Chris Kerr

Author: Tim Williams

On my second hunt as an apprentice, I had chosen a field that I was told was well known and harbored more Jackrabbits than the local falconers could even make a dent in. There were plenty of slips, but Bruce was not in condition to take any of them. After just twenty minutes or so, I decided to pack it in and come back to try again when she was in better condition.

As I was walking back to my truck a fairly nondescript Chevy Tahoe pulled up next to me, the driver having already rolled down the window. I thought to myself, “alright, if this is another falconer, I’m an apprentice and I’m in their field, this probably won’t be a pleasant interaction.” The man in the truck just smiled and said, “how are the slips today? Seen many rabbits?”

I was a little taken aback, because I was waiting to be berated for invading someone else’s field, but here was this unexpectedly pleasant falconer offering me tips and tricks. From many of the interactions I had with other experienced falconers (mostly online) I was expecting something much different.

After a few years in falconry now, I have come to find that my experience with Chris wasn’t unique. As it turns out Chris has spent a significant amount of his own time with local apprentices (and third year apprentices as I like to think of myself) hunting, assisting in trapping, teaching husbandry and raptor biology. The appreciation the community has for Chris’ contributions cannot be overstated and is why we have chosen him as our first Featured Falconer.

Tell us about yourself Chris

Chris: Grew up in the Santa Cruz mountains on a trout hatchery with lots of property and fun stuff to do with all sorts of fun and animals. My introduction to raptors was at an early age with the occasional coopers hawks and red tail hawks (chicken hawks my dad called them) getting in our chicken coop and even a screech owl getting stuck in our front porch. My early influence was reading the book called Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat and also the movie My Side of the Mountain which I think most falconers have watched.

Chris: After high school, I enlisted in the Air Force (was fascinated as a young kid watching the jets fly overhead into SFO and wanted to know what made them move) and settled in at Travis AFB, as a jet mechanic turned flight engineer traveling all over the world and all seven continents, and a few adventures along the way. I am currently a flight examiner administering oversight around the country for the fleet of C5M cargo jets. I am preparing for retirement next year after 42 and a half years of service, and then taking a part time job as flight simulator instructor.

What (if any) are your hobbies outside of falconry?

Chris: My hobbies are surfing, wakesurfing, boating, golfing and stream fishing for trout in the Sierras and golfing, and planning during retirement to RV across the western US and hawk all along the way.

How did you get into falconry?

Chris: I met my sponsor (Craig O’Dell) by coincidence in 1981 at the ripe age of 20 through a roommate and we hit it off and he started taking me hawking with his female Harris hawk and in a short time I was hooked. He was willing to take me on as an apprentice, which I was the first of only two before he passed away. I got my first license in 1984 and we trapped my first redtail hawk female and flew her on jacks for a few years, great gamehawk and then released her. I acquired my first female Harris from Bill Murphy’s project in 1989 and flew her successfully for 13 seasons and transferred her to bay area legendary falconer Gary Beeman after his female died after 30 years and the Middle East conflict took me out of the country for a few years.

Tell us about your birds, what birds are you flying at the moment?

Chris: My current gamehawk inventory consist of a 2 year (twice intermewed) imprint captive bred female Harris from Steve Watson, a 1 year (once intermewed) captive bred female Harris from Tom Havelka, and an imprint captive bred 2 year old female North American goshawk (twice intermewed) from Aaron Jones. All 3 birds are proven consistent gamehawks in the field and none have any bad habits in or out of the field. On par with dedicated falconers that take pride in their passion with the sport, I have been told that they are spectacular to watch pursue quarry.

What are some of your favorite falconry memories/stories?

Chris: A few of my most memorable moments were spent with Jimmy Bathke searching for goshawk nests in the early 90’s which required patience, research, resolve, energy, mapping, preparing and traveling all over Northern California from Modoc county through the Lake Tahoe basin (with coordination with the USFS) down through Inyo and Alpine counties. Ultimately pulled my first eyas goshawk in 94, climbed the tree and she was an awesome pheasant and rabbit hawk. Also to be able to be involved in opening up Grizzly Island wildlife refuge in 1993 in coordination with Fish and Game for falconry, and sharing our hobby with multiple media coverage over the years, always fun having a camera crew and a helicopter with you sort of, so everyone can see your nervousness and mistakes, but well worth it. Also back in the 1980’s some of the people in the next paragraph I had the pleasure and honor of meeting at the Davis Pumpkin Mini Meets held for all the bay area and Sacramento basin area falconers to get together and hunt, this was a vital indoctrination for a young and enthusiastic falconer.

Past or present what falconer inspires you the most and why?

Chris: In chronological order, some of the great influences of falconers that mentored me along the way were, Les Winkler, John Pappas, Bob Lott, Jeff Novak, Bill Murphy, Jimmy Bathke, Steve Tucker, Dick Lawson and Andy McBride. These individuals I hold in high regard and still maintain friendships to this day, well except for Mr Lawson, I hope he is still around. I am fortunate to have had their presence and experience in my life, they have inspired my passion and influenced my drive to be a better falconer, I never think I know it all and can always learn and behold myself to the experience and wisdom that they share.

What’s next for you and your falconry career?

Chris: Currently I find myself graciously included in the company of Pete Martin and Don Hildebrandt out in the fields of Northern California gamehawking rabbits and pheasant regularly and included as a part of their camaraderie and association of family status. We welcome any falconers to join in the hunt with us always, it is an honor to keep this legacy moving forward.

Thank you to Chi Ma for all his social media coordination and Tim Williams for this inclusion. And last but not least, I would like to thank the CHC for all the years of support and field meets and representation, friendships and still have all my journals and newsletters to this day.

I also want to thank our in house veterinarian consultants who have made great strides in helping falconers with assistance and knowledge selflessly making us more aware of the condition of our birds. University of Davis Vet Center, Bill Ferrier, Jim Roush and Vickie Joseph. Deeply grateful of their insight.