Its a very cool and fun sport, at the time, I think there were only 8 other licsensed members in Massachusetts.

Much like Deer hunting, the sport is misunderstood, and actually helps the population, Falconry is very beneficial to the well being of Raptors and Birds of prey (see Peregrine Falcons, that almost were extinct).
The well-being of the bird was always the TOP priority.
It also takes a lot of time! You need to hunt the bird at least 2-3 times a week, and once I had kids that time went out the door.
My bird was released to a wildlife preserve in Mass, they revert back to the wild within a few days.

I will say, squirrels are some of the toughest, smartest little buggers out there, I gained a lot of respect chasing them through the woods.