When should you feel comfortable flying your well-manned Red-tailed Hawk free?

The appropriate time to feel comfortable flying your well-manned Red-tailed Hawk free is when it quickly comes 50 yards to the fist. This demonstrates that the bird has developed a strong bond of trust and responsiveness towards you, which is essential for successful free flying.

Achieving a recall from such a distance signifies that the hawk is not only comfortable with you but also has confidence in your ability to provide food as a reward. It reflects a higher level of training, indicating that the bird has excellent hunting instincts paired with the control necessary to return from a significant distance reliably.

The other options, while indicative of some level of training, do not represent the same level of readiness for free flying. Coming to the fist or lure from shorter distances suggests that the hawk may still be in the process of building its confidence or that the recall is not fully solidified. A reliable recall over a longer distance ensures that the hawk can safely navigate its environment while still responding to your commands, which is a critical aspect of falconry.