Non-Resident Trapping in Nebraska?

[FredFogg]

I may be going to Nebraska in December to hunt bunnies and jacks and am wondering if there is non-resident take there and what needs to be obtained to do so. The NFA's website says no non-resident take but American Falconry Conservancy says something about there is now take. Click this link. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[crazyfalconer]

Sorry Fred who ever said that there is currently a nonresident take in NE has been misinformed.

We ( the NE Falconers Association and the G&P) are currently working together on the rewrite of our regs and at this point there are no provisions on the books allowing for nonresident take. When the new regs are in place it MAY be possible but we have not gotten approval from George Allen's office at the USFWS or gone through the official comment period at the NE G&P, so at this point all would be speculative, as I am never willing to count my eggs before they hatch.. Hope this helps answer your question.

Aj (Anita Jean) Johnson
NFA President
crazyfalconer@gmail.com

I may be going to Nebraska in December to hunt bunnies and jacks and am wondering if there is non-resident take there and what needs to be obtained to do so. The NFA's website says no non-resident take but American Falconry Conservancy says something about there is now take. Click this link. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[crazyfalconer]

Okie everyone, here is the "Official Response" that has been posted on my FB page and sent to NAFA in an effort to prevent any confusion on the topic.


In an effort to control the rapid misinformation that seems to be going around about trapping for out of state falconers in Nebraska, please let me be as clear as possible, there are NO provisions for nonresident falconers to trap in Nebraska at this time.

Nebraska Game & Parks and the Nebraska Falconers Association have indeed been working together on the rewrite of our falconry regulations but to this point there are no provisions on the current books for nonresident harvest/trapping of raptors. Although NFA's membership has asked for reciprocity provisions to be added in the new regulations until all the hurdles are cleared falconers from outside of Nebraska will have to await the implantation date for the new regulations. To my knowledge a draft of our proposed regulations is at the USFWS awaiting approval from George Allen's office. Once complete we will still need to go through an official public comment period, so there are still several steps yet to be taken.

I do hope that this note helps to prevent any further confusion. If there are specific questions that I can help get answers to please feel free to contact me by email.

Good Hawking to All,
Anita Johnson
President, Nebraska Falconers Association
crazyfalconer@gmail.com

[sharptail]

I asked Jim Ingram, the author of the AFC notice on Nebraska nonresident take and his reply is: Nebraska’s new regulations were submitted to USFWS and when they approve them there will a be take. Probably next year.

[FredFogg]

Thanks everyone, were going to Kansas! LOL

[crazyfalconer]

Dear Fred - wishing you the best of luck in KS.. With a little luck maybe in the next year or two we will see the new regs take effect.. As I said before I hate to count chicks before they hatch , to be honest until it is law, simply put it is NOT law. Remember there could be a hundred hiccups between now and then.. So again I say not yet...

Dear NAFEX readers,
For the record, if anyone cares, I am ticked off that OTHER clubs act like they have more info than the local falconry club and attempting to act on our behalf without consulting the local club. THEN to make it worse the giving of false starts are dangerous. Come on folks this is how people could end up trapping when it is not yet legal.

[sharptail]

Come on folks this is how people could end up trapping when it is not yet legal.

Come on AJ, this just isn't so, if you apply to the game dept. for a permit to trap and find out that there is no out of state trapping currently.

Jim Ingram lives in Nebraska and has been involved in this process. Like every other state, there are falconers that do not belong to the individual state clubs and they have just as much right to be involved in the making of regulations as you do.

[FredFogg]

Dear Fred - wishing you the best of luck in KS.. With a little luck maybe in the next year or two we will see the new regs take effect.. As I said before I hate to count chicks before they hatch , to be honest until it is law, simply put it is NOT law. Remember there could be a hundred hiccups between now and then.. So again I say not yet...

Dear NAFEX readers,
For the record, if anyone cares, I am ticked off that OTHER clubs act like they have more info than the local falconry club and attempting to act on our behalf without consulting the local club. THEN to make it worse the giving of false starts are dangerous. Come on folks this is how people could end up trapping when it is not yet legal.

Anita, it is my understanding from the wildlife folks that we talked to that the governor has already signed the provisions that will allow non-residents to trap and that it is already in the new regulations that are waiting to be approved by the Feds. So basically, it is a done deal, now it is just a matter of the Feds approving what you have sent to them and the new regs becoming active. This didn't come from a falconer or isn't hearsay, it came from the wildlife office that we spoke with. As a matter of fact, the guy told us that he thought it might even get done by December 1st and we could be the guinea pigs on the application process if we wanted. We couldn't wait for him to give us a definite yes, so we went ahead and made our plans for KS. So from what he told us, I would say this will be in time for next years NAFA meet and that is really all I care about. LOL

[ericedw]

Anita,

I'm not sure you have a good understanding of the process. From what I understand (from reading the Nebraska Legislative website) the bill was passed to allow non-resident trapping. It was also necessary to include non-resident trapping in Nebraska's falconry regulations and it is included in the new rules that were submitted to the USFWS.

Your states new regulations have already been submitted to USFWS, if George accepts them they will become the new regs. George accepting them is the last step in the process of adopting new regs for a state.

As far as your comments about "other clubs" acting like they have more information. The information came from a NE falconer that spoke before your congress to get this passed. He happens to be an AFC member and ex-president (and I believe a NAFA member). As far as I can tell the only inaccuracy in his statement was that it would be in time for trapping this year. Sounds like it will be next year if George accepts the new rules.

[crazyfalconer]

Fred,
I have asked several times and have been unable even get a ballpark from the G&P, makes me wonder if your contact was better informed or less informed that the contacts we as residents are directed to. Some days I think that they are using their crazy 8 ball to get the answers) What I can tell you was said in writing and I quote "One note that I would also like to make Nebraska falconers aware of. If the regulations are approved, they do NOT immediately go into effect. The must then be blessed by the Attorney General’s office and the Governor. This process will take a couple or a few months."

Many falconers in NE would love to see the new regs come into law tomorrow, my self included, as there are few states where mater class falconers can only have 2 birds. Like you Fred, I am not willing to hold my breath for the magical date to happen. My fear is that if someone did not do their homework as thoroughly as you did may get put in a hard place and be scrambling to make other arrangements for trapping..

Cheers and the very best of luck with your trapping in KS.

[crazyfalconer]

Jeff-Honestly, I was not trying to say anything negative about Jim, I have had the privilege of knowing him for over a decade and he is an awesome person not to mention being very involved falconer within NFA as i am sure he is in all his endeavors. I think it is likely Fred and I spoke with different people at the G&P nothing more. Maybe one was more optimistic than the other but still until the proposed regulations are enacted as law we are stuck operating under the old rules no matter how eager we all are for the new ones to come into effect.. The act of pinpointing when things will actually happen within legislation is a tricky thing and closer to palm reading than anything else.


Please accept my apology, it was wrong of me express my personal frustrations on NAFEX. BAD Aj, VERY bad!

Come on AJ, this just isn't so, if you apply to the game dept. for a permit to trap and find out that there is no out of state trapping currently.

Jim Ingram lives in Nebraska and has been involved in this process. Like every other state, there are falconers that do not belong to the individual state clubs and they have just as much right to be involved in the making of regulations as you do.

[crazyfalconer]

Eric- indeed there was a legislative bill where they decided to make it possible to allow nonresident trapping Nebraska, at the same point there were not any regulations to guide exactly how these activities can take place. So this is where Nebraska remains, stuck waiting for the new regulations to be approved.

I would like to believe that you already know I intended no disrespect towards Jim. The email I copied & pasted to NAFEX was after multiple pvt inquires on who should be contacted for non-resident trapping in NE. It was wrong of me to make assumptions as to what group the information came from. Honestly the part I was concerned about being missed was that things are still *In Process*.

Hope you have a memorable hawking season,
Aj

[crazyfalconer]

This just arrived in my email this morning and thought that you all would like to know the the optimistic view prevailed.. Cheers and good hawking to all..

"Please forward to NFA members. Nebraska will be operating under the new system in the new year. Nebraska falconers should be prepared for a few more minor bumps, particularly converting the online reporting system, before the road is completely smooth and clear. I will provide information as it becomes available.

Thanks. "

[FredFogg]

This just arrived in my email this morning and thought that you all would like to know the the optimistic view prevailed.. Cheers and good hawking to all..

"Please forward to NFA members. Nebraska will be operating under the new system in the new year. Nebraska falconers should be prepared for a few more minor bumps, particularly converting the online reporting system, before the road is completely smooth and clear. I will provide information as it becomes available.

Thanks. "

That's great AJ, congrats on getting the new regs. Like you all, ours are supposed to go in at the first of the year but like you said, you never know what bump in the road will happen. I sure hope everything goes through for you all as I know a lot of folks will like being able to trap next year at the NAFA meet.