§ 147.103. Classes of permits.

 (a)  Apprentice. A permittee shall be 16 years of age or older.

   (1)  A sponsor, who is the holder of a valid Federal and Pennsylvania general or master falconry permit, is required for a permittee in the apprentice class. An apprentice permittee shall notify the Commission in writing within 5 days after sponsorship has been withdrawn.

   (2)  A permittee may not possess more than one raptor and may not obtain more than one raptor for replacement during a permit year. A first year permittee may take only one raptor with no replacement.

   (3)  A permittee shall possess only an American Kestrel—Falco sparverius—a Red Tailed Hawk—Buteo jamaicensis—or a Red Shouldered Hawk—Buteo lineatus.

   (4)  The raptor held by an apprentice shall be taken from the wild.

 (b)  General. A permittee shall be at least 20 years of age.

   (1)  A permittee who has been licensed at least 2 years as an apprentice falconer and has had a raptor in possession for at least 12 months of that time may be moved to the next higher classification. A sponsor for an apprentice shall certify in writing that the apprentice is qualified to become a general falconer.

   (2)  A permittee may not have more than two raptors in his possession and may not take more than two raptors for replacement birds during a permit year. For the first permit year at the general class, a permittee may take one raptor in addition to the one possessed as an apprentice and also take one replacement.

   (3)  A permittee may not take, transport or possess a Golden Eagle or a species listed as endangered or threatened by the United States Department of Interior or the Commission.

 (c)  Master. A permittee shall be at least 25 years of age.

   (1)  A permittee who has at least 5 years of falconry experience in the practice of falconry at the general class and had a raptor in possession for 30 months of this time may be moved to the master classification.

   (2)  A permittee may not possess more than three raptors, and may not take more than two raptors for replacements during a permit year. For the first permit year at the master class, one raptor may be taken in addition to the two which may be possessed as a general falconer and one raptor may be taken as a replacement.

   (3)  A permittee may not take, transport or possess a species listed as endangered on a United States Department of Interior or Commission list.

   (4)  A permittee may not take, transport or possess a Golden Eagle for falconry purposes unless authorized in writing by both the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Commission.

   (5)  A permittee may not take, transport or possess as part of the three bird limitation, more than one raptor listed as threatened on United States Department of Interior or Commission lists and then only in compliance with Federal requirements and written permission of the Commission.

   The provisions of this §  147.103 amended under the Game and Wildlife Code, 34 Pa.C.S. §  2901(b).

   The provisions of this §  147.103 adopted June 19, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 2464; amended June 6, 1997, effective June 7, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 2743; amended May 28, 2004, effective May 29, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 2927. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (230317) to (230318).