Arrive at the Greenhouse, and shut off the car. Temp is about 25 or so, and thick clouds. snow covers about a third of the open ground, while in the woods it is close to 100%. Last puff of the cig, and I exit the car, except for nearby traffic, it is quiet as a tomb. I pop open the side door, as I don my hunting vest. I call her name, Enya, and she stirs, knowing that the hunt is to begin. I slide on the glove, and open the giant hood, and take her on the fist. She is hungry, and anxious, and bates a couple of times, as I free her jesses. A car goes by as I slip off the leash, and she rouses. As her feathers settle I hold her aloft as far as I can reach, and she takes wing, flying only about 30 ft, to look about, and rouse again. Now it's time for me to go to work, a 180lb beagle. We have a bond now, though a fragile one. Either I flush game for her to pursue, or she will find it herself. I head into the woods, and hope for an easy flush, 5, and then 10 minutes, and she is off, 150 yards to the east, I hear her get back up in a tree. A miss. For a few minutes I lose her, no bells, I stop and listen, no bells, I step to the west, and Bells. She is directly over me. Good bird! How does she do that? I tromp in the woods for a few minutes, making a wide loop under her of about 50 yd's. TRAIN! 2 engines come from the west. And I stop, and don't dare take my eyes off her lest she launch, and be lost. Only about 20 cars. Wait till the noise dies down. We make eye contact, the wild animal, and the body that flushes game for her. We have a bond that few understand, I being one of those. The train is gone, and I head back to my job, back and forth along the tracks on the south side, but nothing, as Enya waits overhead 30 ft up on a power pole, dang, I wish she would sit in a tree, but such is the hawk. Crunch time. I cross the tracks and head east through the blackberries, and rose bushes. Enya is very amused and sits tight. Ok, I head up the bank, and start beating brush on the north side, next to a small mfg plant. 15 seconds later I kick up a rabbit, and he heads due west, as I hear the bells as Enya launches, but she is way too late, as the rabbit has now parraraled the creek, and is heading both uphill, and into the wind, a rabbit trick to ensure survival. Enya glides by, fast! I see her dive, and hear the scream! Another catch! I find her in less than 30 seconds, and kill the rabbit for her, and let her have her fill. after over 30 minutes, she finally steps off the quarry, she has had her fill. I put her on the glove, and head back to the car. She hops eagerly into the giant hood, for the ride back home. What bond we have is both fragile, and intimate. She depends on me to provide her game, or a meal, and I depend on her to just be there, for my own satisfaction. Odd, yes. One cannot know, until you have been there..........wireless

Thanks Wire for your posts on this subject, it is very fascinating to me. Thanks to Enya also.
M'd

WOW! Thanks for that one wireless. What a bond between human and hawk.

I just shared that with my DH (hunter) and he asked if you get to keep any of the kill or if it belongs to Enya.

During the hunt, wish I were less human, and more bird. Like watching pilots do maneuvers I dare not try. The redtail, ungainly to some, a source of awe for me..............wireles

she is getting you trained well.

verry nice is she hard to take care of

The kill is her's. Period. I get the left over's, as it should be. I am just a ground bound flusher for her sport. On the up side, the head, thoracic meat and one foreleg fills her up. I get the leftovers. Should I claim more than that, she will abandon me. The number one rule of Falconry, is, do not steal her food. From a hawks point of view, any food that she can see, but not allowed to have, is stolen. She will never forget the times you stole her food. If she can see it she must have it, even if it means, that she can't hunt for another 2 days. She is a fickle mistress, and I need to supply all her needs, lest she feel the need to fend for herself. She and I both know, that she is fully capable, and I am just an amusement. To bond with a wild animal, to the degree that we do, and be able to function within those boundaries, is something that few humans get to experience. I will be forever glad that I am one of them..........wireless

DS, we cross train. Every Hawk, and every Human is different. She is the Master. I am just for flushing game. We both know that, and it works very well. Griz, no she isn't. Her game is, chase, catch, eat, rest, repeat. Just follow that guideline, and watch her weight, and you will have a good season.

hell of an experience wire... i am envious and that is rare

its like entering another world......

It is John. The month of training is the easy part. The first free flight is always the uneasy part. To any wild animal submisson is not a part of the thought process. Fight or flee is all they know. The relationship is built entirely on trust, and being consistent. I can never steal her food, nor can I ever do anything to her that she might consider punishment. I have to play entirely by her rules, and if I do that, she allows me to enter her world, though from the ground, and ever so briefly. She is the free one, and she knows it, and could leave at anytime of her choosing. I just hope she chooses to remain with me for a few more seasons, as she has become quite a good little game hawk...........wireless