Does anyone know how to obtain a permit in PA?

[CAWoodduck]

On another forum, someone said they would have to obtain a permit from PA fish and game and have a Federal License and have their facilities inspected i order to buy a pair of Silver Wood ducks. Now i can see having to obtain a state permit to keep the woodies, but to be required to have a federal permit as well, it just doesnt seem right? Does anyone know this to be true? If anyone has any insight on how to get properly permited in PA, please post up! Take care and thank you in advance!!...............Jason

[Evy]

I'm told PA is strict about permits.
Your state gov't. site will direct you to the correct office for them.

As far as an inspection goes, I can't say how PA works, but I've never had a visit here in NY in over 20 years, even though the agreement to allow it is part of the permit process.

Whoever sells you a migratory bird MUST also give you Fed. transfer form #3-186 which allows you to have it. If you plan to raise & sell them, you need a Fed. permit as well as the state one. To get your fed. permit , go to this site http://www.fws.gov/permits/mbpermits/birdbasics.html.

[Duckman33mn]

I know in PA you need to have an Import/Export Permit, State & Federal License, & NPIP certification to ship or receive wild type birds(not just waterfowl). The shipper also needs to meet these requirements. More information can be obtained from the Board of Animal Health in your area.

[CAWoodduck]

Thanks for the responses fellas!! That is just crazy to have to jump through hoops in order to legally posess wildfowl/gamebirds in PA. Take care!!...............Jason

[Evy]

Most are nationwide but PA does have a few extra regarding poultry that make no sense. It's killed the shows in that state.

[richbar]

Pennsylvania has some of the strictest rules in the country. I live in Delaware and my wife is a large animal veterinarian. She often tells me that she can ship a cow into Canada easier than shipping one into Pennsylvania. I once inquired about getting a permit to sell wild waterfowl in PA. Turns out that you cannot get one unless you are a PA resident. Technically, it is illegal for an out of state person to go into PA to sell wild waterfowl at a swap meet or auction if those birds are found in PA. Species not native to PA only need the requisite health permits. I specifically called the PA fish and game department after a close friend of mine was fined at swap meet for having wood ducks and cackler geese. The game warden also wanted to cite him for having mallards (gray call ducks) and black ducks (east indies) but the guy raise such a fit with him that the birds he was looking at were not those species he let that go. It would be far simpler if there could be some consistant rule making amoung the states when it comes to gamebirds, health regulations and the like but I don't see that happening anytime soon.