Hawk Jensen grew up in rural Wisconsin, second generation of Norwegian immigrants, second oldest child, and oldest son in a family of eleven children. He attended a one room country school, lived in a house without phone, plumbing, or electricity; attended High School in a nearby town, excelling in basketball. Upon graduation joined the United States Marine Corp, spent three years active almost all in Japan and Taiwan; was a member of the Western Division Marine rifle team.

The cold winters in Wisconsin are now spent with his wife Hannah in the Himalayan Mountains in Thailand where he continues to write.