How to Get a Falconry License in Wisconsin
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Wisconsin
Falconry in Wisconsin is regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, specifically the Bureau of Wildlife Management. To practice falconry legally in WI, 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.
Wisconsin's falconry exam consists of 105 questions, and you need 80% or higher to pass. Up-front fees for an apprentice come to $75. Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
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 Wisconsin Falconers Association
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 Wisconsin Falconers Association. Of everything on this page, this is the link worth following first.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Wisconsin is handled through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Wisconsin falconry exam covers raptor biology, training, housing, health care, and both state and federal regulation. You need at least 80% on the 105-question paper. Email DNRFalconry@wisconsin.gov with preferred location, date and time. Exams offered quarterly at various state locations.
- •Federal falconry regulations (50 CFR Part 21)
- •Wisconsin Admin Code NR 18
- •North American Falconry & Hunting Hawks - Beebe & Webster
- •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 Wisconsin pays $75 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 Wisconsin issues a licence. Wisconsin 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. Your facilities must pass a wildlife officer inspection before you can be licensed. Must meet federal regulations for raptor housing. Contact local conservation warden to schedule inspection.
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🦅 Species Notes
Wisconsin sets its own rules on which raptors may be flown. Federal rules already limit apprentices to red-tailed hawks and American kestrels; the restrictions below are what Wisconsin adds on top.
- ⚠️Bald eagles prohibited
- ⚠️Golden eagles require additional federal permit
Species profiles are in our falconry species guide.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Wisconsin
- Non-residents need a second, separate permit to trap
- Wisconsin splits the two activities: a falconry permit covers a resident's possession and practice, while a non-resident taking a raptor here needs a distinct raptor trapping permit. No falconry activity at all is lawful without one or the other.
- A falconer licensed abroad can fly here
- Wisconsin's chapter provides for a falconer holding a permit or licence from their own country to practise in the state, subject to the non-resident falconer permit and licence requirements.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Wisconsin
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Want to get into falconry in Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on 1-888-936-7463. Last checked 2026-08-21.