Experiences at The New Hampshire School of Falconry

This 2 hour introductory class is suited for all ages from mature 10-year olds to “retiree-plus”. It is our class most given on gift certificates because it is perfect for everyone who loves nature, wildlife, birds of prey. 

Containing insights on wildlife that will stay meaningful through many years, it is also a class with lots of hands on experiences, from learning to lift and hold the peregrine falcon to having a hawk fly to and from the student’s glove multiple times. 

Non-participants are allowed so that family/friends may come to watch and take pictures. Student fee is $175 each, and a non-participant (no hands on experience) fee of $50 per each.

Are you looking for a front row seat to excitement for your family or friends? 

Done here at our school facility, a demonstration is an educational, thrill-delivering experience to share as a family memory-maker, a corporate outing, as a church, scout, camp or homeschooler group event. 

It consists of one hour including a brief talk, an exciting up close and personal flight demonstration, natural history of the six falcons and five hawks here on our property, time for a question/answer period, and lots of photo opportunities. At the end, the hawk is flown to each person one time. The demonstration is perfect for a group or family of mixed ages. 

Rates begin as low as a group of five persons for $200 and rise by $50 for each additional five persons. Inquire about pricing for especially large groups.

This one hour class is similar, but briefer, than the two hour Falconer’s Workshop. 

It is suitable for children ages five to eight. It is a one-on-one class of instructor to student, so only one student is booked for the class. An exception will be made if a family has two siblings of close ages, and then the class may run slightly over the hour. 

While the information given is necessarily less to accommodate the attention spans of younger children, it has all of the hands on experience of the longer Workshop, so your child will handle the peregrine and fly the hawk multiple times. 

A requirement is that at least one responsible adult also be enrolled into the class as a nonparticipant (no hands on).  Fees are $195 per student and adult chaperone and $35 per additional nonparticipant.

This one hour class has been devised for younger students who have taken the Child’s Workshop. It is a confidence and skill building interlude during which the instructor works with one child in a changeable setting. 

As the instructor tells the child, “The Hawk is your teacher.” The young student is taken through a repetition of each step in calling down and then releasing the hawk. The class moves from location to location, placing the youngster into the role of falconer choosing the best perch towards which to launch his or her hawk, and to mapping out the trajectory the raptor will take to and from the student. 

Aimed for ages from six to ten, a responsible adult is required to attend the class but will remain on the sidelines. With the limit of one child per class, one-on-one instruction, in various localities on school grounds, this experience leaves the student with a much better understanding of the connection between falconer and raptor and a mastery of basic skills.

A prerequisite to this class is having been a student in the Falconer’s Workshop or Child’s Workshop class.

This walk is an exciting, hour-long trek in an adventure you will never forget, over the 28-plus acres of our school’s wooded trails.

This is an intense one-on-one partnership with one of our school’s Harris’s Hawks and is NOT like “hawk walks” offered by any other Falconry school as you stroll through beautiful forest along a cascading brook. An instructor is along to give advice when needed, but eventually you are sent off on your own to work independently with the raptor which now serves as your teacher.

This is a one-student class. Non-participants are allowed. Couples or family members who wish to take a trek together should inquire about special pricing.

NOTE: This Walk is not strenuous but our land has a slight, steady incline. A foot rolling on a rock or acorn can cause an unpleasantly twisted ankle so BOOTS OR ANKLE SUPPORTING FOOT GEAR IS A MUST.

Walk fee is $175 per student and $25 per nonparticipant.

A half day field hunt in which clients follow a pointing dog and a hawk working together is an opportunity to watch the ages old Falconry partnership between raptor, canine and human.

US Fish & Wildlife mandates that students may observe the action, but may not handle the hawk or the prey. Do not be discouraged as you will find once engaged in watching this ancient tableau, being a spectator gives you all you can handle!

Group size is flexible and this is suitable for families, but not for small children. Persons under the age of eighteen must be accompanied by an adult. Our hunts take place at The Timberdoodle Club in Temple, NH. When you book a hunt, you will be advised of the club rules. The day commences by meeting at the Timberdoodle clubhouse at 9 AM.

This is a very action-filled , exciting and beautiful experience as you watch the three-member hunting team. Most of the action can be viewed from dirt roads bordering the hunting areas (Field glasses would be an appropriate accessory in that event.), but students are encouraged to “follow the flight” across country if necessary. Foot gear with ankle support is strongly recommended, meaning boots with low heels and a rise over the ankle, or hiking sneakers offering ankle support (No “fashion” boots, please).

No nonparticipants. Cost is $295 per person.

We do gift certificates! It is the perfect and unique gift for the wildlife lover. There are three easy steps to getting a gift certificate from New Hampshire School of Falconry.

1. Look over our list of classes and experiences and decide what you would like to give.

2. Send payment by check to Joseph Ford, 4 Hunt Club Way, Pepperell, MA 01463 (please not this address is different than the school address) or pay using a credit card through PayPal or Venmo (my PayPal identity is my email address birdman0188@hotmail.com and my Venmo account is @birdman0188). Include your mailing address so that I send the certificate to you, or if sending directly to the recipient tell me how you want the TO and FROM lines to read. I need to know where your gift recipient is coming from the day of class as I send directions here, too. The certificate goes out in the next mail. 

3. Give your Gift of Adventure and bask in the thanks you will get! Our contact information for phone and email is on the certificate so the recipient contacts us when he or she is ready to book the class, hunt or experience. Gift certificates are good for ONE year following the issue date. Tell them NOT TO LOSE the certificate as it is their ‘ticket’ to a marvelous adventure and must be turned in upon arriving for class.

You will receive an email with this information once you submit your request.