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Once the rescue center thinks the eagle is \"ready to go,\" Lockwood will call the members the sheriff's office and fire department who assisted in its rescue to be apart of the bird's release back into the wild.

The agencies often work together for eagle captures, Lockwood said, adding that the sheriff's office has stopped traffic on more than one occasion so he could retrieve an injured bird.

\"The sheriff's department can put it on their resumes that they're eagle catchers now,\" Lockwood said. \"It's an eagle -- that's our national symbol. You just have to go rescue them. You can't just let it die.\"

\"PHOTO:
Courtesy Justin Antle
PHOTO: Today wasn't Sedgwick County Sgt. Justin Antle's first time rescuing a bird of prey. Last year, he retrieved an owl that had flown into a Kansas home.
>

While eagles are commonplace around the range, Antle said this was his closest encounter he's ever had with one. But, this wasn't his first time rescuing a bird of prey. Last year, retrieved an owl that had gotten into a resident's home, he said.

\"Today was my second bird rescue, I guess,\" Antle said, laughing. \"It's pretty amazing.\"

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