Falconry Equipment List
What you need, what it costs, and where quality matters most
Falconry equipment doesn’t have to break the bank—but it does have to work. These guides help you understand what’s essential and where quality matters most.
Proper falconry equipment keeps your bird safe and makes daily handling efficient. From the leather glove that protects your hand during training sessions to the telemetry system that tracks your hawk in flight, each piece of gear serves a specific purpose in raptor husbandry.
Many items must meet federal and state facility standards before you can legally possess a bird, so understanding equipment requirements early in your apprenticeship is essential.
These guides walk you through every equipment category a falconer needs, organized from essential daily-use items to specialized hunting gear. You will learn what to prioritize when building your starter kit, where to invest in quality versus where to save money, and how to construct compliant mews and weathering yards. Each article includes practical buying advice and recommendations from experienced falconers.
Building your falconry kit is one of the most tangible steps toward getting your license. Federal regulations specify minimum standards for several categories of equipment, and your state may impose additional requirements.
This section walks you through each item category, from essential anklets and jesses to advanced telemetry systems, with buying recommendations at different price points. We also cover do-it-yourself options for falconers who prefer to craft their own gear, a tradition that has been part of the sport for centuries. Understanding your equipment thoroughly before you acquire a bird ensures smoother daily routines and safer handling from day one.
Why This Matters
Equipment failures in falconry can have serious consequences, from a lost bird due to a broken jess to injury from a poorly fitted hood. Investing in quality equipment and understanding how to maintain it properly is not optional when you are responsible for a raptor’s safety. Good equipment also makes daily management tasks faster and more efficient, which matters when you are handling a bird every day.
Recommended Reading Order
Start with the equipment list above for everything you will need and what it costs, then read the guides for the items you plan to buy. Read the mews construction guide early, since building and inspection usually take longest. Telemetry and hunting gear matter most as you approach free flight and field hunting.
What equipment do you need to start falconry?
Before your bird arrives you need a glove, perches for the mews and weathering area, a scale for daily weighing, jesses with a swivel and leash, bells, a bath pan and a transport box or giant hood. Most apprentices also want a creance line and a trap, and many add telemetry before the bird flies free.
| Item | What it is for | New price |
|---|---|---|
| Glove | Protects your hand and gives the bird a steady place to stand | $45–$165 |
| Block or bow perch | One for the mews and one for the weathering area | $99–$295 |
| Digital scale | Weighing every day is how you manage flying weight | $88–$130 |
| Jesses and anklets | The straps on the bird’s legs you hold and tether it by | $9–$40 |
| Swivel | Joins jesses to leash so the bird can turn without tangling | $4–$27 |
| Leash | Tethers the bird to its perch or your glove | $11–$24 |
| Bells | Tell you where the bird is and when it moves | $11–$35 |
| Bath pan | Clean water for bathing, part of the facility standards | $22–$130 |
| Transport box or giant hood | Carries the bird safely to the field or the vet | $50–$380 |
| Creance line | The long training line for flights before free flight | $21–$52 |
| Bal-chatri trap | For trapping a passage bird under your permit | $155–$195 |
| Telemetry set (optional) | Transmitter, receiver and antenna to find a lost bird | $1,265–$1,837 |
Prices are for new items in two US falconry suppliers’ catalogs on September 13, 2026, from the plainest to the most elaborate mainstream item of each kind. Many falconers make their own jesses, leashes and perches.
💰 Budget Reality Check
Oregon’s wildlife agency puts the basic equipment you need to pass inspection at $300–$600. A mews adds $250–$3,000 and new telemetry about $1,265–$1,837. Our falconry cost guide adds license fees and food for a first-year total of roughly $1,100–$5,500.
Falconry Gloves
Your primary interface with your bird. Choosing the right glove for protection and handling.
Falconry Hoods
Calm your bird and reduce stress. Hood types, fitting, and training your bird to accept the hood.
Jesses & Anklets
Safe tethering and handling. Understanding the Aylmeri system and proper jess safety.
Bells, Swivels & Leashes
The small hardware that keeps your bird secure and findable: choosing bells, swivels and leashes, and what each costs.
Housing (Mews)
Your bird needs a proper home. Understand the requirements before you build.
Telemetry Systems
How to find your bird when things go wrong. Modern options from basic to advanced.
Scales & Weighing
Your most important tool for weight management. How to choose, use, and maintain an accurate falconry scale.
Hunting Gear
Equipment for the field. Bags, vests, lures, and accessories that make hunting easier.
Building Your Falconry Equipment Kit
Assembling your falconry equipment is one of the most tangible and satisfying steps in preparing for your first bird, but it also requires strategic thinking about where to invest your money and where to save it. The equipment list above prices each item, and Oregon’s wildlife agency puts the basic kit you need to pass inspection at three hundred to six hundred dollars, well below the cost of the mews.
This includes a quality leather glove, anklets and jesses, a leash and swivel, bells, an accurate digital scale, at least two perches, a bath pan, and a falconry bag. Add a new telemetry system and the budget climbs by more than a thousand dollars, which is why buying used is worth considering. These numbers are manageable for most aspiring falconers, but understanding which items deserve premium investment and which can be purchased at entry-level prices prevents both overspending and dangerous corner-cutting.
The three items where quality matters most are your glove, your telemetry system, and your scale. Your glove is the primary interface between you and your bird, used every single day for manning, training, and hunting. A poorly fitting or cheaply made glove reduces your ability to feel the bird's grip tension, which is an important communication signal, and provides inadequate protection from talons that can puncture thin leather with ease.
Invest in a well-made leather gauntlet from a reputable falconry supplier and break it in thoroughly before your bird arrives. Your telemetry system is your safety net against losing your bird. A dead battery or weak signal during a hunting session can mean the difference between recovering a wayward hawk and losing it permanently. Your scale must be accurate to at least one gram for buteos and ideally to one-tenth of a gram for smaller species, because weight management decisions that affect your bird's health and responsiveness depend on precise daily measurements.
Where you can save money without compromising safety or effectiveness is on items that are easily replaced or upgraded as you gain experience. Your first hawking bag does not need to be a custom-made leather masterpiece. A functional canvas bag with multiple pockets works perfectly well while you figure out what pocket layout and carrying style suits your hunting terrain.
Perches can be built from PVC pipe, wood, and AstroTurf for a fraction of the cost of commercial options, and many experienced falconers prefer their homemade perches to store-bought alternatives. Bells, swivels, and leashes are relatively inexpensive regardless of quality level, so buy reliable versions without overthinking the purchase. The key principle is to invest heavily in items that directly affect bird safety and daily handling, while being practical about everything else.
Many first-time falconers make the mistake of buying everything at once before they fully understand what they need. A better approach is to acquire your essential equipment in phases that match your progress through the licensing process. Start with study materials and your mews construction plan while you are preparing for the exam. Build or purchase your perches, glove, and basic furniture while your mews is under construction.
Add your telemetry system, jesses, and remaining equipment after your facility inspection is complete and you are close to trapping your first bird. This phased approach lets you spread costs over several months and gives you time to research each item thoroughly, seek recommendations from your sponsor, and take advantage of used equipment that becomes available through your falconry club. Experienced falconers frequently sell or pass along gear in good condition, and buying secondhand can reduce your total startup investment significantly.
Common questions
What equipment do you need to start falconry?
A glove, perches for the mews and weathering area, a digital scale, jesses with a swivel and leash, bells, a bath pan and a transport box or giant hood, all before your bird arrives. You will also want a creance line and a trap, and many falconers add telemetry before the bird flies free.
How much does falconry equipment cost?
Oregon’s wildlife agency estimates $300–$600 for the basic equipment you need to pass inspection. New, a glove costs $45–$165, a block or bow perch $99–$295 and a digital scale $88–$130 at two US suppliers. A new telemetry set adds about $1,265–$1,837, and the mews itself $250–$3,000.
Do you need telemetry for falconry?
Federal falconry rules do not require it, but telemetry is the standard way to find a bird that has flown out of sight. A new transmitter, receiver and antenna cost about $1,265–$1,837, so buying used is worth considering, and it is worth having before the bird flies free.
Quick Equipment Checklist
Before Getting Your Bird
- □Mews built and inspected
- □Weathering area ready
- □Glove (properly fitted)
- □Digital gram scale
- □Perches (at least 2 types)
- □Giant hood or travel box
- □Jesses, swivel, leash
- □Bells (at least 1 pair)
- □Bath pan
- □Food source established
Before Hunting Season
- □Telemetry (transmitter + receiver)
- □Hawking bag or vest
- □Lure (appropriate for species)
- □Creance (long training line)
- □Game shears or knife
- □First aid kit (bird + human)
- □Hunting license
- □Land access confirmed
Where to Buy Equipment
Ask your sponsor first—they’ll know reputable vendors and can help you avoid common beginner mistakes. Most falconry equipment comes from specialized suppliers, not general pet stores.
Where to buy: Most falconry equipment comes from a small number of specialist suppliers rather than general pet stores. The NAFA website and your state club’s vendor list are the best starting points, and your sponsor will know which suppliers are currently reliable.