Tips for dealing with regulators

[Jan Croot]

Anyone have wisdom to share on dealing with Fish & Game, which seems to have endless secret rules, intent on blocking raising pheasants for meat.

 

[R2elk]

Anyone have wisdom to share on dealing with Fish & Game, which seems to have endless secret rules, intent on blocking raising pheasants for meat.

Talk to your local game warden. Every state has different rules for possession and raising of pheasants. The local game warden or DNR agent will have access to these rules.

If you are wanting to sell processed pheasants you will also have to deal with your state health and agriculture departments.

 

[Jan Croot]

Did.

They will not hand out copies of the "Guidelines. " Its all "other factors" and "case by case basis" No concrete regulation to aim at. To many weird pauses. I definitely got the sense that I need to pay someone off. (I found two examples of that). Even the good old boys can't bust through that regulatory wall.

Direct sales through farmers markets are allowed under the USDA exception for 1,000 birds, but curiously, if you ask the health folks what they want to seen in a home processing situation, they basically hang up the phone.

 

[Jan Croot]

You need to follow the guidelines

May I have a copy of the guidelines

You have to apply for the permit first

Okay, here's the permit application, may I have a copy of the guidelines

You need an inspection first.

Sure, stop by

You failed the inspection because you have not built the flyway yet

I have not built the flyway, because I don't know what your rules are. I'm not going to invest in construction only to find it does not fit your rules. May I have a copy please.

Inspector leaves. NO guidelines

After screaming at the state level, I find that there ARE no farming guidelines, only rehab, with CLEARLY state that Max is four birds. You can't farm with only four birds.

Every request for farming guidelines up and down that regulatory and political ladder, zero success.

 

[R2elk]

You need to follow the guidelines

May I have a copy of the guidelines

You have to apply for the permit first

Okay, here's the permit application, may I have a copy of the guidelines

You need an inspection first.

Sure, stop by

You failed the inspection because you have not built the flyway yet

I have not built the flyway, because I don't know what your rules are. I'm not going to invest in construction only to find it does not fit your rules. May I have a copy please.

Inspector leaves. NO guidelines

After screaming at the state level, I find that there ARE no farming guidelines, only rehab, with CLEARLY state that Max is four birds. You can't farm with only four birds.

Every request for farming guidelines up and down that regulatory and political ladder, zero success.

Without knowing what state you are in, I really can't help you. In my state the rules and regulations are posted online. They may be difficult to find but they are there.

I also found that it pays to be pleasant and not argumentative.

 

[muddy75]

i had no problem passing state and local inspection for my area, but as R2elk stated, it is difficult for us to help not knowing where you are located. R2elk is in one of the most strict areas and very knowledgeable, and @007Sean is very knowledgeable on gamebird regulations as well......you have lots of experienced resources here. the only issue i encountered with the state is that the game warden had trouble contacting me for the inspection because he was calling at the time of my mother’s funeral and i missed the initial calls. again, you catch more flies with honey, and they want to see some sort of effort to keep the birds healthy, happy, and contained safely and humanely prior to approving a permit. I built a 17x37 foot aviary in my backyard mainly for quail but added pheasants and chukar. i had to do a bit of upgrading and learning for the different birds.

 

[007Sean]

I agree with @R2elk , every state is different and sometimes it varies from county to county. As stated above, deal with a game warden, the bueracrats usually don't know the requirements and permits needed.
Good luck!