Falconer Acquaints Forestry Students With Centuries-Old 'Passion'

Master Falconer Cheri Heimbach returned to Penn College's Schneebeli Earth Science Center on Wednesday, introducing students in instructor Jack E. Fisher's Wildlife Management class to varied birds of prey. "I believe in the education of young people, as they are our future," said Heimbach, one of about 150 falconers in Pennsylvania. "This is a 4,000-year-old  hunting technique and I enjoy passing along my passion, as well as demonstrating this ancient sport." She brought along Alice, a 5-year-old Harris's Hawk; a Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon and American Kestrel. "I've never had a hawk on my arm before!" noted Wade S. Truitt, a forest technology student from McAlisterville. "I was surprised how heavy those two pounds felt; this was certainly a new and different experience."
Photos by Carol A. Lugg, coordinator of matriculation and retention, School of Natural Resources Management