Saskatchewan Falconry Association

     About the Saskatchewan Falconry Association

     The Saskatchewan Falconry Association had its origins in the mid 1950's when Richard Fyfe and several teenagers in the Regina area started an interest in falconry. The club was officially started in 1958. From the very beginning the SFA set its goals to promote falconry as a legal sport in Saskatchewan and to promote the conservation of wild birds of prey. At that time raptors were not protected by law and the SFA, in cooperation with other naturalist groups, successfully urged the provincial government to protect these birds.

     The nature of falconry, which is the use of trained birds of prey to hunt wild quarry, was also recognized as a legitimate use of wild taken birds of prey and a permitting system was established to allow qualified individuals to capture raptors from the wild for falconry purposes. Throughout its history, members of the SFA have been involved in numerous conservation endeavors to increase knowledge of Saskatchewan's native raptors and to safeguard their populations. Nest hole digging for Prairie Falcons and captive breeding of Peregrine Falcons for release into the wild are examples of the falconer's conservation activities.

     The main focus of the Saskatchewan Falconry Association is the practise of falconry as a hunting sport. Working in cooperation with the Provincial Government, the SFA has pursued the establishment of reasonable regulations to allow falconry to be practised. A special falconry season for the hunting of upland game birds has been in effect for many years due to the recognition that the impact on the resource of these birds is virtually minimal. This has allowed falconry, which is considered to be a reasonably difficult activity, to be practised at a very high standard of quality. Falconers also hunt waterfowl and a variety of unprotected wildlife as well.

     Throughout its long history, falconry has been considered an art form in many cultures. In 2010, the branch of the United Nations called UNESCO established falconry as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This declaration recognized falconry as a valuable part of humanity that transcends boundaries of nations, cultures and beliefs and unites its practitioners around the world with the common bond that falconry provides in their lives. The falconers of Saskatchewan are a part of that group, people who have a passion to include this relationship with a wild creature in a way that is unique.

     The falcons, hawks and eagles used by falconers the world over are allowed to fly free every day during the hunting season to do what they do naturally in the wild-hunt wild quarry. Only in the case of falconry this is a completely cooperative undertaking with the raptor doing what it is genetically programmed to do coupled with their disposition that allows them to do so in the company of men and women.
....Article courtesy Bob Rafuse

     In 2018 the Saskatchewan Falconry Association held its 60th Anniversary Field Meet in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.  This was the first NAFA sponsored field meet in Canada.