A hunter and his bird

“We should bear in mind that we are all God’s creatures. To start with, berkutchi should love nature and respect animals. We keep in mind the dates of closed seasons. In order to understand this issue better, I learned more about biology, ecology and veterinary medicine. I have acquired of lot of knowledge in these fields, from the specifics of feeding to the conditions of keeping animals.

This activity is impossible without an almost fanatical knowledge of the nuances involved. You can’t keep a bird of prey in a poorly equipped, open-air cage like a domestic animal as it could hurt itself or die from stress. It also needs special hunting equipment, as without it a bird can damage its feathering, wings, legs or claws. A bird requires special care and you should feed it every day with your own hand so it gets used to you and sees you as the breadwinner and a partner it can trust during the hunt. When you hunt together any animals that are bigger than the hunting bird, it should feel the support of the hawker and know that you will help it with its prey. You should feed it first, as a bird hunts for its own stomach not its master. Without even noticing you will become the bird’s servant. A proud bird cannot tolerate coarse treatment or violence. You should fully understand its psychology and all the subtleties and tricks of the hunting art. Golden eagles, falcons and hawks all have very individual characters, just as people do. Some birds are tender, like cats, and some are aggressive. Temperaments differ from bird to bird. But berkutchis love brave, aggressive birds as they are easier to train.