CertAlert 13-01: Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance 1

Federal Aviation Administration 

National Part 139 CertAlert

**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**

Date: 01/30/2013 No. 13-01

To: Part 139 Airport Operators 

Subject: Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance

Point of Contact: John R Weller, AAS-300, 202-267-3778

Email: john.weller@faa.gov

1. Purpose. This CertAlert provides assistance to airport operators with the acquisition of 

Federal or State depredation permits.

2. Background. Airports should maintain Federal and State depredation permits when lethal or 

other permitted techniques to reduce wildlife threats are necessary. Most wildlife under the 

purview of Federal or State agencies require special permits if an airport operator has decided to 

lethally control, take, possess, or transport the hazardous wildlife for depredation control. 

Nonlethal, non-injurious methods of exclusion, harassment, or dispersal may be used without a 

depredation permit to reduce or eliminate threats from wildlife1. 

To aid airport operators in the acquisition of depredation permits, the FAA has provided contact 

information for each State wildlife or natural resource agency web site (Attachment 1) and 

applicable information to acquire Federal depredation permits (Attachments 2, 3, and 4). 

Requirements for a State depredation permit vary from state to state. Some states may require 

fees or the acquisition of other permits or licenses (i.e., hunting licenses) when procuring a 

depredation permit.

Federally protected species require consultation and permitting through the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (USFWS). The regulations governing migratory bird permits can be found in 

50 CFR part 13 (General Permit Procedures) and 50 CFR part 21 (Migratory Bird Permits).

Generally, no permit is required to harass or disperse depredating migratory birds other than 

endangered or threatened species, species of special concern, and bald or golden eagles. Also, 

the USFWS requires a Migratory Bird Damage Project Report (WS Form 37) prepared by the 

 

1

The taking (the definition of which includes harassment and lethal removal) of game (including birds) in Alaska is 

regulated by Alaska Statute 16.05.920 Prohibited Conduct Generally and Title 5 Alaska Administrative Code 

92.033 Permit For Scientific, Educational, Propagative, Or Public Safety Purposes.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services. 

Wildlife Services provides their recommendation for depredation problems on WS Form 37. 

Separately, endangered or threatened species, species of special concern, and bald or golden

eagle mitigation also requires special permits.

The amount of time necessary to acquire a depredation permit depends on several factors. These 

may include the type of permit (Federal or State), time of year the permit application is 

submitted, and proper completion of the application forms (i.e., inclusion of WS Form 37 for 

Migratory Bird Permits). Associated requirements of certain State wildlife permit offices may 

involve prior acquisition of a Migratory Bird Permit, hunting license, Federal Duck Stamp, and 

Upland Gamebird, Migratory Gamebird, and Sandhill Crane permits. Airports that have an 

urgent need to expedite the procurement of a depredation permit should communicate this to the 

permitting office(s). If it is necessary in the interim, airports should maintain mitigation 

techniques that do not require a permit and/or acquire assistance from professionals who have the 

proper authority.

3. Actions. If an airport experiences delays or requires assistance to expedite the permitting 

process, they are advised to notify their regional FAA office. FAA Airport Certification Safety 

Inspectors will verify, when applicable, that airports have obtained proper local, State, and 

Federal wildlife control permits.

January 30, 2013

___________________________ _______________

Brian Rushforth, Manager DATE 

Airport Safety and Operations Division, AAS-300 
CertAlert 13-01: Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance 3

ATTACHMENT 1 - STATE FISH, WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCE AGENCY WEB SITES

Alabama – http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/agfd Alaska – http://www.state.ak.us/adfg

Arizona – http://www.gf.state.az.us/ Arkansas – http://www.agfc.com/

California – http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ Colorado – http://wildlife.state.co.us/

Connecticut – http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/ Delaware – http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/

Florida – http://myfwc.com/ Georgia – http://www.gadnr.org/

Hawaii – http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/ Idaho – http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/

Illinois – http://www.dnr.illinois.gov Indiana – http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/

Iowa – http://www.iowadnr.com/index.html Kansas – http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/

Kentucky – http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/ Louisiana – http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/

Maine – http://www.maine.gov/ifw/ Maryland – http://www.dnr.state.md.us/

Massachusetts – http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/ Michigan – http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Minnesota – http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/index.html Mississippi – http://mdwfp.com/

Missouri – http://mdc.mo.gov/ Montana – http://fwp.mt.gov/

Nebraska – http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/ Nevada – http://ndow.org/

New Hampshire – http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/ New Jersey – http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw

New Mexico – http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/ New York – http://www.dec.ny.gov/

North Carolina – http://www.ncwildlife.org/ North Dakota – http://gf.nd.gov/

Ohio – http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/ Oklahoma – http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/

Oregon – http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ Pennsylvania - http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pgc/9106

Rhode Island - http://www.dem.ri.gov/ South Carolina – http://www.dnr.sc.gov/

South Dakota – http://gfp.sd.gov/ Tennessee – http://www.state.tn.us/twra/

Texas – http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ Utah – http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/

Vermont – http://www.anr.state.vt.us/ Virginia – http://www.dgif.state.va.us/

Washington – http://wdfw.wa.gov/ West Virginia – http://www.wvdnr.gov/

Wisconsin – http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/ Wyoming – http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/home.aspx
CertAlert 13-01: Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance 4

ATTACHMENT 2 - UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

MIGRATORY BIRD PERMITS REGULATION 50 CFR § 21.41

Title 50: Wildlife and Fisheries

CHAPTER I: UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE 

INTERIOR 

SUBCHAPTER B: TAKING, POSSESSION, TRANSPORTATION, SALE, PURCHASE, 

BARTER, EXPORTATION, AND IMPORTATION OF WILDLIFE AND PLANTS 

PART 21: MIGRATORY BIRD PERMITS

Subpart D: Control of Depredating and Otherwise Injurious Birds

21.41 - Depredation permits.

(a) Permit requirement. Except as provided in §§ 21.42 through 21.46, a depredation permit is 

required before any person may take, possess, or transport migratory birds for depredation 

control purposes. No permit is required merely to scare or herd depredating migratory birds other 

than endangered or threatened species or bald or golden eagles.

(b) Application procedures. Submit application for depredation permits to the appropriate 

Regional Director (Attention: Migratory bird permit office). You can find addresses for the 

Regional Directors in 50 CFR 2.2. Each application must contain the general information and 

certification required in § 13.12(a) of this subchapter, and the following additional information:

(1) A description of the area where depredations are occurring;

(2) The nature of the crops or other interests being injured;

(3) The extent of such injury; and

(4) The particular species of migratory birds committing the injury.

(c) Additional permit conditions. In addition to the general conditions set forth in part 13 of this 

subchapter B, depredation permits shall be subject to requires, in this section:

(1) Permittees may not kill migratory birds unless specifically authorized on the permit.

(2) Unless otherwise specifically authorized, when permittees are authorized to kill migratory 

birds they may do so only with a shotgun not larger than No. 10 gauge fired from the shoulder, 

and only on or over the threatened area or area described on the permit.
CertAlert 13-01: Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance 5

(3) Permittees may not use blinds, pits, or other means of concealment, decoys, duck calls, or 

other devices to lure or entice birds within gun range.

(4) All migratory birds killed shall be retrieved by the permittee and turned over to a Bureau 

representative or his designee for disposition to charitable or other worthy institutions for use as 

food, or otherwise disposed of as provided by law.

(5) Only persons named on the permit are authorized to act as agents of the permittee under 

authority of the permit.

(d) Tenure of permits. The tenure of depredation permits shall be limited to the dates which 

appear on its face, but in no case shall be longer than one year.

[39 FR 1178, Jan. 4, 1974, as amended at 42 FR 17122, Mar. 31, 1977; 63 FR 52637, Oct. 1, 

1998]
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ATTACHMENT 3 – APPLICATION FOR USFWS MIGRATORY BIRD 

DEPREDATION PERMIT
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ATTACHMENT 4 – USDA / APHIS / WILDLIFE SERVICES CONTACT 

INFORMATION FOR WS FORM 37 MIGRATORY BIRD DAMAGE PROJECT REPORT

(REQUIRED FOR COMPLETION OF USFWS MIGRATORY BIRD DEPREDATION 

PERMIT SECTION D-10)
CertAlert 13-01: Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance 14

Office Director Phone

Alabama, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico Frank Boyd (334) 844-5670

Arkansas Thurman Booth (501) 835-2318

Florida Edwin Hartin (352) 377-5556

Georgia Steve Smith (706) 546-5637

Illinois Scott Beckerman (217) 241-6700

Indiana Judy Loven (765) 494-6229

Louisiana Dwight LeBlanc (225) 389-0229

Maine John Forbes (207) 629-5181

Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Kevin Sullivan (410) 349-8055

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island Monte Chandler (413) 253-2403

Michigan Peter Butchko (517) 336-1928

Minnesota Gary Nohrenberg (651) 224-6027

Mississippi Kris Godwin (662) 325-3014

Missouri, Iowa Seth Swafford (573) 449-3033

New Hampshire, Vermont Parker Hall (603) 223-6832

New Jersey Wendy Anderson (908) 735-5654

New York Martin Lowney (518) 477-4837

North Carolina Jon Heisterberg (919) 786-4480

Ohio Andy Montoney (614) 861-6087

Pennsylvania Harris Glass (717) 236-9451

South Carolina Noel Myers (803) 786-9455

Tennessee, Kentucky Brett Dunlap (615) 736-5506

Virginia Scott Barras (804) 739-7739

West Virginia Chris Croson (304) 636-1785

Wisconsin Jason Suckow (608) 837-2727

Arizona David Bergman (602) 870-2081

California Dennis Orthmeyer (916) 979-2675

Colorado Mike Yeary (303) 236-5810

Hawaii, Pacfic Islands Mike Pitzler (808) 838-2840

Idaho Todd Grimm (208) 378-5077

Kansas Tom Halstead (785) 537-6855

Montana John Steuber (406) 657-6464

Nebraska Tim Veenendaal (402) 434-2340

Nevada Mark Jensen (775) 851-4848

New Mexico Alan May (505) 346-2640

North Dakota, South Dakota Phil Mastrangelo (701) 250-4405

Oklahoma Kevin Grant (405) 521-4039

Oregon Dave Williams (503) 326-2346

South Dakota N/A (605) 224-8692

Texas Mike Bodenchuk (210) 472-5451

Utah Mike Linnell (801) 975-3315

Washington, Alaska Roger Woodruff (360) 753-9884

Wyoming Rod Krischke (307) 261-5336