The question of the number of wild take has come up recently for some falconers I know and after reading the regulations and how they are being enforced here in NC, I think I see a flaw. Let me explain and then if someone can set me straight, I would appreciate it.

I used to always think we were allowed 2 wild take birds and then 2 replacements (wild or captive). I was told that we are only allowed 2 wild take per year. And the per year is where I see a flaw in the regulations. According to our state folks, when you capture a wild taken bird is when the year starts for that bird and you can't take another for that wild taken bird until that date 1 year later.

The flaw I see in this is if someone were to trap a bird in October and then another in December and hunt them through the season and then release in March, they would only be allowed to trap one bird the next fall in October and not the second until December. Logically, if both birds are released or even one, shouldn't the wild take allowance start over at the beginning of trapping season and not when you took the last bird?

And why oh why can't we take 4 wild birds in a year, as long as we only have 2 from that particular year in our possession? In my case, if I were to trap a red-tail this fall and then a coopers hawk and later in the year, someone wanted to transfer me a goshawk, I couldn't turn one of my wild take birds loose and accept the goshawk. We have no impact on wild take, what makes the difference if we take 2 or 4.

I think it should be 2 wild takes allowed and 2 wild take replacements, which is what I thought it really was until I was informed I was wrong.

What are folks thoughts on this?

Also, as a note, the new regulations says a Master falconer can have 5 wild taken birds in their possession but only 2 can be taken in one year.