By Katie Keyser, club reporter
The Upper Tract Producers 4-H Club was blessed to have David Trenton, a master class falconer, and his red-tailed hawk, Gretel, be guests at a monthly meeting.
Trenton explained falconry to the members and parents. “Having a hawk for falconry isn’t the same as having an exotic pet,” Trenton stated. He went on to explain that falconry is a lifestyle. Gretel is weighed daily to ensure she’s in peak condition, not overweight and not underweight. Falconry is one of the most ancient forms of hunting. He believes that falconry is one of the most natural ways to take game. Hawks in the wild hunt daily for their survival. Trained falconers must give hawks as many opportunities as possible to catch game. A very unique relationship develops between a hawk and its handler after a short amount of time. The hawk learns that by following the human, the chance of catching prey increases. Gretel will follow Trenton from tree to tree as he searches for squirrels and rabbits for her to catch. This form of hunting is much more challenging than rifle hunting, but he truly enjoys hunting with Gretel. It was a magnificent learning experience for the club members and parents to learn about falconry and meet Gretel.