The hunting style in falconry differs significantly from other methods. In falconry, the falconer essentially becomes the dog, flushing out prey for the raptor, which waits either in the air, from a high perch, or even from the falconer's glove. The raptor then pursues the prey, either catching it or not. Falconers enjoy the chase as much as the success, often expressing equal excitement about an amazing flight that ended empty-handed as one that resulted in a catch.

A common misconception about falconry is that birds of prey are trained to retrieve their catch. In reality, raptors often mantle over their prey on the ground, either waiting for the falconer to assist in securing the prey or beginning to eat immediately. Mantling, where the raptor fans out its tail and wings to cover its prey, is an instinctive behavior learned in the nest to hide food from siblings. Raptors are vulnerable when down on a kill, as other predators or even other hawks may attempt to steal their food or capture them as prey. Therefore, they may try to drag their quarry into heavy cover before mantling.

Falconry birds often take prey larger than what is typical in the wild, sometimes requiring assistance from the falconer to secure the catch. It's important to remember that these birds must kill to eat every day in the wild to survive; this process is natural and occurs with or without falconers. Falconry allows us to witness this natural process up close.

Falconry requires a significant commitment of time and money. The daily care of a raptor exceeds that of dogs, cats, and other animals, involving daily weighing, logging, and carefully portioned feeding. There are no sick days or vacation days without fully considering the care of the raptor in your charge.

Raptors are trained using operant conditioning, a reward-only style of training. The process begins slowly, first getting them to eat off the glove, then to jump to the glove, and eventually to fly to the glove on a long leash called a creance. Once the leash is removed, the raptor can decide whether to return. They choose to return because they perceive the falconer as a reliable source of quality food. Training them to be successful hunters involves taking them out hunting as often as possible, usually every day.

Many falconers choose to release wild-caught birds back into the wild. Young birds trapped within their first year of life face a 90% mortality rate in the wild. Through falconry, these birds learn not only how to hunt with humans but also how to hunt successfully without the risk of starvation. They become more proficient and capable, building confidence by taking larger prey items than typical first-year birds. When released, they have a much higher success rate in the wild.