat what they hunt. These days that isn't so simple.

"Bird Flu" is Highly Contagious to Birds of Prey

With the increase in the A(H5N1) virus, otherwise known as the "bird flu", there is a danger that one of his birds could catch the virus from another bird. That could be deadly for them. The virus is extremely contagious from bird to bird. According to Chaffin, a bird doesn't even have to come into contact with another bird and still catch the virus.

Lead is Deadly For Birds

Another danger for birds of prey is lead, which is often used in ammunition. Montana's Wild Skies Raptor Center has a lot of information on the lead threat to animals all around the world. According to their website, a study was done in the Bitterroot Valley with the Raptor Research Institute and the MPG Ranch on lead exposure in golden eagles. Between 2011 and 2018 they caught 91 golden eagles and "observed the highest prevalence of elevated blood lead levels ever recorded for the species."

Chaffin's birds are amazing creatures that can handle Montana's cold easily, since they come from the arctic. The heat is another story. They are built for the cold, not the heat. When it gets too hot, the birds come inside with the family.

If I spent all afternoon with Chaffin, I don't think I could have scratched the surface on what it takes to be a falconer in Montana. It was a pleasure to meet him, his family and his bird and I learned a lot. Falconry isn't just a hobby for those in Montana, it really is a way of life.