Washington Administrative Code
Title 220 - Fish and Wildlife, Department of
WILDLIFE
Chapter 220-420 - Falconry
Section 220-420-070 - Apprentice falconer classes of permit and permitted raptors

(1) An applicant for an apprentice falconry permit must be at least twelve years of age. If under eighteen years of age, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application and will be legally responsible for the apprentice falconer's activities.

(2) An applicant must correctly answer at least eighty percent of the questions on an examination administered by the department, or provide proof of having previously held a valid apprentice falconry permit. The examination will cover care and handling of falconry raptors, state and federal regulations relevant to falconry, and other appropriate subject matter.

(3) An applicant must submit a letter to the department from a general falconer or a master falconer, who is at least eighteen years of age with at least two years experience at the general falconer level, stating that he/she has agreed to be a sponsor to assist the applicant in learning about the husbandry and training of raptors held for falconry, relevant wildlife laws and regulations, and in deciding what permitted raptor species is appropriate to possess while an apprentice falconer.

(4) The applicant must submit an original, signed certification incorporated into the department application form, worded as follows: I certify that I have read and am familiar with Washington and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service falconry regulations, and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and that the information I have submitted is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that any false statement herein may subject me to cancellation of the application and/or criminal penalties.

(5) An apprentice falconer may not intentionally capture a raptor species that this permit classification does not allow the falconer to possess for falconry. Any raptor captured, that an apprentice falconer is not permitted to take must be released immediately.

(6) Regardless of the number of state, tribal, or territorial falconry permits an apprentice falconer may have, he/she may possess no more than one raptor for use in falconry.

(7) An apprentice falconer may take a red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) or a kestrel (Falco sparverius) from the wild in Washington.

(8) An apprentice may possess any species of Falconiform or Strigiform, except a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), a white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), or a Steller's sea-eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus), or a federally listed threatened or endangered species for falconry. An apprentice falconer may possess captive-bred individuals or hybrids of the species he/she is allowed to possess for falconry.

(9) A wild raptor may be transferred to an apprentice.

(10) An apprentice falconer may not possess a nestling raptor taken from the wild and may not possess a raptor that is imprinted on humans.

(11) An apprentice falconer may take a free flying permitted raptor species less than one year of age from the wild during any period.

(12) Raptor facilities must pass inspection by the department or its designee before an apprentice falconer applicant is granted a permit.