Register July 2002 No. 559
Chapter NR 18
FALCONRY
NR 18.03 Permit and license requirements.
NR 18.04 Falconry hunting.
NR 18.06 Application procedure.
NR 18.07 Inspection of facilities and equipment.
NR 18.08 Unsatisfactory conditions.
NR 18.09 Issuance criteria.
NR 18.10 Classes of permits.
NR 18.11 Duration of permits.
NR 18.12 Taking and disposal restrictions.
NR 18.15 Release of marked raptors.
NR 18.16 Permit conditions.
NR 18.17 Other restrictions.
NR 18.01
NR 18.01
Definitions. In this chapter:
NR 18.01(1)
(1) "Department" means the department of natural resources.
NR 18.01(2)
(2) "Disposal" means transfer of the raptor by gift or trade, release, escape, death or any other event that results in the permittee no longer possessing the raptor for falconry.
NR 18.01(3)
(3) "Eyas" means a young raptor not yet capable of flight.
NR 18.01(4)
(4) "Falconry" means the sport of taking or attempting to take quarry by means of a trained raptor.
NR 18.01(5)
(5) "Falconry permit" means a permit to allow a resident permittee to take, possess and transport raptors for the purpose of practicing falconry.
NR 18.01(6)
(6) "Fish & wildlife service" means U.S. department of interior - fish & wildlife service.
NR 18.01(7)
(7) "Hacked back" means a gentle or gradual release technique used by falconers whereby a raptor released back into the wild is fully capable of competing with other wild raptors.
NR 18.01(8)
(8) "Imping" means a method of repairing broken flight or tail feathers.
NR 18.01(9)
(9) "Marker" means a numbered, non-reusable marker supplied by the fish and wildlife service.
NR 18.01(10)
(10) "Raptor" means a live, migratory bird of the order Falconiformes or the order Strigiformes, other than a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) or golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).
NR 18.01(11)
(11) "Replacement raptor" means a raptor obtained to replace one which has died in captivity, has escaped, or is released to the wild.
NR 18.01(12)
(12) "Take" means to trap, capture or pursue or attempt to trap, capture or pursue, a raptor for the purposes of falconry.
NR 18.01(13)
(13) "Trapping permit" means a permit obtained by a nonresident from the department to take a raptor for the purposes of falconry.
NR 18.01 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1977, No. 264, eff. 1-1-78; r. (1), renum. (2) to (9) to be (4), (12), (9), (8), (7), (11), (1) and (6), cr. (2), (3), (5), (10) and (13),
Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98;
CR 01-127: cr. (intro.) and (9m),
Register July 2002 No. 559, eff. 8-1-02.
NR 18.02(1)(1) The raptors covered by this chapter include species whose range extends into any part of Mexico or the United States. All individual birds of such species whether or not raised in captivity, and including any subspecies, even if the range of such subspecies does not include parts of the above countries, are covered by these regulations.
NR 18.02(2)
(2) The importation of any wildlife from a foreign source must be in compliance with federal laws or regulations.
NR 18.02 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1977, No. 264, eff. 1-1-78.
NR 18.03
NR 18.03
Permit and license requirements. NR 18.03(1)
(1) No person may take, possess or transport any raptor for falconry purposes or practice falconry in Wisconsin unless a valid falconry permit has been issued pursuant to this chapter or issued by another state provided that state is listed in the federal regulations as a state meeting federal falconry standards.
NR 18.03(2)
(2) Nonresident falconers shall obtain a trapping permit to take raptors in Wisconsin under
s. NR 18.12 (2) and shall obtain a valid small game or general hunting license to practice falconry in Wisconsin.
NR 18.03(3)
(3) No person may engage in any falconry activity unless the person has in his or her possession a falconry permit or a nonresident raptor trapping permit issued under this chapter.
NR 18.03 Note
Note: A state of Wisconsin turkey, pheasant or duck stamp is no longer required to engage in the sport of falconry. A federal duck stamp, however, is required. Federal duck stamps can be purchased through a local post office and at many local DNR offices.
NR 18.03(4)
(4) No person may transfer a falconry permit or falconry markers or allow the use thereof by any other person, nor may any person while engaged in falconry, use or carry any permit or marker issued to another.
NR 18.03(5)
(5) No person may take a northern goshawk on U.S. department of agriculture national forest land unless a written description of the location of the take, satisfactory to the forest supervisor or designee, is provided to the forest supervisor or designee prior to any take.
NR 18.03 Note
Note: The national forests, consistent with the multiple use-sustained yield act of 1960 (
16 USC 528) and the federal land policy management act of 1976 (
16 USC 1701-1784), are managed for wildlife purposes. Data regarding the populations and take of the northern goshawk on the national forest is relevant to goshawk management. The Forest Service may implement protection measures for the northern goshawk that may include the closing of areas of land within the national forest to the take of goshawks. Information on the location of national forest land may be obtained from: Chequamegon/Nicolet Forest Supervisor, Federal Building, 68 S. Stevens Street, Rhinelander, WI 54501.
NR 18.03 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1977, No. 264, eff. 1-1-78; am. (1) (a) and r. and recr. (1) (b),
Register, August, 1982, No. 320, eff. 9-1-82; am. (1) (intro.), r. (1) (a) and (b), r. and recr. (2), renum. (3) to be (4) and am., cr. (3) and (5),
Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.
NR 18.04(1)(1)
Established seasons. In addition to the seasons established by
ch. NR 10, falconry permit holders may hunt upland game birds and animals described in
s. NR 10.01 (2) and
(3) September 1 through March 31, except cottontail rabbit, fox squirrel and gray squirrel may be hunted year-round.
NR 18.04(2)
(2) Let lay rule. A falconry permit holder whose raptor accidentally kills any protected animal during the closed season or a protected animal or sex during the open hunting season shall leave the dead animal where it lies. The raptor may feed upon the dead animal prior to leaving the kill site.
NR 18.04 Note
Note: Daily kill and possession limits, hunting hours and other rules established for hunting by chs.
NR 10,
11 and
15 and ch.
29, Stats., apply.
NR 18.04 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1977, No. 264, eff. 1-1-78; r. and recr.
Register, August, 1982, No. 320, eff. 9-1-82; r. and recr.
Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87.
NR 18.05(1)(1) Prior to submitting an application for a permit under this chapter, each new applicant or person whose prior permit has expired or been revoked for a period of more than 2 years shall be required to answer correctly at least 80% of the questions on a supervised examination described in
sub. (2).
NR 18.05(2)
(2) The examination shall be prepared by the fish and wildlife service and administered by a representative of the department. The examination shall consist of questions relating to the basic biology, care and handling of raptors, literature, laws and regulations governing the sport of falconry.
NR 18.05(3)
(3) Applicants failing to correctly answer at least 80% of the questions on the examination described in
sub. (2) may not be issued a permit but may repeat the exam after 30 days. Should a second failure occur, a one-year waiting period is required before the examination sequence may be repeated.
