West Virginia Falconry Regs and/or falconry clubs in WV??

[ladyfalconer]

I was wondering if anyone has a link to West Virginia DNR for the falconry regs or has a link for falconry club(s) in WV.

The link on Modern Apprentice does not work and other contact info I have tried has yielded no responses.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Chappy]

The only "club" I know of in WV is the falconry academy in Greenbrier Co. I think that's where it's at anyhow. I may have the link on my home PC, I will check when I get home. If you need contact info for the woman at DNR who manages all the current licenses and new licenses I have that at home too

[Lowachi]

p/m sent

[ladyfalconer]

Thank you Chappy and Rich for your responses.
I will look into the info Rich.
Chappy, please send me that info when you can. I thank you in advance.

[FredFogg]

There is an article in the April issue of the Hawk Chalk from the newly formed WV Hawking Club, with only 4 members, all from the southern part of the state. They don't have a website and don't state any contact information, so maybe you can just try and contact them directly. PM me if you don't have access to the article and I can give you their names and you can try and find a way to contact them.

And I think the "club" Chappy is referring to isn't really a club but a falconry display done at The Greenbriar Hotel under an educational permit. The same guy has a display at The Homestead in VA.

[Chappy]

Sherry Young is the person who manages WV falconry info. You can reach her at 304-558-2771. Looking back through my paperwork, I didnt get the regs off the website, Sherry sent me the regs (58-65-1 through 58-65-11 if you have access to a WV code book, by some off chance). And yes, that is the "club" I was talking about, Fred.

[FredFogg]

And yes, that is the "club" I was talking about, Fred.

Chappy, it can sometimes be a heated debate, but in my opinion, displays with raptors are not falconry. My definition of falconry is Hunting with a trained bird of prey! The key word there is hunting! Displays are not hunting, they are just what they are, displays! LOL

[Chappy]

No debate here from me, thus why "club" was in quotes in my initial response. It was the closest thing I could find when I began my search for local falconry resources. I was dismayed when I heard the price tag for an outing with them, however. When I found out from Sherry that there were only 12 WV falconry licenses in the state, I gave up my search in WV.

[FredFogg]

No debate here from me, thus why "club" was in quotes in my initial response. It was the closest thing I could find when I began my search for local falconry resources. I was dismayed when I heard the price tag for an outing with them, however. When I found out from Sherry that there were only 12 WV falconry licenses in the state, I gave up my search in WV.

Yeah, it wasn't legal when I lived there. I checked into what WV required for me to take my birds up there to hunt as my sister lives in Parkersburg and it was probably Sherry that emailed me back. I forget exactly what all they wanted, but it was way more than I was willing to put myself through to go up there to try and chase a few rabbits and squirrels. I never took my birds.

[ladyfalconer]

Thanks for the info guys! I really appreciate it. Chappy I will call and get that info.

[redhawksis]

http://www.raptorsupclose.com/

Leah...these guys run an ed program(we have given them non-releaseables) Father and son falconers out of Berkeley Springs, WVA. You might want to contact them.

[ladyfalconer]

Thanks Stacey! I got their address from another NAFEX member, and was able to learn about the regs in WV.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Missed you at the arboretum on Sat.

[redhawksis]

You planning a move to WV?

I was at the beach on Saturday!

[ladyfalconer]

Ha! Tempting but no......just getting information on it since the regs are new w/in the last 10 years.

[mfrey]

Resurrecting an old thread but just got our website up and running:

www.wvfalconry.org.

[RedFox]

Good job, guys! I've been wondering how things have been going there as I know there's only a small group of you in WV and that it had been hard working with the State's DNR (don't know if that's changed or not). As someone who was born in WV and went to college at WVU, I'm glad you've stuck it out and are keeping things going there... Someday I'll be back flying hawks again there! In the meantime, nice website!

[FredFogg]

Resurrecting an old thread but just got our website up and running:

www.wvfalconry.org.

Just read your regs, looks like they are written as if you all have been accepted to convert over on January 1, 2014. Good to see that!

Also, check out the Forum Rules above, pay attention to Number 1. LOL

[mfrey]

It's been a very long and tiring road but we've finally overcome a lot of the inexplicable prejudice within the DNR echelons.

The new regs are moving through the 2013 general session and should be in effect soon to meet federal compliance before the deadline.

Although DNR was unmoved by some of our petitions for the new regs, we're very pleased with the outcome.

We launched the club anticipating that falconry can now blossom here. We're seeing a lot of interest; our ranks are steadily growing.

[sharptail]

It's been a very long and tiring road but we've finally overcome a lot of the inexplicable prejudice within the DNR echelons.

Interesting that you mention this. It has been a topic of discussion concerning its affects here in Wyoming. I have been getting word about LE in both Utah and Wyoming drastically affecting a fellow falconer's life in a vicious unwarrented attack with a potential outcome of jail time. He has told me that when he was a minor in Utah, that he had a falconry permit and that the game dept LE invited themselves into his mothers home and started going through the computer. When she arrived home, she ordered them out and sued the dept and won. He says that when he moved to Wyoming years later, that LE in Utah and Wyoming were in contact and that is when the trouble began in Wy. With denied permits, clerical errors, and conveniently lost evidence, within the Wyoming dept., a Warden knowingly falsely charged him with unlawful posession of his birds. Intra dept emails implicate at least 3 dept personnel, all in LE.

One question, begging to be answered is: Why is LE within the dept directed to handle Falconry Permitting instead of the Permitting Office itself. Another queston is: Why are some permits issued 'at the descresion of' LE and not on the basis of 'under regulation'...that is, a qualified person applys for a permit in an official way and the permit is issued under law?

Some falconers here in Wy. seem content to sell this man down the river, saying that they don't trust him, he has never been one of us, he didn't join the state club upon arrival, ect. Others are concerned about a rewrite of the falconry regs to make them a little more even handed.

http://www.nafex.net/showthread.php?t=17151