How to Get a Falconry License in Michigan
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Michigan
Falconry in Michigan is regulated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, specifically the Wildlife Division. To practice falconry legally in MI, you need a state falconry permit. A separate federal falconry permit is no longer issued to individual falconers — the state permit is the one that matters. The process involves passing a written exam, having your facilities inspected, and finding a licensed sponsor if you are applying as an apprentice.
Michigan does not publish how many questions its falconry exam has. You need 80% or higher to pass it. Michigan does not publish its permit fee. Michigan does not publish a minimum mews size, so build to the federal standard and confirm before your inspection. Below is what you need to get started with falconry in Michigan.
The midwestern United States is a heartland for falconry, offering expansive agricultural landscapes, prairie grasslands, and river corridors that support thriving populations of small game. Midwestern falconers benefit from excellent access to public and private hunting land, and the region's mix of open fields and shelterbelts creates ideal habitat for both longwing and broadwing falconry. Red-tailed Hawks are the iconic midwestern falconry bird, perfectly adapted to hunting cottontails along fencerows and farm edges.
More on falconry across the Midwest, including trapping seasons, terrain and the regional community.
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The Michigan Hawking Club
You cannot be licensed as an apprentice without a sponsor, and almost everyone finds theirs through the state club. Meets, field days and introductions to general and master falconers all run through Michigan Hawking Club. Of everything on this page, this is the link worth following first.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Michigan is handled through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Michigan falconry exam covers raptor biology, training, housing, health care, and both state and federal regulation. You need at least 80% to pass. Michigan does not publish the number of questions on its falconry exam. Confirm the format with Michigan Department of Natural Resources when you book it. Contact DNR Wildlife Division to schedule exam
- •Federal falconry regulations
- •Michigan falconry study materials
Need help preparing? See our falconry exam preparation guide for study strategies and practice questions.
💰 Fees
Michigan does not publish its falconry permit fee in any document we could find, so ask the agency before you apply. Terms vary by state — some annual, some three or five years — so confirm yours with the agency. This is separate from the state hunting licence you will also need.
🏠 Facility Requirements
Your facilities must pass inspection before Michigan issues a licence. Michigan sets no minimum mews floor area in its regulations. The federal standards under 50 CFR 21.82 apply: the enclosure must protect the bird from predators and weather and let it fully extend its wings. A separate weathering area is required where your bird can sun and bathe outdoors. Your facilities must pass a wildlife officer inspection before you can be licensed. Federal minimum standards apply
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Michigan
- Every raptor must carry a marker, whatever its origin
- Michigan requires each raptor to be identified by an appropriate federal marker "regardless of origin or species" — captive-bred birds included. The order defines a marker as a serial-numbered federal device or an ISO-compliant 134.2 kHz microchip.
- Apprentices start at fourteen
- A Michigan apprentice falconer must be at least 14 years old, and passing the falconry examination is what makes an applicant eligible for the apprentice class.
- Hacking is defined in the order
- Michigan defines falconry hacking in the Wildlife Conservation Order itself — the temporary release of a raptor held for falconry to the wild, to survive on its own.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-04.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Michigan
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Michigan the state club is where those introductions happen. Sponsors tend to say yes to people who have already started studying and who turn up more than once.
The ask itself is covered in our guide to finding a falconry sponsor.
How to Become a Falconer in Michigan
Want to get into falconry in Michigan? Here is the recommended path to your license:
- 1Study for the exam — Use our exam prep guide and the study materials listed above.
- 2Find a sponsor — Connect with local falconers — see our guide to finding a sponsor.
- 3Build your facilities — Review mews construction requirements before starting.
- 4Serve your apprenticeship — Plan on at least two years flying one bird under your sponsor — our falconry apprenticeship guide covers what those years involve.
- 5Follow the complete path — See our step-by-step path to becoming a falconer for the full timeline.
- 6Know the license classes — Understand the three license classes and how you will progress from apprentice to general to master.
- 7Budget for equipment — Beyond the mews, work through the falconry equipment list, which prices each item you will need for your first season.
- 8Know the federal rules — Every state’s rules sit on the same federal framework — our guide to federal falconry regulations covers license classes, reporting and moving between states.
This page is a summary for general information, not legal advice. Falconry regulations change, and the authoritative source is always the state agency. Confirm anything you plan to act on with Michigan Department of Natural Resources on 517-284-6210. Last checked 2026-08-21.