Female Kestrel Drying And Posing

very well done! great pose and nice fluff on the bird.

 

wow beautiful work

 

Enjoyed the video

 

Don't get much better than that. Wish we could do birds of prey. I could watch these vids all day. Thanks for putting them on.

 

I'm subscribed so I'll be waiting on them!!

 

A couple three years ago I ran a three part article on the Taxidermy Industry forum titled "They Stole My Hawk." It was over 8,000 words long and suggested a way we could approach our state DNRs and Game Commissions to get them to start issuing salvage permits similar to how they do it in Canada. Texas would be the ideal state to begin such a program because the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code clearly states that the wildlife in Texas is the property of the people of this state, and not the property of the corporate entity "State of Texas." THOSE DEAD BIRDS ALONG OUR HIGHWAYS BELONG TO WE TEXANS. THEY ARE OUR COLLECTIVE PROPERTY, NOT THE PROPERTY OF THE STATE!

The majority of those who responded to all my research and writing was mostly negative in the nature of "...awww, we've been all through that before on this forum..." and "the law is the law... blah, blah, blah." I asked for anyone who thought that was a good idea to join me to work on it together. Do you know how many contacted me? Not even my own association.
Why do you suppose every single taxidermy association in the entire US would be chicken-shit scared to even talk about an issue that would be nothing but financially beneficial to taxidermists, a great revenue raiser for the state coffers and enormous value to education and nature study for schools and small nature centers, both public and private?
The answer is this simple: THERE IS NO LEADERSHIP WORTH MENTIONING IN ANY OF TODAY'S TAXIDERMY ASSOCIATIONS and hasn't been for decades in the majority of associations. That goes for the TTA and especially that big nothing NTA . The jury is still out on the UTA, United Taxidermists Association, which keeps showing promise year after year of functioning like a real taxi association.
Here's the hawk the Texas Parks and Wildlife stole from me and destroyed.

 

Thanks Ben for taking the extra effort to put together the videos for us. Your generosity (especially of time) is greatly appreciated. I have admired your postings here on taxidermy.net for years. Your talent speaks volumes in the work that you do. Warmest regards, Dan.

 

Falco,
You lucky Canadian!
Emphatically NO! The book does not need to be rewritten. A certain ding-bat needs to be reprimanded. She prevented me and everyone else from seeing a beautiful mounted falcon at the World this year not to mention what she did to you. I’ve had three bad experiences with border agents myself, I know firsthand what you’re up against. I suggest that you not presume anything in the future. That ding-dong you spoke with works for government. In general government employees, particularly women don't like guns, "killing animals" or taxidermy.

From what I gather, the dumb broad you spoke with who denied you the paperwork to carry a hawk to and fro the border who gave you the moronic answer was likely an American agent. I wasn't quite clear on that point. Her answer clearly shows she’s clueless about the laws governing your request. I never heard of such a specious argument made up out of whole cloth. And don’t make excuses for her either. She wasn’t just doing her job, or following the book. She can’t show you anything on the books that supports her bullshit answer but was merely exercising control over you. It made her feel important - powerful, possibly orgasmic. (She must be a natural blond.)

Low level agents of law enforcement agencies everywhere have three steadfast rules they follow religiously which aren’t even part of their job description when they hire on, and which are never mentioned by management or staff, but are nonetheless iron clad rules never to be broken:

Do not protect the rights or property of the citizenry, but rather swear allegiance to the agency of whoever writes their paychecks. Confiscate private property if you can.

Suppress commerce every possible way because commerce reeks of capitalism and allowing capitalism to run normally will not win favor with bureaucratic socialist agency managers like we have here in the upper echelons of all government agencies.

Protect your job above all else even if it means denying law abiding citizens their rights. Take not the slightest risk if there is the slightest chance that your boss would disapprove of your action. Besides it’s exhilarating to exercise power over one’s betters under the color of law when you work for government. We do live in a police state now so be cautious when dealing with armed government workers. (AGW) (Law enforcement of any kind.)

I doubt you’ll want to follow up on this at this late date. I guarantee no one in government is going to take your side. If you really wanted to get some closure you could write a complaint to the blond’s immediate supervisor detailing her idiotic response to your request, solely in the hope that he/she/it would respond and you could get a good laugh at how he/she/it obfuscates and parses words to cover up for a subordinate. They cover for their dummies alright, but they don’t like it one little bit when they have to lie to cover up for the screw up of one of their screw-ups. Remember, government employees are not your friend.

Now, don’t anybody rush to respond to this because I’m already flagged by armed government workers who monitor this forum and will flag you too through guilt by association if you show the slightest agreement with any part of what I wrote above.

Falco, The accolades you’re receiving for your fine work for our enjoyment is well deserved.