(a) Raptors removed from the wild for falconry are always considered wild raptors.
(b) General Falconers or Master Falconers may hack falconry raptors. - (i) Any raptor a permittee is hacking counts against his possession limit and shall be a species the permittee is authorized to possess.
- (ii) Any hybrid or raptor not native to Wyoming shall have two (2) attached functioning radio transmitters during hacking.
- (iii) Permittees shall not hack raptors near nesting areas of a federally threatened or endangered bird species or any other locations where raptors are likely to harm Federally listed, threatened or endangered animal species.
(c) Permittees may use other acceptable falconry practices, such as, but not limited to, the use of creance (tethered) flying, lures, balloons or kites in training or conditioning raptors.
(d) Selling or trading raptors under a falconry permit. - (i) A permittee may sell, purchase, barter or offer to sell, purchase or barter captive-bred raptors marked with seamless bands to other permittees who are authorized to possess raptors.
- (ii) Permittees shall not purchase, sell, trade or barter wild raptors. Wild raptors shall only be transferred.
(e) A permittee may transfer a raptor to another permit type. - (i) A permittee shall not transfer a wild-caught raptor to a raptor propagation permit unless the raptor has been used in falconry for at least two (2) years, or at least one (1) year for a sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus), Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), merlin (Falco columbarius), or an American kestrel (Falco sparverius). Within ten (10) days of transferring the raptor, the permittee shall report the transfer by entering the required information in the electronic database at http://permits.fws.gov/186A or provide a copy of Service Form 3-186A documenting acquisition of the raptor by the propagator to the Federal migratory bird permit office that administers the propagation permit.
- (ii) A permittee may transfer a wild-caught raptor to another permit type at any time, if it has been injured and a licensed veterinarian has determined that the raptor can no longer be flown for falconry. Within ten (10) days of transferring the raptor, the permittee shall provide a copy of Service Form 3-186A documenting acquisition of the raptor and shall also provide a copy of the certification from the veterinarian that the raptor is not useable in falconry, to the federal migratory bird permits office that administers the other permit type.
(f) Permittees may transfer captive-bred raptors if the holder of the other permit type is authorized to possess the raptor(s). Within ten (10) days the permittee must report the transfer by entering the required information in the electronic database at http://permits.fws.gov/186A or by submitting Service Form 3-186 A to the Department.
(g) Permittees may use raptors possessed for falconry in captive propagation if the permittee or the person overseeing the propagation, has the required propagation permit in accordance with 50 CFR 21.30, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter. If a permittee uses a raptor for eight (8) or more months in a year in captive propagation, the raptor shall be transferred for propagation. The raptor shall then be banded as required in 50 CFR 21.30. A copy of 50 CFR Part 21.30 can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.
(h) Apprentice, General or Master Falconers may use raptor(s) they possess under their falconry permit in conservation education programs presented in public venues. - (i) A permittee does not need a Wyoming or federal education permit to conduct conservation education programs using a raptor held under a Wyoming falconry permit.
- (ii) A permittee may present conservation education programs as an Apprentice Falconer if he is under the direct supervision of a General or Master Falconer during presentation of the program.
- (iii) Permittees shall use their raptors primarily for falconry.
- (iv) Permittees may charge a fee for presentation of a conservation education program. The fee may not exceed the amount required to recoup the permittee's costs.
- (v) In conservation education programs, permittees shall provide information about the biology, ecological roles and conservation needs of raptors and other migratory birds, although not all of these topics must be addressed in every presentation. Permittees shall not give presentations that do not address falconry and conservation education.
- (vi) Permittees shall be responsible for all liability associated with conservation education programs as per 50 CFR 13.50, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter. A copy of 50 CFR Part 13.50 can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.
(i) Permittees shall not receive payment for photography, filming or other such uses of raptors to make movies or other sources of information on the practice of falconry or on the biology, ecological roles and conservation needs of raptors and other migratory birds. - (i) Permittees shall not use raptors to make movies, commercials or in other commercial ventures that are not related to falconry.
- (ii) Permittees shall not use raptors for entertainment, advertisements, as a representation of any business, company, corporation or other organization, or for promotion or endorsement of any products, merchandise, goods, services, meetings or fairs, with the following exceptions:
- (A) Raptors may be used to promote or endorse a nonprofit falconry organization or association.
- (B) Raptors may be used to promote or endorse products or endeavors related directly to falconry, such as hoods, telemetry equipment, giant hoods, perches and materials for raptor facilities.
(j) General or Master Falconers may assist permitted Wyoming wildlife rehabilitators to condition raptors in preparation for release to the wild and may keep raptors in their facilities. - (i) The rehabilitator shall provide the permittee with a letter or form that identifies the raptor and explains that the permittee is assisting in rehabilitation.
- (ii) Public contact with any raptor being rehabilitated under these provisions shall be minimized.
- (iii) A permittee does not have to add any raptor held for this purpose to their falconry permit; the raptor shall remain under the permit of the rehabilitator.
- (iv) Permittees shall return all raptors to the rehabilitator for final disposition.
(k) Using a falconry raptor in abatement activities. - (i) A Master Falconer may conduct and receive payment for abatement activities with raptors possessed for falconry if he has a Special Purpose Abatement permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or is a sub-permittee of an abatement permittee. A General Falconer may conduct and receive payment for abatement activities only as a sub-permittee of the holder of the abatement permit.
(l) Feathers that raptors molt. - (i) A permittee may possess flight feathers for imping for each species of raptor the permittee possesses or previously held, for as long as the permittee has a valid falconry permit. The permittee may receive feathers for imping from other permitted falconers or propagators in the United States, and may give feathers to them. No permittee shall buy, sell or barter such feathers.
- (ii) Permittees may donate feathers from a raptor, except golden eagle feathers, to any person or institution with a valid permit to have the feathers, or to anyone exempt from the permit requirement under 50 CFR 21.12, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter. A copy of 50 CFR Part 21.12 can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.
- (iii) Except for primary or secondary flight feathers or retrices from a golden eagle, permittees shall not be required to gather feathers that are molted or otherwise lost by raptors. Permittees may leave the feathers where the feathers fall, store the feathers for imping or destroy the feathers. Permittees shall collect molted flight feathers and retrices from golden eagles for imping, or shall send the feathers to the National Eagle Repository at: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Eagle Repository, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Building 128, Commerce City, Colorado 80022. The telephone number at the Repository is303-287-2110.
- (iv) If a permittee's permit expires or is revoked, he shall donate the feathers of any raptor, except a golden eagle, to any person or institution exempt from the permit requirement under 50 CFR 21.12, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; or authorized by permit to acquire and possess the feathers. If the permittee does not donate the feathers, the permittee shall burn, bury, or otherwise destroy the feathers. A copy of 50 CFR Part 21.12 can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.
(m) Disposition of carcasses of falconry raptors. - (i) A permittee shall send the entire body of a golden eagle held for falconry, including all feathers, talons and other parts, to the National Eagle Repository.
- (ii) A permittee may donate the body or feathers of any other raptor they were permitted to possess to any person or institution exempt under 50 CFR 21.12, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; or authorized by permit to acquire and possess such parts or feathers. A copy of 50 CFR Part 21.12 can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.
- (iii) If the raptor was banded or micro-chipped prior to its death, a permittee may keep the body of any raptor, except that of a golden eagle, and the band and microchip shall be left in place. The permittee may keep the body so that the feathers are available for imping or may have the body mounted by a taxidermist. The mount may be used in giving conservation education programs.
- (iv) If a permittee does not wish to keep the raptor body or feathers or donate the body or feathers, he shall burn, bury or otherwise destroy the body or feathers within ten (10) consecutive days of the death of the raptor or after final examination by a veterinarian to determine cause of death.
- (v) If a permittee does not donate the raptor body or feathers or have the body mounted by a taxidermist, he may possess the flight feathers for as long as he has a valid falconry permit. Permittee's shall not buy, sell, or barter the feathers. Permittee's shall keep the paperwork documenting their acquisition of the raptor.
(n) Permittee's falconry activities shall not cause the take of federally listed, threatened or endangered wildlife.
(o) A permittee may use a raptor to take any species listed in parts 50 CFR 21.43, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; 50 CFR 21.44, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; 50 CFR 21.45, revised as of October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; or 50 CFR 21.46, revised as of August October 1, 2012, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; at any time in accordance with the conditions of the applicable depredation order, as long as the permittee is not monetarily compensated. A copy of 50 CFR Part 21.43, 50 CFR Part 21.44, 50 CFR Part 21.45 and 50 CFR Part 21.46 can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.
(p) A surviving spouse, executor, administrator or other legal representative of a deceased falconry permittee shall transfer any raptor held by the permittee to another authorized permittee within ninety (90) consecutive days of the death of the falconry permittee. After ninety (90) consecutive days, disposition of a raptor held under the permit is at the discretion of the Department.
040-25 Wyo. Code R. § 25-10