Section 147.103. Classes

(a) Apprentice. Permittees of the apprentice class shall be subject to the following requirements and limitations:

(1) Permittees shall be 12 years of age or older.

(2) Permittees shall be sponsored, at all times, by a Pennsylvania general or master class falconry permit holder who has at least 2 years experience as a general class falconer. If a permittee’s sponsorship is withdrawn or lost for any reason, the permittee shall provide written notification of the loss to the Commission within 5 days and shall be required to replace the sponsorship within 15 days.

(3) A first year permittee of this class may take and possess only one raptor with no replacement during the first permit year. Other permittees of this class may take and possess only one raptor with only one replacement during each permit year.

(4) Permittees are limited to taking and possessing only wild passage (no eyases) raptors of the following species:

(i) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius).

(ii) Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis).

(5) Permittees are required to trap their first passage raptor under the direct supervision of a Pennsylvania general or master class falconry permit holder.

(b) General. Permittees of the general class shall be subject to the following requirements and limitations:

(1) Permittees shall be 18 years of age or older.

(2) General class permit applicants shall have maintained their apprentice class permit status in good standing for a minimum of 2 years and during that period shall have maintained a raptor for a minimum of 12 months. An application to advance to the general class shall be accompanied by a written letter of recommendation from the permittee’s sponsor representing that the permittee possesses the competency and skills necessary to become a member of the general class.

(3) A first year permittee of this class may take only one additional raptor and possess up to a total of two raptors with only one replacement during the first permit year. Other permittees of this class may possess up to a total of three raptors with two replacements during each permit year. Captive-bred and hybrid raptors shall be included in these quota limits.

(4) Except as further limited under § 147.109a (relating to hunting and training with raptors), permittees are authorized to take and possess any wild passage or eyas raptors except the following species:

(i) Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).

(ii) Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

(iii) White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).

(iv) Steller’s Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus).

(v) Other raptor species listed or classified as threatened or endangered by the United States Department of Interior or the Commission.

(c) Master. Permittees of the master class shall be subject to the following requirements and limitations:

(1) Permittees shall be 23 years of age or older.

(2) Master class permit applicants shall have maintained their general class permit in good standing for a minimum of 5 years and during that period shall have maintained a raptor for a minimum of 3 years.

(3) A first year permittee of this class may take only one additional raptor and possess up to a total of four raptors with only one replacement during the first permit year. Other permittees of this class may each possess a total of five raptors with two replacements during each permit year. Hybrid raptors shall be included in these quota limits. Captive-bred raptors not defined as hybrid will not be included in these quota limits.

(4) Except as otherwise provided under § 147.109a and paragraph (5), permittees are authorized to take and possess any wild passage or eyas raptors except the following species:

(i) Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).

(ii) Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

(iii) White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).

(iv) Steller’s Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus).

(v) Other raptor species listed or classified as threatened or endangered by the United States Department of Interior or the Commission, unless authorized in writing by the United States Department of Interior or the Commission, or both, to possess up to a maximum of one threatened or endangered raptor as part of their total possession allowance.

(5) Upon additional written authorization provided by the Commission, permittees may possess up to a maximum of three eagles, regardless of captive-bred or wild caught, limited to golden eagles, white-tailed eagles, Steller’s sea-eagles or any other eagle not covered by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C.A. § § 703—712), as part of their total possession allowance. An application to possess eligible eagles shall be accompanied by two written letters of recommendation from persons with experience handling or flying large raptors, such as eagles, ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis), goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) or great horned owls (Bubo virginianus). Each letter of reference must contain a concise history of the author’s experience with large raptors and an explicit representation that the permittee possesses the competency and skills necessary to possess eagles.

The provisions of this § 147.103 adopted June 19, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 2464; amended June 6, 1997, effective June 7, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 2743; amended May 28, 2004, effective May 29, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 2927; amended November 27, 2009, effective January 1, 2010, 39 Pa.B. 6760; amended November 12, 2010, effective November 13, 2010, 40 Pa.B. 6519; amended November 7, 2014, effective November 8, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 7056. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (354534) to (354536).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 147.103 amended under the Game and Wildlife Code, 34 Pa.C.S. § § 2102(a) and 2901(b).