Migratory Bird Preservation Facility Guidelines

A Migratory Bird Preservation Facility is any person, taxidermist, cold storage facility, locker plant, or hunting club which receives, possesses, or is in custody of any migratory game birds belonging to another person for purposes of picking, cleaning, freezing, processing, storage, or shipment. To operate as a Migratory Bird Preservation Facility, the facility must:

Ensure incoming birds are properly tagged
Keep an accurate record of both incoming and outgoing transactions
Allow the premises to be inspected.

Proper Tagging

When facilities receive and distribute migratory birds, the birds must have tags attached with the following information:

Hunter’s signature hunter
Hunter’s address
Total number and species of birds harvested
Date the birds were harvested.

Recordkeeping

Facilities must maintain accurate records of and be able to identify every bird received by or in custody of the facility by the name of the person from whom the birds were obtained. Required elements:

Number of each species obtained
Location where the birds were harvested
Date they were received
Name and address of the person from whom the birds were obtained
Date the birds were disposed of
Name and address of the person to whom the birds were delivered.

Facilities must maintain records for one year following the last entry on the record.

Hunting clubs which do not fully process migratory birds by removing both the head and wings do not need to follow these guidelines.

Inspections

Facilities may not prevent any authorized enforcement person from entering and inspecting the facility and its recrods at all reasonable hours.

Other Important Rules

You may not transport migratory game birds belonging to another person unless such birds are properly tagged.
You may not receive or have in custody any migratory game birds belonging to another person unless such birds are properly tagged.
You may not transport within the United States any migratory game birds, except doves and band-tailed pigeons, unless the head or one fully feathered wing remains attached to each bird at all times while transporting it from where it was harvested to your home or a migratory bird preservation facility.