I fully support the proposal…

I fully support the proposal to expand the live capture of wild raptors by licensed falconers.
It is a real shame that many well-intentioned people fail to see the wonders of what falconry is and what falconers have done. Falconers were and are at the forefront of preserving these wonderful birds. It was through the concerted efforts of falconers that raptors were reintroduced to many areas of the wild. It may well be that many raptor species that are now plentiful would have been extinct without the direct efforts of dedicated falconers. Few if any can possibly understand and appreciate raptors better than falconers. They are the most "expert" of the "experts" concerning raptors. They deal with all aspects of raptor care and behavior on a daily basis and completely know and fully understand their birds . Sure, there may be a few who fail to live up to the high ideals which most falconers hold dear, but that can be said for just about anything. Wild take by falconers has shown to have absolutely no negative impacts on wild populations of raptors and has the potential to increase wild raptor numbers with the common practice of taking young birds that have a very high risk of natural mortality in their first year and training them and protecting them from natural threats, and later, releasing them when they are fit and capable adults that have a much lower mortality rate in the wild. Many well-intentioned, but unknowledgeable regarding what falconry is and accomplishes, people may oppose wild take with a belief that there is a distinct "line" between "domestic animals" and "wild animals" and a belief that "wild animals" should remain "wild." Raptors are proud, capable animals that thrive as falconry birds and they thrive in the "wild" as well. There is, and should be, room for both.