DEC Announces Falconry, Wildlife Rehabilitator, and Leashed Tracking Dog Examinations

DEC Announces Falconry, Wildlife
Rehabilitator, and Leashed Tracking Dog Examinations

February 26, 2019 10:30 a.m.

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L EWIS COUNTY BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Press Release from NYS DEC:

DEC Announces Falconry, Wildlife Rehabilitator, and Leashed Tracking

Dog Examinations

Exams to be Held April 12; Registration Deadline is March 22

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today

announced that examinations are scheduled for Friday, April 12, 2019, for

individuals seeking a license to practice the sport of falconry, become a

volunteer wildlife rehabilitator, or use leashed tracking dogs to find wounded or

injured big game animals.

The exams will run from 10 a.m. to noon at most DEC Regional Offices across

the state. A list of

DEC Regional Offices

can be found on DEC's website. The

deadline for registering to take any of these free exams is Friday, March 22,

2019.

Exam registration forms

can be found on DEC's website.

Apprentice Falconry License

Falconry has a rich history and tradition throughout the world and requires a

significant commitment of time and effort. Apprentices are limited to possessing

one bird, either an American kestrel or a red-tailed hawk. A

falconry study guide

and examination manual

are available at no cost from DEC and can be found on

DEC's website. The cost of a five-year falconry license is $40.

To qualify for the Apprentice Falconry license, applicants must:

score 80 percent or higher on the written exam;
be at least 14 years of age;
possess a valid New York State hunting license; and
maintain DEC-approved facilities for housing falconry raptors.

Wildlife Rehabilitator License

Wildlife rehabilitators provide for the care of injured, sick, and orphaned wild

animals to then return rehabilitated animals to the wild. Prospective applicants

are encouraged to gain experience by serving as an assistant to a licensed

wildlife rehabilitator. A

wildlife rehabilitator study guide and examination manual

are available at no cost from DEC's website. There is no cost for a wildlife

rehabilitator license, which is valid for five years.

To qualify for the Wildlife Rehabilitator License, applicants must:

score 80 percent or higher on the written exam;
be at least 16 years of age; and
be interviewed by DEC Regional wildlife staff.

Leashed Tracking Dog Handler

Leashed tracking dog handlers use their dogs to track and recover dead,

wounded, or injured big game. Leashed tracking dog handlers provide a valuable

service by helping hunters locate wounded big game that otherwise may go

unrecovered. A

leashed tracking dog study guide

is available at no cost from

DEC's website. There is a $50 license fee for the five-year license and a $25

non-refundable application fee.

To qualify for a Leashed Tracking Dog Handler License, applicants must:

score 80 percent or higher on the written exam; and
possess a valid New York State hunting license.

To apply for any of these exams, visit the

DEC Special Licenses Unit

website

and complete an exam registration form. Applicants can mail, fax, or email the

completed form to: NYS DEC Special Licenses Unit, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY

12233-4752 Phone: 518-402-8985, Fax: 518-402-8925, Email:

SpecialLicenses@dec.ny.gov