Hunting and hawking were two popular pastimes mostly reserved for nobility.
Hunting was usually carried out on horseback, and often involved dogs such as deer hounds. Weapons used included spears and longbow - and later crossbows when they were developed.
Royalty and nobles set aside areas of forest as hunting grounds and created deer parks. The ‘quarry’ that was hunted was typically deer, wild boar, wolves, hare and rabbit. The spoils were dealt with by hunt attendants.
Hawking was mostly a done on foot, with trained birds of prey used to catch small animals and birds rather than weapons. Like hunting, hawking or falconry had strict hierarchies and rules regarding who could use which kind of bird of prey, and what equipment.
The falconer’s job was it to train and look after the hunting birds of his master or mistress. Falconers also made the leather straps and hoods, called ‘jesses’, for the hunting birds.
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