Exams Held Online Aug. 12; Registration Deadline Aug. 10
The New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced examinations 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 are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 12,
2022.
To provide broader access to
the exams, DEC will be offering them online. In-person exams will not be
offered this year.
To register for any of these
exams, visit the Special License Exams Registration website (leaves
DEC website) and then follow the directions provided on the website.
Interested participants will receive an email acknowledging registration,
and later, an additional one-time link to access the website on the date
of the exam.
The deadline for registering
to take any of these free exams is Wednesday, Aug. 10. The link
to the registration website can also be found on each of the individual
license websites.
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. 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;
·
maintain DEC-approved facilities for
housing falconry raptors; and
·
be a resident of New York State.
Wildlife Rehabilitator License
Wildlife rehabilitators
provide for the care of injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals for the
purpose of returning 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. There is no cost for the five-year
Wildlife Rehabilitator License.
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;
·
be interviewed by DEC Regional wildlife
staff; and
·
be a resident of New York State.
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 aiding
hunters in locating wounded big game that otherwise may go unrecovered.
A leashed tracking dog study guide is
available at no cost from DEC. There is a $50 license fee for the
five-year Leashed Tracking Dog Handler 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 register for any of these
exams, visit the NYS DEC Special Licenses Unit website.
The link to the registration website is provided on each of the individual
license websites.
For questions or assistance,
please contact the Special Licenses Unit at NYS DEC Special Licenses
Unit, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4752; phone: 518-402-8985; Fax:
518-402-8925; Email: SpecialLicenses@dec.ny.gov.
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