Exams for special wildlife licenses

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Licensing exams are coming up for falconry, wildlife rehabilitation and tracking deer or bear with dogs.

The Department of Environmental Conservation has set a date of April 18 for all three exams. Applications are due by April 5 and exams will be held at DEC's regional offices statewide.

Volunteer wildlife rehabilitators care for injured, sick and orphaned animals with the goal of returning them to the wild. Falconers hunt wild quarry with a trained bird of prey.

Licensed handlers of leashed tracking dogs can track a wounded deer or bear for a hunter or after a vehicle accident.

Applications and information is available at DEC's special licenses website: http://bit.ly/H9hrIi .