FALCON FEVER
The noble art of hunting with birds provides both sport and feast.
WRITTEN BY ANN LINDEMANN
PHOTOS BY CANDICE NYANDO
I t’s a crisp Northern Nevada fall morning and Kit, a female Harris hawk, is perched atop Corey Dalton’s gloved fist. She turns her head in all directions, scans the area, ruffles her feathers, flaps her wings a bit, and lifts off in search of prey. Below, Dalton assists in the hunt by flushing out small game and birds.
A provisional bond or partnership exists between Dalton and Kit. Basically, the bird allows the falconer to be part of its hunt.
“Each bird has its own personality, but they all hang around because they trust that you won’t hurt them and they have associated you with eating,” says Dalton, a Reno resident who has been a falconer for five years. “It’s about watching the most amazing aerials stunts that you’ve ever seen in your life.”
Indeed, raptors like Kit can fly between 35 and 40 mph and spot a jackrabbit more than a mile away. During warm summer months, Kit is molting and not too interested in hunting. But by September, instinct and hunger flip a switch in the raptor’s brain.
BIRD FOOD
When Kit deftly snags a jackrabbit, it represents a bountiful meal for the bird. However, other falconers, such as Brian Evans, train their birds to release their prey in lieu of a tasty morsel of meat or lure.
“I’ve eaten –– at least once –– everything that my birds have caught,” explains Evans, who has eaten animals that range from marmot to coot (a type of duck that he doesn’t recommend). “I like hunting with my birds because I enjoy earning their trust enough for them to let me take a peek into their world.”
Evans likes the teamwork aspect of falconry, which started thousands of years ago in China and later was common with royalty. A falconer since age 14, Evans adds another facet to the experience with the addition of a hunting dog.
“It’s an exciting example of teamwork between man and beast, almost like a symphony with everyone playing their individual parts,” the Reno resident says. “Sometimes the entire piece is played perfectly in time without missing a note. Other times, the whole thing is out of tune and all the players are on their own tempos.”
RAPTOR RELATIONS
Both Evans and Dalton emphasize that falconry is not a hobby, but rather a lifestyle. And while they are not pets, per se, the owner is responsible for the raptor’s care and feeding.
Importantly, falconry is highly regulated by state and federal laws. Becoming a licensed falconer requires two years of apprenticeship, written tests, field tests, and facilities inspections. Additionally, falconers follow the same hunting seasons for small game and upland game as other hunters. Despite the framework of regulations, misinformation and myths prevail. There are only 60 licensed falconers in the state of Nevada and about 6,000 nationwide.
 From left, Brian Evans with Nock and Corey Dalton with Kit, a Harris Hawk |
Dalton says some people object to the trapping or taking of birds from the wild. However, he counters this argument by noting that first-year raptor mortality rates are extremely high and falconers help the birds survive.
“Falconers are responsible for saving the Peregrine falcon from extinction by breeding and releasing them into the wild,” Dalton says.
Evans discounts others’ objections to the actual hunting of prey.
“In my opinion, a raptor taking prey is an example of nature at its finest,” he says.
For more information about falconry in the Reno-Tahoe region, visit Nevadafalconry.com. Dalton and Evans also host an online falconry supply website at Falconryoutfitters.com.
Lake Tahoe-based Writer Ann Lindemann is a frequent contributor to edible Reno-Tahoe. Her work can be found in a variety of regional and national publications.
