R657-20-11. General Class Falconer

  (1) General Class falconer requirements.

  (a) Applicants for a General Class falconry COR must be at least 16 years of age.

  (b) Applicants for a General Class falconry COR who are under 18 years of age must have a parent or legal guardian sign their application.

  (c) The parents or legal guardian of a minor General Class falconer under the age of 18 are legally responsible for the activities of their child.

  (d) New General Class applicants must submit a request for class upgrade to the Division in writing or via email at [e-mail], and include a document from their sponsor stating that the General Class applicant has practiced falconry at the Apprentice Class falconer level or equivalent for at least two (2) years, including maintaining, training, flying, and hunting raptors for at least four (4) months in each separate 12-consecutive month period.

  (i) For purposes of this Subsection, two (2) years means two (2) separate 12-consecutive month periods, beginning when the COR is issued.

  (ii) A General Class applicant may not substitute any falconry school program or education to shorten the minimum period of two (2) years at the Apprentice level.

  (iii) Evidence that a General Class applicant has had a valid General Class level falconry license or permit in another state for at least two (2) years may be substituted for the Apprentice Class falconry COR requirement.

  (2) Possession of raptors at the General Class.

  (a) A General Class falconer may not take or possess:

  (i) any federally listed threatened or endangered species, unless otherwise authorized by a federal take permit; or

  (ii) any wild caught, captive-bred, or hybrid Bald Eagle, Golden Eagles, White-tailed Eagle or Stellar's Sea-eagle.

  (b) A General Class falconer wishing to possess any of the following raptors must first obtain an authorization from the Division by providing the information required in R657-20-12(2)(d)(i) and (ii):

  (i) Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata);

  (ii) Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis);

  (iii) Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax);

  (iv) African Hawk-Eagle (Aquila spilogaster);

  (v) Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxii);

  (vi) Crested Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus);

  (vii) Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Niseatus nipalensis);

  (viii) Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus);

  (ix) Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja); and

  (x) Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo).

  (c) A General Class falconer may possess no more than three (3) wild-caught eyas, passage, or haggard age raptors, captive-bred raptors, or hybrid raptors, or any combination thereof.