Animal handling vs. Profession: Falconer/Marshall/Kennel...

I have a hard time figuring out the difference or knowing when to use what.

I haven't seen a single animal related thing that doesn't require animal handling (or at least can be substituted with it), i.e. caring, healing, breeding, training, hawking,...

Apparently for all the activities that do not directly involve handling animals you do need specific abilities like bargain (buy and/or sell tamed/trained animals), leadership (run mews including lead assistants), etc.

Can anyone explain what the difference is, why have profession: Falconry if you already have animal handling?

Thanks
Jan

logistical support for animals. The same way a covenant needs a steward and chamberlain.

I figure Profession: Falconer can substitute for Animal Handling with just a few animals, plus you can use it to show nobles how to handle the falcons better than a trainer of the same skill level, know the rules of the games (like how long a chain or rope is typical in wolf baiting if you're in the east), etc.

The various Profession skills are better able to provide Living Conditions modifiers than Animal Handling (LoM, page 60)

Looking at the specifics of falconry, I would allow Animal Handling for "raising, tending, grooming, and healing" raptors in a way, which does not interfer with making them into falconry birds. But already this training IMO requires Profession: Falconry, as would specialized knowledge of raptors, their physiology, needs of food, habitat, life, hunting habits, and such. Also handling the falconry birds properly at a noble hunt or at court is more than Animal Handling: the duke expects his falcon to be ready and eager to hunt, not to soil his glove.

In detail, such overlapping skills need some discussion with the troupe before they become important.

Cheers

Well, the books actually don't support that.

ArM5 62

LoM 61

All the animal caring and training involves Animal Handling. There is even a specialty "falconry".

Living conditions is indeed the only thing I could find where it makes a significant difference.

RoM 60

From my point of view quite an xp drain for "just" the living conditions.