On page 18 of the Dec 2014 Hawk Chalk (HC), the NAFA Northeast Director urges all members to walk “…a path that will ensure that we look good to the public who know nothing about falconry….[we should] think long and hard about which images we choose to make available in a public setting…” I completely agree with Scott McNeff’s perspective.
That being NAFA’s position, why was a cover photo of a Red-tailed Hawk with broken primary wing feathers chosen for the Dec 2014 HC? Similarly, the Aug 2013 HC back cover reveals a Harris’ Hawk with broken tail feathers. While almost all falconers have experienced broken feathers, these should be corrected with Imping, or photos of substandard birds like these eliminated from publication.
Animal rights activists would surely recognize these raptors as being poorly handled in captivity by falconers. When it comes to PETA and similar groups, we are all guilty by association; it is imperative that only the very best images are selected for publication in a national magazine that depicts licensed falconers.
NAFA has an Editorial Review Committee; that committee should be responsible for illustrations and photos, as well as text copy. Stacia Novy