For many people, falconry feels like something out of a storybook. For Jeff Finch, that is exactly where it began.

“My earliest recollection of interest in falconry… was reading a book by My Side of the Mountain,” Finch said. “It was the image on the front cover… a boy with a falcon and a mountain behind him. It just grabbed my attention.”

At the time, Finch thought the idea of a person bonding with a bird of prey was pure fiction. That changed when a local falconer visited his school and introduced him to the real practice. From that moment, he began searching for a way into the centuries-old tradition.

Falconry, often considered one of the oldest hunting practices in the world, requires far more than a simple interest in birds. Before ever handling a raptor, aspiring falconers must pass a detailed exam, secure a sponsor, and complete a multi-year apprenticeship.

“You have to find a master falconer to sponsor you… become an apprentice for not less than two years… pass a lengthy exam, and have your facilities inspected,” Finch said.

Even after meeting those requirements, the real work begins with the bird itself. Finch described the moment he caught his first red-tailed hawk as both thrilling and intimidating.

“I was both excited and scared,” he said. “I was immediately afraid of losing my bird… I just wanted to get it right and do right by the bird.”

That balance of excitement and responsibility is something Jack Hubley knows well. Hubley, who spent decades working in wildlife television, said his interest in birds of prey eventually led him into falconry after years of hesitation.

“Falconry is a really seductive craft,” Hubley said. “I took a look at it and said I like to do other stuff… and five years later, I caved in.”

Training a bird of prey is a slow and careful process rooted in trust. Falcons and hawks are not domesticated animals, and every step must be earned.

“When you first catch a bird, nature has it very fearful of you,” Finch said. “So you have to reduce as many stressors as possible and get the first step towards a relationship.”

That process often begins in a quiet, low-light environment where the bird can slowly adjust to human presence. Falconers use small pieces of food as positive reinforcement, rewarding even the smallest signs of trust.

“Birds of prey aren’t pack animals… they respond to food,” Finch said. “A tidbit of meat to a bird that’s hungry is plenty reward.”

Hubley described how that trust builds over time, starting with the bird simply accepting food and eventually flying across a room to land on a gloved hand.

“It’s step by step,” he said. “Patience is key.”

Even with careful training, falconry comes with risks. Birds can and do fly off, sometimes requiring hours or days to recover.

“I’ve lost four hunting birds in 40 years and I’ve retrieved every one,” Hubley said, noting that modern tracking technology has made recovery easier, though not guaranteed.

Despite the challenges, both men say the reward is unlike anything else.

“To see this bird of prey come from 300 feet in the air and land on your hand simply because you whistled… it’s a relationship you value so much,” Finch said.

Falconry is not just about the connection between human and bird. It is also a hunting practice, built on partnership in the field.

“There’s no falconry without hunting,” Finch said. “It’s the free flight of a raptor in partnership with the falconer to catch game.”

For Finch, what started as a childhood curiosity has become a lifelong passion.

“It’s something you just can’t imagine doing without,” he said.