About Wildebour & Son Bells
Wildebour & Son Bells is proud to continue the tradition of crafting high-quality handmade bells for falconry. Trained under the late master bellmaker Larry Counce, the Wildebours have taken great care in maintaining the craftsmanship and quality he established.
A Note from Heather at Mountain State Falconry Supply
Larry Counce enjoyed finding the perfect bells for falconers who were hard of hearing. I was one of those falconers. He very much understood hearing loss over varying frequencies and how to create the best set for each falconer. Larry would work with you to find the right sized bells for your bird that also fit your hearing, whether you had trouble hearing high tones or low tones.
We're carrying on that tradition at Mountain State Falconry Supply by continuing to offer Wildebour & Son Bells in Larry Counce's most popular configurations as well as our newly developed set. I have no doubt the mission will continue with more hard of hearing sets to come.
"Loud," is a perception. I'm here to help falconers find the right bells for their birds and their hearing. There's a perfect set for everyone. Not sure what you need? REACH OUT. Let's talk it through. I have hearing loss, too!
About the Hard of Hearing Sets
Classic Counce Hard of Hearing Set: For red-tails. One bronze bell and one copper bell in sizes 2 and 4. Larry knew exactly how to cover all the bases. This set covers the broadest range of frequencies available in bells sized for red-tails.
"The Highs Are High" Set for Red-tails: Falconers with trouble hearing low tones will love this pairing. Developed in-house, this set covers a broad spectrum of high frequencies making it a head turner in the field. Basically, there's a frequency in there for everyone, so most folks perceive the set as "loud." Tweaked and field tested by a squirrel hawker with hearing loss in the lower frequencies, this set combines the highest tones in bells sized for red-tails. Included in this set are one nickel silver bell and one bronze bell, both in Size 4.
Counce Style Size 2 Hi/Lo: For female red-tails. Two bells of the same size in differing low tones. This set covers the lowest frequencies for those who have trouble hearing high tones. One bronze bell and one copper bell in Size 2.
Counce Style Size 4 Hi/Lo: For red-tails, female Harris's and female falcons. Two bells of the same size in differing tones. Slightly higher tones than Size 2 Hi/Lo. A smaller bell than Size 2, making it a nice set for red-tails of all sizes. This set covers lower frequencies than the "Highs Are High Set." The perfect mid-range set for frequency and size combined. One bronze bell and one copper bell in Size 4.
Hard of Hearing Bell Sets
Josiah Wildebour has been a drill operator and foreman for 15 years, working in 33 states. He’s seen a lot. He’s the kind of guy who likes to build his own stuff, no matter what the job is. When he started his falconry apprenticeship with Richard Brunotte, making his own bells and other falconry gear was a natural progression. It was Richard who introduced Josiah to Larry. They hit it off instantly, and they became great friends.
After working together making bells, Larry kept telling Josiah he wanted him to take over his business. Josiah wasn't so keen on it at first; he didn't want to step on Larry’s toes, and he never thought his bells could be in the same category. But things changed, and one Thursday Josiah got a call from Larry telling him he was going to take over his business and keep his legacy going. Larry told him he needed to be there tomorrow. So, Josiah’s son and he packed up and traveled to Tennessee.
If you knew Larry, you'd know he put a lot of thought into this. He wasn't just thinking about keeping the bells going; he really wanted to make sure his legacy and the quality he built were preserved. He reminded Josiah several times throughout the next few days that if he had listened to him from the beginning, he wouldn't have been in such a rush. That was Larry for you. Even though Josiah could tell he didn't have much time left, Larry was still telling his son and him they were coming back in the spring to get a sharpy—it's something Larry had tried to help Josiah with.
Josiah says he’ll never forget sitting around Larry’s deck, drinking the world's worst tea, talking about making moonshine, falconry and traveling. Larry will be missed, but we’re glad to know his legacy will live on through Josiah Wildebour’s bells.