R657-20-12. Master Class Falconer

  (1) Master Class falconer requirements.

  (a) Applicants for a Master Class falconry COR must have five (5) years of experience practicing falconry with raptor(s) held under their own state, tribal, or territorial falconry COR or permits at the General Class level.

  (i) For the purposes of this Subsection, five (5) years of experience means maintaining, training, flying, and hunting the raptor(s) for at least four (4) months in each of five (5) separate 12-month periods, beginning when the COR is issued.

  (ii) Evidence that the applicant has had a valid General Class level falconry license or permit in another state for at least five (5) years may be substituted for the General Class falconry COR requirement.

  (iii) If an applicant has held falconry raptor(s) on an extended temporary basis, that experience may qualify for purposes of these requirements.

  (2) Possession of Raptors at the Master Class.

  (a) A Master 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 Eagles.

  (b) A Master Class falconer may take or possess a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), if:

  (i) the bird is obtained through legal transfer or is wild-caught from a livestock or wildlife depredation area described in R657-20-13(15); and

  (ii) the falconer satisfies the conditions found R657-20-12(d).

  (c)(i) A Master Class falconer may possess no more than 5 wild-caught raptors for use in falconry.

  (ii) A Master Class falconer may possess any number of captive-bred raptors, provided :

  (A) approved facilities are available for the number of birds possessed; and

  (B) all captive-bred raptors in possession are trained and used in the sport of falconry.

  (d) A Master Class falconer may obtain an authorization from the Division to possess a Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Stellar's Sea-eagle, or other species listed in R657-20-11(2)(b) by providing the following:

  (i) a written statement documenting the experience of the Master Class falconer in handling large raptors, including information about the species handled and the type and duration of activities in which the experience was obtained; and

  (ii) at least two (2) letters of reference from individuals with experience in handling or flying large raptors such as eagles, Ferruginous Hawks, Northern Goshawks, or Great Horned Owls addressing:

  (A) a concise history of the author's experience with large raptors, which can include but is not limited to, handling of raptors held by zoos, rehabilitating large raptors, or scientific studies involving large raptors; and

  (B) the Master Class falconer's ability to care for the species listed in R657-20-11(2)(b) and fly them in falconry.