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History of the PFHT
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Prior to 1976, falconry here in Pennsylvania was regulated solely by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. In those days, one only needed to apply to the Commission, remit the appropriate fee, and a falconry permit would be issued. There were no restrictions other than the fact that falconers were required to abide by the regular gunning seasons and bag limits. There were no tests, no apprenticeship requirement, no restrictions on the number or type of raptors that one could possess.
In 1972, the peregrine falcon was added to the Endangered Species List. (The USF&WS list of species threatened with extinction.) This fact forever changed the face of falconry throughout the United States. Because of this listing, the USF&WS was compelled to regulate the sport of falconry. The Service, with considerable input from the falconry community, promulgated a set of federal regulations which were finally enacted in 1976. Those regulations set minimum standards and required the states to develop their own regulations for the practice of the sport of falconry.
In early 1976, anticipatory to the development of state falconry statutes, a relatively obscure falconer from Philadelphia named Joe Sibel, decided to try to organize the falconers in Pennsylvania. He got a list of all 86 licensed falconers from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and notified everyone that there would be an organizational meeting in Burnt Cabins, PA. About 40 falconers attended that meeting. Although there were some dissenting votes cast by some very notable falconers, the majority opinion was that a state organization would be best way to approach the PGC about getting the state regulations passed. A Constitution and By-Laws Committee and an Election Committee were formed at that meeting and the PFHT was off and running. By November of 1976, the PFHT had 43 members, had ratified it's Constitution and By-Laws, and had held elections. Ironically, Joe Sibel, the club's organizer never joined.
By the end of its first year, the PFHT membership totaled 55 falconers.
The Club sent representatives to the PGC to help establish the state falconry regulations. At that time the PGC Executive Director and LE Chief were very skeptical of falconers. The Game Commission was adamantly opposed to anyone profiting from wildlife and there were unfounded rumors that some falconers were trapping and selling gyrfalcons to the Arabs. Even though the rumors were ultimately proven to be false, the PFHT had an uphill battle in its attempt to secure decent regulations for PA falconers. We began the quest for an extended falconry season, the legal transfer of raptors between falconers, the use of captive-bred birds, and the use of non-PA native raptors. The PGC finally granted all of our requests, but only after we had spent a tremendous amount of time inundating them with the scientific data to support our positions.
In January of 1977, The PFHT held it's first Field Meet. The event took place the in cold, snowy mountains of a little town in the Northern Tier of PA named Galeton. It was attended by 21 falconers who brought 14 birds. Only two head of game was taken at that first meet, both rabbits and both were taken by a tiercel redtail.
By the summer of 1977, the state had adopted it's own set of falconry regulations. Anyone who was already in possession of a valid falconry permit at the time was granted General Class status, provided they scored at least an 80% on the falconry exam. Only a meager handful of the PA falconers failed. Those who did fail were allowed to re-take the test at a later date; but if they then passed, they were granted only Apprentice status.
In August of 1977, the PFHT held it's first club picnic in Burnt Cabins, the site of the club's founding. The affair was very well attended and thus established a long and enjoyable tradition. The hot topic was the exam and the ramifications that the new regulations would have on our passion.
By December of 1977, the PFHT published the first edition of its annual Journal entitled the WING BEAT.
Today, PA falconers enjoy the some of the most liberal state falconry regulations anywhere in the United States and, that is all because of the PFHT.
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