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Dennis Grisco
1940 - 2022
My husband, Dennis’s passion was falconry. If I wanted to go with him Hawking after work, he would call me and say “be ready because I’m leaving as soon as I get the bird in the car“ and I WAS ready along with the three or four kids and the thermos of hot chocolate and burritos for dinner, and off we’d go! We would have our dinner together while his bird was eating his catch. I was relieved when our boys were old enough to help him hawking, I didn’t want to go to the duckpond anymore, because I never seemed to “Yell Ho loud or fast enough”.
He would laugh when he told the story of the sheriff, weekly giving him another speeding ticket as he was racing to get home “ Some people never learn.” He had to fly his bird after work! Dennis was a good, kind and loving man that carried on the art of Falconry from his brothers and passed it on to the next generation of Grisco’s, Glenn, Trevor, Ryan, Shawn & Dawn.
- Rosalina Grisco
My uncle Dennis was my childhood idol . He flew birds and man he did it right ! With style and attention to detail he made it look easy . Of all the brothers Dennis was the true master falconer, game hawking his way being one of the early pioneers of cross country falconry trips . He was an amazing person and I was fortunate to have him as my uncle . He was also my sponsor and man was he hard on me. I thought I had the worst sponsor on the planet but I was so wrong! He conditioned me to learn from my mistakes and treat it as an art form and not a play by play instructional sport. Dennis never once bragged about all he did in falconry, he enjoyed hearing others stories instead . His modesty made it very difficult to track back all he's contributed . After more than 30 years of learning from him and meeting really great falconers all over the country I looked back and realized he was really as good as I thought he was! With very few words he taught me how to be as good as I can and succeed at anything in the sport I sought after to do. From flying hawks on rabbits and ducks on to flying long wings and taking grouse eventually building up the courage to compete and win a pigeon derby. I did it all to make him proud. Dennis never let a bad flight ruin his day he shrugged it off cracked a beer and said ok kid your up next, with a huge smile on his face . His sarcasm and humor was hilarious not to mention contagious so you can imagine all the happy times we had whether it be in the field or just sitting on the porch watching our falcons weather . Every year I looked forward to every Xmas eve because I knew Dennis was coming ! Thanksgiving not so much for he was always off to the NAFA meets . From the diesel crew cab long bed truck , his collection of everything in falconry a man can ever ask for his beautiful wife my Aunt Rose and the respect amongst his friends, who wouldn't want to be just like Dennis Grisco . I'll forever miss his phone calls to ask me how my birds were flying and when I was planning on making it up to visit
- Ryan Grisco
I grew up hearing my dad tell tales of his brothers and their falconry exploits as children, as well as Dennis’s work in the movies with various animals. Fast forward 30 years – my love for animals never waned. I had owned and trained a horse was training and showing Great Danes . Working with animals came easy to me and I seemed to have an intuition or sixth sense. I got a call from my dad one day saying Uncle Dennis and Aunt Rose were in town after a 12-hour shift the night before, there was no way I was going miss the chance to see my “secret hero”. I raced over and immediately began interrogating him. I had a growing interest in falconry through the years but thought it was “beyond my reach”, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to know more and to hear Dennis’s experiences and thoughts. After a few hours of incessant questions, I headed back to my house for a few hours.
Determined to impress him, I looked up how to make a simple trapping hood, grabbed some scrap leather, and whipped up my best falconry hood. In hindsight, it was a pitiful, non-functional example, but it was my gift to him and he accepted it so graciously. I spent every minute I had going over to speak with him during his visit. The more he spoke – the more I knew I was born to be a falconer. It was burning in my blood. He encouraged me through every doubt and when they had to leave, I got their cell and house phone numbers and we began speaking regularly. It wasn’t long after that I took my falconry exam. I did not want to ask him to be my sponsor as he lived in Idaho A few days later, thanks to he and Ed Pitcher, I was reaching out to my future sponsor. I continued to call and pick Dennis’ brain every few days. He patiently listened to my questions and would frequently say to me “you know what to do – now do it.” I ended up trapping a huge female red-tail and flying her on squirrels.. I was able to fly out to Idaho to visit with Dennis and Rose. He took me to meet many of his falconer friends and then we attended the Spring Rendezvous, where I met many more. Since then, I’ve attended state meets NAFA meets, and made the trip to Mongolia to live and hunt with the Kazakh eagle hunters. I am now part of a global community – no, family – and I try my best every day to live up to Dennis’ example.
- Dawn Grisco
I met Dennis in 1986 at the NAFA meet in Kearney Nebraska. I had heard of him over the years through other falconers. But now I was fortunate enough to make friends with him. He had had really good birds over the years before I met him that were legendary. He was working really hard making a living and wasn’t flying much in the early 80’s. But in 1987 he went out and got a female peregrine and a tiercel hybrid. That’s when I went in many adventures with him and he traveled to many states to hunt grouse. All of us enjoyed his friendship and hospitality through the 90’s and early 2000’s. He was the man who lived his dream moving from Southern California to Idaho. We were all so jealous of his ability to live like we all wished we could have. What a great friend and mentor of a man we got to experience. He’ll be missed by hundreds of friends and fellow falconers.
- Dave Cherry
Dennis is a Legend.
I first heard the Grisco name around 1960. I believe my mentor Bob McCallum mentioned the "Grisco Brothers" to me and that they lived in Los Angeles.I had no idea there were so many brothers in one family that had some involvement with falconry during their lifetimes. From that earliest year of hearing the name, others mentioned "The Grisco's". I had met Mike Arnold and Bob Martin around 1964 and I believe they mentioned them. In 1964 Jack Hagan organized a one day gathering in a park in Santa Ana, California. I attended but knew very few of those who attended. I took photos of most of who was there and did not realize that among those in the photos were Don and Randy Grisco. I was not introduced to either of them that day so did not know I had been around two of the Grisco brothers that day.
In 1966 my wife and I moved to Oregon and while we still visited California yearly, I had not been formally introduced to any of the Grisco's but the Grisco name kept being mentioned. The California Hawking Club was formed five years after we had left California but I was not a member so didn't attend their meets. In 1991 I finally decided I would go to the CHC 20th Anniversary Meet held in Los Banos, California and I was finally able to meet a "Grisco". It was Dennis I met there with his friend Tony Robertson. I had a lot of questions about his California falconry history and people he knew and I had only heard of. Dennis shared much of the history I wished to know. I learned Don lived not far from where my wife's parents live in Pomona and drove over to meet Don. In 1994 at a CHC Meet in Yuba City I was able to meet one or two more of the Grisco brothers, I don't remember which brothers it was, maybe Briane or Jerry.
I visited Dennis and Don until Don's passing and Dennis until he moved to Idaho. Dennis shared his other brother's falconry involvement and it was a history I was interested to know and learn. I had learned that Dennis was the president of the California Falconer's Association in the club's final years around 1962. That club was first formed in 1953 by Bob Klimes and Warren Trobough. This club preceded The California Hawking Club by some nine years and that small club helped make some gains with California Fish and Game that benefited falconry.
In the years that followed my meeting Dennis, I was able to join him a few times in the field when he flew his falcons at duck pond by Moreno Valley,. Dennis handled falcons well and his birds like most would wish for. In his later years we would occasionally meet in Boise when past falconers were being remembered. It was at one of those gatherings I was finally introduced to Randy Grisco.
I'm glad to have met some of the Grisco family and only wish I had known all of them earlier in life.
- Dan Fenske
In the journey of one’s life, you cross paths with great people and Dennis was one of those whose path has crossed mine. I was lucky to get introduced to him by some of the California transplants to Vegas. He was coming this direction and there was a dog I was getting and he was happy to bring her up from Cali for me….typical of his generosity and willingness to help a stranger. He was a great falconer, breeder, animal trainer, friend, loving husband, father and a part of modern American Falconry’s history and beginnings.
How many times did we get together in his travels across the country with his business in his red Dodge Pickup with Oscar or one of his other co-pilots? Or hawking trips to grouse country out in the wilds of some small Nevada town? Too many to count. He and Rosalina always were gracious hosts anytime I could get up to their beautiful home in Idaho. We almost became neighbors.
One of his memorable phrases when he would agree with some declarative statement I’d make was “I’ll Say!”. His memory is indelible and friendship everlasting. I know he’s having a blast in heaven with all the animals and flying falcons. We all miss him dearly.
- Gary Weddle
I met Dennis when I was a little girl and he was a young falconer. He and his brothers Don, Brian & Randy were all members of the Southern California Falconers Association whom my father, Robert Klimes, helped organize. The meetings were held at my house. I got to see all kinds of birds of prey.
Dennis is a legend
- Milada Klimes
Donations for Dennis Grisco’s plaque made by: Jeff Broadbent, Deidre van Eekeren, and The Archives of Falconry Board of Firectors
