Hack (falconry)

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In falconry, to hack a newly-fledged hawk means to feed it but let it fly loose; when it has learned to fly and has started to hunt, it is caught and trained for falconry.

In "hacking back to the wild", it is not caught but is allowed to go wild as it learns enough how to hunt for itself.

This technique has been adapted by conservationists to introduce captive-bred fledglings into the wild because it allows for a gradual "soft release", and it has been very successful in increasing the survival rates of released endangered species such as Peregrine and Aplomado Falcons.