Quote Originally Posted by Saluqi View Post
AFC wants to eliminate all forms of regulation so that the system in the US is exactly like that of the UK. With no regulation on who can own a raptor, the take of wild raptors will be lost. This is not a surprising mentality for the AFC given the past and present leadership of the AFC, i.e., they make their livings off of breeding raptors. Same issue with hybrids, remove restrictions on hybrids that contain a fraction of native raptor, and suddenly the market for who can buy such hybrids increases beyond licensed falconers. I find the AFC's stance on these issues ironic given that they used to call themselves the WRTC, or Wild Raptor Take Conservancy.
Hi Paul,
Much of what you have posted here is simply not true. The AFC does not want to eliminate falconry regulations, we just want them to conform to our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The AFC has never been anything close to any kind of an agenda that would promote changing the U.S. falconry regs to resemble or duplicate those in the UK. I even believe in the three tiered licensing system that we have, with the exceptions that government personel should not do testing or inspections. These should be done by qualified Falconers. Many government personal are not qualified to determine what is best for our birds and are more concerned with violations of law than the welfare of our raptors. Many who inspect cannot even determine the difference in similar size raptors, such as a Gyrfalcon and a Redtail, when perched nearby.

I do not make a living off of breeding raptors. I do not breed at all. Nor do several of the other current board members. It is darn difficult to make a living, breeding raptors. Your whole reference to 'AFC breeders' is off target and inappropiate.

On the hybrid issue, all non-native raptors are NOT under the control of FWS and present no special problems and there are many in this country. Hybrids, like non-natives are best handled at the state level. All any state would need to do, is require a falconry license to practice or posess. The idea that we would loose wild take is simply fear mongering.

Whether you call it the WRTC or the AFC, we are all about falconers rights. The use of our natural resources, within sustainable restraints, is the right of every qualified(in our case licensed falconer) U.S. citizen. Make no mistake about it, wild raptors are a natural resource. The AFC is a great and honorable orginization and I am proud to serve it.

What I find to be a suprising mentality is, the disreguard for the freedom in the falconry regs. Our country was established as a free nation under our, blood steeped Constitutions(federal and states) and the Bill of Rights. The MBTA and the falconry regs are in blatant violation of several rights. I am apalled that so many have forgotten their roots and choose to assist the FWS in making laws in contradiction to the Bill of Rights. There is no reason why the falconry regulations cannot co-exist within the framwork of our founding documents.