Falcon Wild is a story in keeping with what I love to write about—gritty outdoor adventure and the realistic portrayal of the special relationships humans can form with animals.
I do not have years of personal experience as a falconer. What I do have is an intense fascination with the sport of falconry and the people who devote their lives to it. Falconry isn’t just a sport, but a lifestyle. It requires incredible amounts of time, resources, and patience. It’s also uncommonly rewarding—allowing humans to work closely with an animal and forge a bond.
I admire the men and women who choose to follow their passion, and I’m grateful for the support and assistance of those who answered this newbie’s naive questions.
The challenge of writing Falcon Wild was to stay true to the details of modern-day falconry, while crafting satisfying storylines and characters. In creating this story, I chose to alter common practices for effect in a few scenes.
For example, in the first chapter Stark bites Karma after her hood comes off. Normally this only happens in the context of food. If a falconer is taking food away, a poorly trained falcon may bite.
Additionally, in the story Stark’s owner does not contact Karma’s family for months after she goes missing. In reality, falconers are normally vigilant about where their birds are. A missing raptor picked up by another falconer can often be sorted out quickly through the identification band that all raptors carry. Of course there are exceptions, as displayed in my fictional story.
Lastly, the hunting scenes with Stark may give the impression that it is relatively easy for a raptor to take down game. But it takes practice for this kind of partnership to work. And in real life, a successful hunt is not measured in game taken but by how well the raptor flew.
For more information, I suggest the following websites:
International Association of Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey
The Modern Apprentice
http://www.themodernapprentice.com/index.htm
North American Falconers Association
Ontario Hawking Club