N. E. Hansen travelled across Russia, the Near East and Asia seeking plant species that would be compatible with South Dakota’s climate and soils. He spent a lot of time exploring in the modern countries of Ukraine, Russian Siberia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Ever curious about the people and places he visited, Hansen sought out and met many interesting people. From this postcard image we see that Hansen (left) met with a falconer from the steppes to learn about this ancient hunting technique. The falconer is holding a juvenile Berkut Eagle. The Berkut is a subspecies of the Golden Eagle and is native to southern Russia and Central Asia. A fully grown Berkut Eagle has a wingspan of 7 to 9 feet These birds are used in falconry specifically to hunt deer and wolves. In Central Asia, where sheep and goats are the main economy, hunters use the eagles to protect their flocks from wolf attacks. Kirghiz tribesmen use eagles to catch wolves, foxes, deer and wild goats.