Summer Eyas Picnic 2005

The 2005 summer eyas picnic was great, and I am truly sorry if for some reason something came up at the last minute and you couldn’t attend. The weather was clear, 85-90 degrees with a nice breeze. The Reinhold’s home and yard were beautiful, and the yard shaded.

This year’s focus of education was a workshop covering field related injuries by Dr. Tim Sullivan DVM.  Thank you Tim for the time taken to prepare, set up, and run the workshop. Tim let me know that more than thirty people got a chance to sit in. I know that those that attended the workshop got a chance to learn from an experienced avian vet and falconer. I can’t express how lucky we are to have Tim back safe and sound from the Middle East. Those this year who have a new interest in falconry found a wealth of information available to them at the picnic, and most importantly met contacts, that will help them get a start with the art and sport of falconry.

The weather was warm, the pool was cool and the volleyball court was hot. Everyone I saw had a wonderful time, the food and company was great! I am already looking forward to the one next year. What a great time to catch up on what’s new, talk to old and new friends, and line out hawking adventures for the upcoming season.

Some of the new hawks that showed up at the picnic, Dennis Samnee brought the most beautiful hen goshawk. The McDermott’s had a new Peale’s peregrine falcon. There were several other hawks, peregrines, goshawks, red tails, Harris’ and yes, not to forget Norma Haynes’s new musket sharpshin.

          Mike McDermott was there to sign books. I even got a chance to watch him install the new Marshall backpack on Tom Schultz’s new peregrine falcon.

          The raffle was fun and a real highlight again this year, with quite a number of diverse items available, simply said this was our grandest raffle ever. Artwork, hoods, equipment, patches, meet pins, transmitters, and books to mention just some of the things donated. Thank you Stacia Novy for all your hard work putting together the largest raffle in our history. Thanks to all who donated items, bought tickets, and helped make this years raffle a real success story. Please consider using the vendors that provided items for the raffle and that support The Missouri Falconry Association.

          The business meeting started sometime after the raffle and we discussed the following, in no particular order.

1) A problem (a bump in the road sort of speak) at the last field meet, with someone adjacent to land we were hunting.

2) The next fall field meet date and location, St. Louis, MO., the host, Rob Lyttle, the 22^nd of Oct. 05, corner of N and K highway, at the steak and shake 7am. (More details to follow)

3) Norma Haynes and I will be stepping down from our club seats at next years eyas picnic. We will be taking nominations from club members at the next club meeting on Oct 22nd and at all field meets this season, to be voted on at next years eyas picnic

4) The need for help in running next years raffle

5) It was suggested that the next business meeting be held first thing during breakfast at the field meet, before we go hawking so all could give input.

6) The maintaining a 50% or better NAFA membership. Nothing should be more important than involvement at a national level during these next couple of years as federal changes come to light.

7) Tom Schultz running for NAFA director at large.

8) The Wild Raptors Take Conservancy and the Great Lakes falconers Assoc. Their meet set up for December 2005 in Wichita KS. A copy of the invitation and the Conservancy’s input to the proposed Federal falconry changes will be found elsewhere in the fall newsletter.     

Once again I want to thank the Reinhold’s, Mary and Fred, and their children, for hosting the great event.  Thanks also to those that helped out and made it a great MFA eyas picnic, and lastly thank all those that volunteer to help the “show me state’s” falconry club, past and future, making falconry in Missouri great!

  Bob Payne, Liberty, MO.