Falconry In Tennessee
Hunting with falcons is the second oldest form of hunting with the aid of animals. Most historians and archaeologists agree that the sport of falconry originated in China. The first tangible evidence of falconry appears in 4,000 year old artwork from Persia.
Falconry is the sport of taking wildlife by means of a trained raptor. A person may not practice falconry in Tennessee without obtaining a proper TWRA permit.
The modern Tennessee falconer must be able to trap, train and provide care for their own hawks under strict guidelines provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and TWRA. The average falconer may spend as long as two years training a bird of prey before it is ready to hunt.
Training a “raptor” is a continuous process that requires a daily commitment throughout the life of the bird. For every hour spent in the field, the falconer will spend a hundred hours devoted to the care and training of the hawk.
The rewards of hunting with raptors is not measured with the success of the hunt since the average hawk takes 30 to 50 flights before it will take prey. The real thrill of hunting with these magnificent birds is watching them fly in pursuit of game and sharing time with them in the fields and forests.
- Peregrine Take Permit Draw
About The Application
- The application period takes place in July-August of each year with the permittees drawn on the last Wednesday of August. Please check back in July 2016 for the next year's application information.
- Peregrine falcons may only be taken under authority of a drawn permit from counties located in TWRA Region 1.
- Interested parties must complete a no fee peregrine falcon application. Such application must be completed and postmarked no later than midnight on the second Wednesday of August each year.
- Send all applications to TWRA, Falconry Coordinator, P.O. Box 40747, Nashville, TN 37204.
- All applications will be entered in a random draw to select the permit(s) available for peregrine falcon take in Tennessee. Permit drawing will be held on the last Wednesday of August each year.
- Permittees will be notified by phone and mail by the first Wednesday of September.
- Peregrine Falcon Take Application
Upon being awarded a permit, the following condition's will apply:
- Peregrine falcons wearing a research band (colored alphanumeric leg band) or other research markings must be released immediately upon recording band number and location of capture, except that a falcon with a transmitter attached to it may be possessed temporarily in order to contact the researcher and see if they desire to replace the transmitter or batteries.
- Permit holders who trap a peregrine falcon wearing a transmitter should contact the TWRA Falconry Coordinator immediately at (615) 781-6647 for authorization and assistance.
- Peregrine falcons may be trapped from September 20 - October 20 each year as set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Federal Register. FWS-R9-MB-2008-N0156; 91200-1231-9BPP.
- All birds taken must be first-year (juvenile) and as passage birds (no resident birds may be taken).
- Take is allowed only by permit.
- Only general and master class resident and non-resident falconers are eligible for the permit drawing.
- A non-resident applicant who is awarded a permit must have a current non-resident Tennessee hunting license by the second Wednesday of September, in addition to their state's falconry permit.
- Any banded bird captured must be immediately released at the site of capture and the band number and location of trapping site reported to the TWRA Falconry Coordinator by the second Wednesday of November each year.
- Immediately upon capture, permittee must remove/pluck 5 breast feathers from the falcon and place them in a plastic bag. The feather samples must be submitted to the TWRA Falconry Coordinator no later than the first business day of November each year. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture (release) of the trapped peregrine falcon and will be a violation of TWRA regulations.
- If no falcon was taken, permittee must return leg band to the TWRA Falconry Coordinator no later than the first business day of November each year. Failure to return the band by the first business day of November each year will be considered a violation of TWRA regulations.
- How To Apply For A Falconry License
A falconry permit may not be issued until the applicant has answered correctly at least 80 percent of the questions given on a supervised examination provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The exam is administered regionally by the TWRA. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit is required for each person within the State of Tennessee to possess a raptor for the purposes of falconry.
If you are interested in becoming a licensed falconer in the State of Tennessee, there are three classes of permits for which you may apply: Apprentice Class, General Class, or Master Class.
Applicants must be at least 14 years old and must have a sponsor who holds a General or Master Falconry Permit. A Falconry Apprentice must have a sponsor for a minimum of two years. The sponsor may not have more than three apprentices at any one time. An Apprentice may not possess more than one raptor and may only possess the American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, or Red-shouldered Hawk. They may not obtain more than one raptor for replacement during any 12-month period.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have at least two years of experience in the practice of falconry at the Apprentice Class level, or its equivalent. A General Class Falconer may not possess more than two raptors and may not obtain more than two raptors for replacement during any 12-month period. A General Falconer may not take, transport or possess any species listed as threatened or endangered in federal regulations published pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Applicants must have at least five years of experience in the practice of falconry at the General Class level, or its equivalent. A Master Class Falconer may not possess more than three raptors and may not obtain more than two raptors for replacement during any 12-month period. A Master Falconer may not take, transport or possess any species listed as threatened or endangered in federal regulations pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 unless authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Qualifying Examination for a Tennessee Falconry Permit
The examination is designed to determine the applicant's knowledge of raptor identification, natural history, care in captivity, falconry techniques and applicable laws and regulations.
Persons desiring to obtain a Tennessee Falconry Permit are required to answer correctly at least 80 percent of the questions on a supervised examination.
Once an application has passed the examinations, no future examination is required for permit renewal or for changes in the permit class.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency personnel will administer the examination at the designated Regional Office.
The examination consists of multiple-choice questions, each with four possible answers. Questions are broken into eight (8) categories. There are 20 questions in each category for a total of 160 questions. The categories are :
- Care and Maintenance
- Hunting and Falconry Techniques
- Rules and Regulations
Answers to the examination questions can be found in:
A non-refundable $10.00 fee to the TWRA is due when an applicant takes the 100 question examination. An additional $10.00 fee is charged if the applicant must re-take the examination. A $25.00 fee to the US Fish and Wildlife Service must accompany the Federal Application Form 3-200 (OMB No. 42-R1670).
- How To Obtain A Falconry Application Package
- Master Falconer Contact List