I have had the privilege of doing volunteer work at “Wild at Heart” in Cave Creek, Arizona, a wildlife rescue operation that takes in injured or displaced raptors in order to release them back into the wild. On one occasion idly chatting with the founder Bob Fox while at some task, I asked why I had never seen falconers using Great Horned Owls to hunt with. “A Great Horned Owl would never put up with that”, Bob responded. “They would rather die than be your slave.” Having always treasured my self-reliance, I felt an immediate affinity with these tough birds. They remain a symbol and reminder of how I want to live and that my personal independence is worth fighting for.
