Washington Administrative Code

(1) An applicant for a Washington falconry permit must complete and submit an application form from the department. The applicant must meet the state residency requirements for Washington.(2) The temporary possession and short-term handling of a raptor, such as letting any other …

(1) An applicant for a master falconry permit must attest and/or provide evidence of having practiced falconry with his/her own raptor(s) at the general falconer level for at least five years, or provide proof of previously holding a valid master falconry permit.(2) A master falc…

(1) An applicant for a general falconry permit must be at least sixteen years of age. If sixteen or seventeen years of age, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application and will be legally responsible for the general falconer's activities until the falconer is eighteen ye…

(1) An applicant for an apprentice falconry permit must be at least twelve years of age. If under eighteen years of age, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application and will be legally responsible for the apprentice falconer's activities.(2) An applicant must correctly a…

A permit issued hereunder may be revoked, modified, or suspended by the director for cause. Cause shall include, but is not limited to, the failure to provide adequate falconry facilities and equipment, the failure to provide adequate care, feed, or maintenance for a raptor, or f…

(1) If a permit has expired for less than five years, it will be reinstated at the level held previously.(2) If a permit has expired for five years or more, the permittee must correctly answer at least eighty percent of the questions on the Washington falconry examination. If the…

(1) A new Washington resident from outside the United States may qualify for a falconry permit appropriate for his/her experience. The falconer must demonstrate knowledge of state and federal falconry laws and regulations by correctly answering at least eighty percent of the ques…

(1) Nonresident falconers may practice falconry in Washington. The nonresident falconer must possess a valid permit to possess raptors and practice falconry in his/her home state, tribe, or country. The nonresident may possess, transport through the state, fly, practice falconry,…

(1) If a falconer with a valid falconry permit issued by another state, territory, or tribe moves to Washington with the intent to establish residency, he must notify the department and apply for a Washington falconry permit after ninety days of residency in Washington.(2) Prior …

The department will continue to recognize as valid a Washington falconer's permit for a falconer who has moved out-of-state until he/she has established official residency in the new state.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17…

Raptors possessed by Washington falconers may be transported out-of-state. If the raptor dies or is lost while out of the country, the falconer must report the loss to the department immediately upon return to Washington.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, …

(1) Acquisition, transfer, rebanding, microchipping, release, loss, banding, or death of a falconry raptor must be reported to the department within ten days.(2) If a raptor possessed by a falconer is stolen, the falconer must report the theft to the department and to the U.S. Fi…

(1) A falconer must report take of a raptor from the wild no later than ten days after the capture of the raptor.(2) A falconer may take no more than two raptors from the wild each year to use in falconry.(3) The number of wild-caught or captive-bred raptors transferred is not re…

(1) It is unlawful to remove an immature raptor from a nest unless one or more live nestling raptors remain in the nest.(2) A person other than a permitted falconer may climb to a raptor nest and remove a nestling for the falconer, but only with the falconer present at the nest s…

(1) A raptor wearing falconry equipment or a captive-bred raptor may be captured at any time even if the falconer capturing it is not authorized to possess the species. The falconer must report the capture of a raptor wearing equipment or a captive-bred raptor that is not his/her…

A raptor of any age and of a species that can be lawfully possessed, may be acquired by a falconer directly from a rehabilitator or designee of WDFW. Transfer to the falconer is at the discretion of the department in consultation with the rehabilitator. It must be reported within…

(1) There are two options for dealing with a raptor injured during trapping efforts. In either case, the falconer involved with the capture is responsible for the costs of care and rehabilitation of the raptor.(2) The raptor may be possessed by the falconer and reported within te…

(1) If a falconer takes a goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), or gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) from the wild or acquires one from a rehabilitator, it must be banded with a permanent, nonreusable, numbered U.S. Fi…

Raptors removed from the wild for falconry are always considered wild taken raptors, no matter how long they are held in captivity or whether they are transferred to other permittees or permit types. For the purposes of the number of wild raptors a falconer may take in a year, a …

(1) A Washington falconry permit is required for anyone in the state to conduct raptor propagation with permitted native North American raptors. The director will cease to issue a specific raptor propagation permit for captive breeding and rearing of raptors at such time as this …

(1) Hacking is an approved method for falconers and propagators to condition raptors for falconry, rehabilitation, for return to the wild, or in preparation for sale of a captive-bred raptor. A general falconer or a master falconer may hack falconry raptors.(2) Any raptor a falco…

(1) A falconry permit does not authorize a falconer to capture or release raptors or practice falconry on public lands where it is prohibited, on private property without permission from the landowner or custodian, or on tribal lands without permission. Falconry raptors may drift…

(1) A falconer or propagator may purchase, sell, or barter, or offer to sell, purchase, or barter captive-bred or hybrid raptors marked with seamless bands to other falconry permittees who are authorized to possess them.(2) Wild taken raptors may not be purchased, sold, traded, o…

(1) Falconry, abatement, and propagation raptors, facilities, records, and equipment may be inspected in the presence of a falconry permittee during business hours, or reasonable time of the day, and on any day of the week by state, federal, or other authorized officials.(2) If a…

(1) A resident falconer in Washington must maintain approved facilities for housing raptors used in recreational falconry or in abatement. Nonresident falconers must house falconry raptors in adequate temporary facilities.(2) Raptor facilities shall be approved by the department …

Falconry facilities may be on property owned by another person where a falconer resides, or at a different location.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-420-290, filed 2/15/17, effect…

(1) For housing wild raptors indoors or outdoors, the facility must protect raptors from predators, the environment, and domestic animals. The facility must have a suitable perch for each raptor, at least one opening for sunlight, and must provide a healthy environment for raptor…

A falconer must have appropriate jesses or the materials and equipment to make them, leash and swivel, bath container, and appropriate scales or balances for weighing raptor(s) in possession.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR …

(1) A raptor must have a suitable perch and protection from extreme temperatures, wind, and excessive disturbance. A "giant hood" or similar container is an example of an acceptable means for transporting and/or housing a raptor when away from a falconry facility.(2) A raptor may…

(1) Another falconry permittee may care for a raptor or raptors for a falconry permittee at the permittee's facilities or at the caregiver's facilities for up to one hundred twenty consecutive calendar days. The caregiver falconer must have a signed and dated statement from the p…

(1) There is no specific Washington state abatement permit. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the sole responsibility for issuing special purpose abatement permits in Washington. An abatement operator, or subpermittees thereof, must possess a valid falconry permit from Washi…

When flown free, a hybrid raptor must have at least two attached radio transmitters.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-420-340, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority…

(1) A general or master falconer may use a raptor in education programs presented in public venues. A permitted falconer does not need a state scientific collection permit or a federal special purpose possession for education permit for public display to conduct education activit…

(1) Falconry raptors may be used in photography, filming, or other such uses to make movies or other sources of information on the practice of falconry or on the biology, ecological roles, and conservation needs of raptors and other migratory birds, although a falconer may not be…

(1) A falconer may possess feathers for each species of raptor authorized to be possessed for as long as the falconer has a valid falconry permit. Falconers may receive feathers of any species authorized to be possessed from other permitted falconers, wildlife rehabilitators, pro…

(1) The entire body of a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), including all feathers, talons, and other parts, must be sent to the National Eagle Repository.(2) The body or feathers of any other species of raptor may be donated to any person or institution exempt or authorized by pe…

(1) When a raptor being used in falconry accidentally takes any species of wildlife (quarry) for which the hunting season is not currently open, the falconer must release the quarry if it is not seriously injured. If the quarry has been seriously injured or killed, the falconer m…

(1) A general or master falconer may assist a state and federally permitted migratory bird rehabilitator or the department to treat and condition raptors in preparation for their release to the wild. The rehabilitator must provide the falconer with a letter, note, or form that id…

(1) A species not native to Washington, or a hybrid of any kind, may not be permanently released to the wild intentionally.(2) If the species a falconer wants to release is native to Washington and is captive-bred, it may not be released to the wild intentionally without permissi…

It is unlawful to operate a game farm without a current, valid Washington state game farm license. It is unlawful to sell those species listed in subsection (2) of this section without a current, valid Washington state game farm license except with the written permission of the d…

It is unlawful for a licensed game farm to transfer wildlife unless the wildlife is accompanied by an invoice which must include the name and address of the game farm, date of transfer, number and species transferred, and the name and address of transferee. The invoice is the tra…

A game farmer may acquire wildlife only from a licensed game farm or other lawful source.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-430-030, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Auth…

A game farm licensed under the provisions of chapter 77.12 RCW may function as a private shooting preserve and dispose of game birds produced or acquired by releasing them on the designated preserve for hunting. The permittee must abide by the following rules:(1) Each person desi…

Public support for the recovery and management of healthy wildlife populations is an important aspect of wildlife conservation. Support for wildlife can diminish when people experience negative interactions with wildlife and damage to private property. The intent of the departmen…

The definitions in RCW 77.08.010 and 77.36.010 apply to this chapter. In addition, unless otherwise provided, the following definitions are applicable to this chapter:"Act of damaging" means that private property is in the process of being damaged by wildlife."Attack" means immin…

(1) Definitions:As used in this section and in the context of public safety cougar removals, the following definitions apply:(a) "Confirmed" means qualified department staff is led to believe a cougar(s) was at the scene of the incident by interview of the complainant or observat…

The department is the primary source for property owners seeking to determine legal and effective remedies for addressing wildlife interactions. Protection of property using nonlethal techniques is the primary response encouraged by the department. Harassment and/or lethal remova…

(1) The fish and wildlife commission is authorized to classify wildlife as game, as endangered or protected species, or as a predatory bird consistent with RCW 77.08.010 and 77.12.020. The commission is also authorized, pursuant to RCW 77.36.030, to establish the limitations and …

The fish and wildlife commission is authorized to classify wildlife as game, and/or as endangered species or protected wildlife, and/or as a predatory bird consistent with RCW 77.08.010 and 77.12.020. The commission is also authorized, pursuant to RCW 77.36.030, to establish the …

(1) It is unlawful to trap for wild animals with body-gripping traps without a special permit from the director.(2) Body-gripping traps, including conibear-type traps in water, as defined in RCW 77.15.192 may be used for the following purposes with a special trapping permit issue…