How to Get a Falconry License in Mississippi
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Mississippi
Falconry in Mississippi is regulated by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP), specifically the Wildlife Bureau. To practice falconry legally in MS, 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.
Mississippi does not publish how many questions its falconry exam has. You need 80% or higher to pass it. Up-front fees for an apprentice come to $100. Mississippi 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 Mississippi.
The southern United States provides year-round falconry opportunities thanks to mild winters and abundant small game populations. Southern falconers enjoy long hunting seasons and diverse quarry including cottontails, squirrels, and various game birds. The region's mix of open farmland, pine forests, and brushy fencerows creates excellent hawking habitat, particularly for Red-tailed Hawks and Harris's Hawks that thrive in the warmer climate.
More on falconry across the South, including trapping seasons, terrain and the regional community.
No active club on file for Mississippi
We haven't been able to confirm an active falconry club in Mississippi. The national directory can put you in touch with falconers nearby, and if you know of a club here we would genuinely like to hear about it.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Mississippi is handled through the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP). Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Mississippi falconry exam covers raptor biology, training, housing, health care, and both state and federal regulation. You need at least 80% to pass. Mississippi does not publish the number of questions on its falconry exam. Confirm the format with Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) when you book it. Contact MDWFP Wildlife Bureau to schedule exam.
- •California Hawking Club Apprentice Study Guide
Need help preparing? See our falconry exam preparation guide for study strategies and practice questions.
💰 Fees
A new apprentice in Mississippi pays $100 up front, covering the permit. 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.
Source: agency documentChecked September 13, 2026.
🏠 Facility Requirements
Your facilities must pass inspection before Mississippi issues a licence. Mississippi 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. Facility inspection required before permit issuance.
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Mississippi
- A sponsoring adult is named on the form itself
- Mississippi's application asks any applicant aged between fourteen and eighteen, or anyone who has never held a falconry licence before, to name a sponsoring adult and their permit number on the form.
- Applying is not permission to hold a bird
- The form says so in terms: the application does not authorise the applicant to possess a raptor. That comes only once the examination is passed and the facilities are approved.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Mississippi
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Mississippi 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 Mississippi
Want to get into falconry in Mississippi? 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 Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) on (601) 432-2199. Last checked 2026-08-21.