If your red-tail strikes a cottontail in April, is it acceptable to abandon the carcass?

The assertion that it is acceptable to abandon the carcass if your red-tail strikes a cottontail in April is not correct. When hawking, ethical practices dictate that falconers should not abandon the prey after a successful strike, regardless of the time of year or the hawk’s fullness. This is primarily due to the principles of responsible hunting and conservation.

Abandoning the carcass can negatively impact local ecosystems as it can lead to unnecessary waste and deprive other wildlife of a food source. Furthermore, falconers have a responsibility to their birds and the environment. It is best practice to retrieve the carcass whenever possible to ensure that nothing goes to waste and to uphold the integrity of the sport. Therefore, the idea that abandonment could be acceptable is misleading.