Hacking is a training method that helps young birds of prey reach their hunting potential by giving them exercise and experience.
Hacking is beneficial [citation needed], not only for the falconers, but for the bird itself and the species; however, there are some criticism and restrictions that come along with this method.
If the purpose of the hack is to prepare the raptor to be in the wild then the reserve hopes that the falcons will come back in a few years to nest there.
Falconry has been a hunting sport since 2000 BC originating in ancient China and Egypt and since then the technique of hacking has been used and evolved.
[1] There were over 300 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons before World War II in eastern United States.
[6] On top of the pre-WWII causes of gradual decrease of population (e.g. shooting of birds, egg collecting, predators, etc.
[6] The product would be carried in the prey and kill the birds off and DDE, the by-product, would accumulate in a female's body, causing the eggs produced by her to become fragile.