Falconer's Apprentice: 
A Guide to Training of the passage Red-tailed Hawk
By William C. Oakes
EagleWing Publications - Paper [pp.158]
(Revised Third Edition)

William Oakes has created a book that is as indispensable as the title suggests. Falconer's Apprentice is one of the ultimate reference materials for the beginning falconer as well as the experienced hawker. From the step by step training guidelines that are listed to the instructions and diagrams for making essential equipment, Falconer's Apprentice includes more practical information about the actual art and practice of falconry than any other falconry book that I have read. 

All aspects of the art are covered in this book. The majority of the text is on trapping and training of the Red-tailed hawk, but Oakes doesn't limit the subject matter to only this. Everything from history to ethics behind the sport are touched on in this very complete volume.  In no way is this book to be seen as a do it yourself manual. It is a supplement to be used while you are learning from an experienced falconer or your sponsor. 

Falconer's Apprentice is well thought out and easy to follow. It is written in a style that even those who are just starting out can understand. The information is organized in a very logical order. As Oakes walks you through his explanations, he doesn't only give you the how-to portion of the technique. He always follows up with why it works. There is no guess work left when he explains a topic. Yet if there is some subtle nuance to the training Oakes lets you know that you should consult your sponsor for more information and instruction on a training step. 

SPECIAL NOTE - Falconer's Apprentice not just for the U.S. falconer. All of the techniques discussed with in its pages are sound for the training of any raptor. It might be geared towards the apprentice program that runs in the United States, but can easily be adapted to any novice/teacher situation. So whether you are trying to man your first Goshawk or lure training your Peregrine this book has something for you. It is a universal training tool that anyone can benefit from reading.

Falconer's Apprentice is nothing less than a testament to Oakes belief that falconry is more than just a sport.  It is something we learn from every time that we are allowed to share the world of hawk or falcon we are paired with. For they are the ultimate teachers in this art form we strive to excel in.

Rabbit Hawker's Dogs:
Dogs for the Bush
Co-Authored by: William C. Oakes, Brian Kellogg, Clifford Kellogg, Steve Layman, Teddy Moritz, Al Nye, Floyd Presley and Jake Thorpe
EagleWing Publishing - Paper [pp. 173]
First Edition

William Oakes, with the help of seven other master falconers, has created another invaluable edition to any rabbit hawker's library. Rabbit Hawker's Dogs gathers together information on four breeds of proven hunting dogs and their usefulness in falconry. It is a volume that is completely dedicated to the rabbit hawker and his choice of dog. Whether it is a Brittany that has proven a bird dog can also point rabbits or a mini-Dachshund re-flushing to the joy of both hawk and falconer, this book presents a multitude of information to help with the selection of the proper breed.

Brittany spaniels, beagles, mini-dachshunds and Jack Russell's terries are all covered in Rabbit Hawker's Dogs. Each has proven itself to work well with hawks and all of them are discussed in this book. Terrain and geographic location are also taken into account and figured into the selection process. Once the breed has been decided the book lets you know when the best time to get your puppy is and why. Techniques for training the dogs both before hunting with the hawk as well as after they have been paired up are covered as well.

All of the information is written by falconers and is relayed through the stories of successful hunting trips they have had. This makes for a very interesting read as well as very easy to follow. Plus with the collection of writers comes the variation of hawks flown with the dogs. As it was stated earlier this is a book on hunting rabbits with hawks and dogs, which means all types of rabbit hawks. So this book does not limit the dogs to being used with just one type of bird. It proves that these dogs can hunt rabbits with just about any hawk you wish to try.

Rabbit Hawker's Dogs is a very complete book that gives you as much information that the authors could squeeze between the pages. It is yet another tool to bring falconry to the next level.