Everyone wants to hunt game -- after all, that appears to be the crowning achievement, it's the clear evidence that you're a falconer and not a pet-keeper. Because of this a lot of apprentices seem to skip a beat. Once they have the bird coming to them for tidbits on the creance, they want to go after game.

There's one step they're missing, and that is the relationship in the field. You want a strong bond between yourself and the passage bird, because that bird knows it can get along without you.

Apprentices don't always realize they need to anticipate real-life situations. They put the bird on the same spot in the yard, take their corresponding position in the yard, and call her to the first over and over. Once they get in the field, the bird flies into a tree. Now what?! They have never practiced calling the bird down standing 15 feet below. The bird thinks, 'Gee, I'm way up here and that stupid wingless thang isn't a higher perch for once. He's got food, sure, but I really like the view from here. I haven't been up this high in 3 weeks. I can see a lot farther now. Hey...check out that tree way over there - it's *really* high!'

Do take the time to practice calling the bird from long distances (see 'The 100 yard circle'). Put the bird in a tree or other high perch and call her. Put the bird on one side of a low hill, go to the other side where she can't see you, and call her. In other words, try to anticipate the panic-causing situations you may encounter (which you have hopefully observed in your sojourns with your sponsor and other falconers) and head them off at the pass. When she responds with reasonable consistency, then and only then are you ready to hunt.