raptor's ridge

My husband gave me a social shopper voucher for Christmas - after I asked for it - and we used it Feb. 15 (Sun.). I had no problems contacting the owner (1 phonecall), and they were able to book us on the upcoming weekend. She made it clear that it was weather dependant, and said she'd call day of, if it wasn't going to work. Luckily, it was a gorgeous day. The place was easy to find. We happened to be early, but Karen was ready for us. We did a tour and Karen told us a bit about some of their different birds. Didn't see them all as they had about 28, and some seemed pretty excitable. Then we got given our instructions and gloves. Then the real fun - we got given our birds!! I didn't give them a 5/5 because the voucher said you could choose your bird, but it was probably best that she chose, as our birds (Frank & Storm) were very well behaved and socialized. Also, I don't think I could've supported an owl for an hour. They're big. We walked through the woods on their property (@ 15 min. ), then we got to fly the birds. This is by far the coolest part!! We took turns. She gives you food (be aware that they eat whole food, if you're squeamish) and they come to your arm. All together we were there for 2 hours. She took pix, and we had lots of opportunities to take our own as well. I highly recommend it. 2 thumbs up! !!

Tried to book some time here for a family outing. The woman will only email with you and quite rude about the times you can visit and they way she talks thru email. Quite obviously you can only visit at specific times after all they are wild animals. If she doesn't want to share with the public, than maybe she shouldn't advertise.

Awesome to be able to hold a falcon & take pictures. While holding the birds, we got a short walk thru the forest behind the property too.

I thought it was a great place for a class field trip. The children learnt a lot about bird's of prey. Was in a backyard of a couple's house, very relaxed atmosphere.

Raptor's Ridge is a good place to go for a basic introduction to falconry, especially for young kids and those who have never been close to a raptor (bird-of-prey) before. In fact, I consider their program to be far better than that of the Greater Vancouver Zoo (mainly due to the lack of pressure of a show environment).With that said, I will add that their program may not hold the interest of those who have a serious interest in falconry, or those who have had previous bird contact. For folks like that, I would strongly recommend the introductory falconry program offered through Academie Duello, in downtown Vancouver.The two Raptor's Ridge programs most likely to be of interest to casual visitors will be the "Hawk Walk," where you can carry a bird on your glove as you walk along a forested trail and get your picture taken with said bird, and the 'Falconer for a Day' program, which (in addition to the walk) provides much more detail on the birds and the opportunity to participate in flight training. You may also, if you have a strong stomach, choose to learn about food preparation.Their programs will also teach you the elusive "Falconer's Knot," and provide an opportunity to test your leatherworking skills by making a basic set of jesses and anklets (called 'Aylmeri' in falconer-speak).Raptor's Ridge has no problem working with visitors who may have physical limitations. Just as one example, my wife is legally blind (uses a cane), and she still had a great time. Please advise them, when you call or write, if any member of your group has such limitations. Rates, schedules, and further information may be found on their web site: http://www.raptorsridge.comHappy travels.