I think I've shared this tale here before on a different thread. Oh well, here goes.
Fishing Green Creek in Mono County, I hooked a small spotted owl on a backcast. I had the bird hooked under the wing. It landed on the side of an oak tree and hung on while I walked toward it reeling the line as I came. It flew off, went in a circle, and landed on the trunk of the next tree. I was able to get close enough that time to cut the tippet about 6 inches from the wing. After a few minutes it flew off. Jim