Some few years ago, visiting The Greenbrier in WV, stopped and spoke with the person handling the Falconry operation there. Upon inquiring where and what did one hunt with the birds, he mentioned that he travelled to Virginia to do so for West Virginia and one other state,believe he said Hawaii, prohibited hunting w/ falcons?? Just curious why so many areas would permit it and yet two would not?? Hard to control, ownership of the birds themselves, ??? Thanks,

Because of their concern for the welfare of the birds, falconers were heavily involved in the writing of the federal level regulations that base the sport and of the state regs that manage it. Some states just don't feel that they have the resources, perhaps, to oversee the job properly and so just outlaw it out of hand. In the early '60's, there were quite a few of them. As time passes, more and more states permit the sport. Hawai'i has an excellent reason for forbidding it. No raptors! Once there were a couple of flightless species of hawk and eagle on the islands but they were exterminated long before Capt. Cook showed up. Since the federal regs stipulate the need for an apprenticeship period and that apprentices can only fly wild-caught redtails or kestrals, Hawai'i is out of the loop. W. VA, on the other hand, I don't understand.

Oldsarge, thanks for the reply. I will talk with a friend who has some connections in WV with the DNR and see what the official answer is regarding falconry in the state. Plenty of unoccupied forrests, fields, mountain ranges, fair amount of small game, etc. so must be some budgetary or administrative matter??? Will advise later.
Thanks