Board removes requirements that only master-class, resident falconers may apply.
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners in 2015 adopted a measure that allows the state’s falconers to apply for any permits the USFWS allocates for Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania issued its first permit last year, and thus far has accepted permit applications only from master-class falconers who reside in Pennsylvania. That limits the pool of applicants, and eventually could create a situation where there are more permits than people eligible to apply for them, especially if the allocation continues to rise.
To address this issue, the Board of Commissioners today gave final approval to a measure that expands the eligibility requirements to include a greater range of falconers. Under the proposal, holders of general-class falconry permits would be eligible to apply for a peregrine permit. Nonresident general-class falconers could apply if they live in a state that allows Pennsylvania residents to take migrating Arctic peregrine falcons there.
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