Hacking is a delicate method of releasing birds back into the wild. Young falcons, still unable to fly, are placed in a specially designed box at the site from which they are to be released. This location is known as the hack site. Site attendants care for the birds 24 hours a day. Peep holes are built into the box so the attendants can watch the peregrines without disturbing them.
Food is provided through a chute, again eliminating any view of humans.
By keeping actual interactions with the falcons to a minimum, it insures the birds are kept wild and not imprinted on people. The box is opened after a week. The young falcons are then 6 weeks of age and ready to take their first flight. They will spend the next 3 weeks learning how to fly and the following 3 weeks learning how to hunt. However, during this time they continue to return to the hack site for food.