The exam is questions with seven categories and you are allowed 90 minutes to complete the exam:. After 90 days of residency in Washington complete and submit the Falconry Application to the falconry manager and include a copy of your current falconry permit. Prior to being issued your Washington falconry permit you may house your raptors here with you.
The department will issue you permit at your current class. You will not be required to take the exam but you will need a facility inspection. All acquisitions, captures, purchases, gifting, sales, transfers, releases, banding, escapes, losses by death, and all other changes in your status must be reported on the U.
Fish and Wildlife Service website. Note that, in addition to a falconry permit, you may also need an ordinary hunting license, which can require you to take hunter education courses. At this point, you will probably also want to schedule the test you'll need to take to obtain your permit. See below for more information. Once again, here is a list of relevant wildlife agencies in the U. Contact your local falconry organization. While you're waiting for your government paperwork to be processed, get in touch with the nearest falconry organization to start the process of becoming an apprentice.
Not all states, provinces, or regions will have these sorts of clubs or organizations, but many do. Here is a list of falconry club affiliates courtesy of NAFA. Consider attending meetings at falconry clubs even if you aren't fully certified to practice the sport yet. This is a great way of meeting people, learning about the sport, and creating relationships which can later transition into sponsorships.
Find a sponsor. Falconers progress through three levels of proficiency as they train: Apprentice, General Falconer, and Master Falconer. Sponsors can be either General or Master falconers. Different falconry clubs and individuals may have different requirements of their potential apprentices — some sponsors might even require an aspiring falconer to train with them for a year before they will consider sponsorship.
You sponsor is one of the most important connections you will have as a falconer-in-training. This person will help you learn, guide you, and give you advice over several years.
Choose someone that you enjoy spending time with and that whose expertise you respect. It is much, much easier to get an experienced falconer to agree to become your sponsor if you have a personal connection with this person and this person believes you to have a competent understanding of the sport.
You'll probably want to start attending falconry meetings and browsing the reading material described above so that, over time, you'll pick up the concepts and terminology of falconry. Take the falconry test for your permit. In almost all jurisdictions, a written examination administered by your local wildlife agency must be passed before you obtain your license or permit.
This examination will test your knowledge of birds of prey, raptor biology, bird health care, laws pertaining to falconry, and so on. Ask your local wildlife agency to find out specific requirements. Part 3. First, construct a mews for your bird. As noted above, raptors used for falconry are housed in structures called mews. Before you try to get a bird, make sure you have proper facilities to house it. Under the guidance of your sponsor and while keeping local laws and regulations in mind , construct facilities to house your bird.
These facilities will usually have to be inspected by your local wildlife agency before you can legally keep a raptor in them. In general, facilities can be made out of wood or fiberglass and cannot have chicken wire on the roofs. Natural flooring, pea gravel, concrete or wood shavings can be used for the floor. There must be perches with at least one by a window. One bird will require a space of at least 6 feet 1.
Many jurisdictions require an attached weathering yard where birds can be tethered with a leash. You will also need a bath container and a reliable scale to monitor the health of your bird.
Make or buy your equipment. Falconry requires specialized equipment to manage your bird. Required equipment can vary by bird species, individual and local laws and regulations, so check with your local falconry club to make your checklist. Making this equipment is often cheaper than buying it, and, if you're seriously dedicated to falconry, this can be a valuable skill to have.
However , your equipment will almost always need to be inspected for quality at the same time as your facilities are inspected, so only attempt to make your equipment if you are an experienced craftsmen. Trap your bird. Many sponsors will require apprentices to trap their first bird themselves. In the United States, apprentices are only allowed to catch an immature passage Red-tailed hawk or an American kestrel of any age except in Alaska, where they may also catch Goshawks.
Although most jurisdictions will allow you to catch your bird at any time of the year, most falconry resources will recommend catching it in the fall and early winter, as this will generally give young birds enough time to become competent hunters while still remaining mentally malleable enough to tame. Note that falconry birds cannot be purchased for apprentices in the U. Trapping a raptor is a topic that is too complex to explore in detail in this article.
For a great first-time guide, try the trapping article at The Modern Apprentice website. Make sure to get the go-ahead from your sponsor before attempting to trap your first bird. You'll also want to make sure that all of your applications and application fees been processed and that you've received all proper documentation before attempting to acquire your first bird.
Submit your paperwork and tag your bird. After catching your bird, most wildlife jurisdictions will require you to tag it in case it flies away and is found by someone else. Depending on your location, there may be additional paperwork you need to fill out in order to register your bird — as always, consult with your local wildlife agency for more information. In the United States, you have 10 days to submit this paperwork after catching your bird.
Part 4. Start training your bird. Now that you have captured your first bird, you are officially a falconer. Follow your sponsor's instructions carefully and be patient — it will usually take about six weeks to train your bird for hunting. See the linked article for more information. In addition, the issue of Hawk Chalk the official newsletter magazine of NAFA has a great article on using a technique called Operant Conditioning to train raptors.
Progress to General Falconer and eventually Master Falconer. As you move through the ranks of falconry, you'll enjoy greater freedom and privileges than you did as an apprentice. See below for a brief run-down of each classification as specified for Washington State most jurisdictions will be similar : [11] X Research source Apprentice Falconer Only allowed to have one bird at a time May take only an American Kestrel or Red-tailed hawk from the wild Goshawks allowed in Alaska.
Expected to train extensively with sponsor. General Falconer May have up to three wild-caught birds at once. Additional variety of birds available for capture see state bill WAC for more information. May sponsor an apprentice after two years at the General level. Master Falconer Must demonstrate "at least five years experience as a General Falconer and show expertise in successful hunting and care of their birds, and experience with more than one species of raptor.
May have an unlimited number of captive-bred birds for falconry purposes. The apprentice is also required to build a mews, or hawk house. The bird will need safe housing from all weather conditions as well as wild animals. The sponsor can help with plans for the mews, which is typically at least a 10'x10' structure, with proper perching and a window.
This will be inspected by a state Fish and Wildlife officer. The Fish and Wildlife officer will send off the approved inspection of the mews, along with the apprentices' test results and sponsor information, to the permitting offices. Once the permit comes back, the apprentice can trap a bird a novice falconer can have only one bird for training at any one time and begin hunting.
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