esses
There are a variety of jess styles that have been successfully used in falconry.
Traditional Jesses
This jess system is not in use today as there are much safer ones available. The traditional jess is a single piece of leather that makes up the jess and the anklet. The problem with this is that the slitted jess does not come off and a bird can easily escape trailing a long jess.
 |
A sample traditional jess and the same jess/anklet set up as if in use. |
Aylmeri Anklets
This system was developed by Guy Aylmeri in the early 1900s. The benefit is that the anklet piece is separated from the jess pieces - and there cannot be a discussion of jesses without introducing the anklets. The anklets can be narrow or wide and can have a grommet or just a hole punched in the leather.
One note about leather anklets is that although we may look at the leather and assume that the sueded side would be more comfortable on the inside, that is not the case. The smooth side should face the leg as it will not trap as much dirt and will not cause as much friction against the leg as the sueded side does. One rule of thumb that many falconers go by is to make the jesses long enough so that the swivel reaches the end of the tail.
A full discussion on making anklets can be found here: Anklets
 |
This style of anklet was developed by Steve Layman and features a narrow band that is rolled from leather. There is only a small surface area that comes in contact with the bird's tarsus. |
 |
A Layman anklet and leash shown on an immature Goshawk. |
Jesses
There are so many different forms of jesses. Traditionally jesses are made of leather, but they can also be braided or made of parachute cord and almost any other material. They feature a button of some sort at one end to hold the jess in the anklet hole. They feature a slit at the other end to attach a swivel or a jess extender. These are for tethering or handling only, and not for flying or hunting. The slit and the braided material will increase the liklihood of a hawk being snagged or snared and hung.
 |
Jesses are designed and made by Steve Layman. These are braided to form both the slit and the button. |
 |
Jesses made by Steve Estebo. Notice here that they are made of parachute cord and use a washer for the button. |
The jesses are secured by either a swivel or a jess extender, however the mechanism to attach them is the same. The jess slips through a hole in the swivel, then the swivel slides through the slit in the jess as illustrated below. Both jesses are secured side-by-side with each other, but only one jess is shown here for clarity.
 Images courtesy of Scottish falconer Johann Hanekom.
|
Field Jesses
The point of switching from mews jesses to field jesses is safety. Mews jesses typically are longer and have a slit, but the style used in the mews will depend on the management techniques for the bird. Field jesses may only have a tiny hole, at most, to prevent them from getting caught on a branch. They are typically made shorter than mews jesses to prevent them from wrapping around a branch or brush and entangling a bird (falcons needing much shorter jesses than birds hawked from the fist). Some make their field jesses much stiffer to further prevent them from wrapping around a branch. They should always be smooth and never braided, again to prevent them from being hung up on something.
 |
Several samples of field jesses. Top two waxed and tapered jesses are designed by Steve Layman. |
Jesses
A jess designed by falconer Kazuhiko Sugisaki for both tethering and flying in open country. The second button prevents the bird from pulling the jess from the anklet. Silicone is used to permeate the nylon cord, so it is less likely to get caught in thorns.
 |
Several samples of jesses.
Image courtesy of Kazuhiko Sugisaki. |