I keep telling people but you refuse to believe me..If you don't
have permits to have any part of a protected animal you can be
fined for having , using and/or selling said part..I have a permit
that I have to renew every year to have these animals and I have a
reason..educational use. I can not leave a feather behind at my
vets..You have to have a permit to harvest any of these animals.
Alot of these farmers that are harvesting horn buds are doing so
illegally and not only is it illegal for them to sell these pieces
it is extremely cruel to harvest a horn bud or an antler but they
do it because they're making big money..why Cause it's illegal..
It's black market. "
Ok, I will come out now, I have been lurking. I am a new jewlery
student and very very in love w/ my new found and forming art. I
have not got alot of insight or so far to share w/ any
and all of you, hence my keeping quiet and reading and learning.
However, I have now tripped upon a topic that I do know a few things
about and feel it my turn to share a bit. First of all, I am pretty
sure that elk, deer and moose DO NOT fall into a protected animal
category as yet. Otherwise we would never be allowed to hunt these
animals. Ok that said. the antlers as such are not protected either.
if we think about this a bit, as many have already said, they are
shed each year to be replaced each year w/ a new set. generally
speaking bigger better set at that :). Now as for selling these
items. I am not aware of any laws limiting the sales of these parts.
If you are infact, poaching the animal to get the antlers or teeth,
then yes it would be illegal. obviously. But let’s face it. there are
obviously sales of antlers. I am from Montana originally, and there
is a huge market of chandeliers made from antler that are sold for
thousands of dollars there. They are beautiful and I know that Jane
Fonda, herself bought one for several thousand dollars and graces Ted
Turner’s dining room as we speak. I don’t know all of the legal
jargon or mumbojumbo of it, but I am sure that if it were illegal
there are many many people who are still in business in Montana
alone, that would be in prison right now. As for protected animals,
yes. articles such as eagle and hawk feathers and skeletal parts are
not allowed to be in anyone’s possesion unless said permit is in
evidence or you personally are enrolled w/ a legal native american
enrollment in a legally recognized tribe. Growing up in the sticks
does have some advantages :). Thank you for your time and for all the
knowledge you share Cece Bercier
Hello everyone; I agree that the local wildlife offices or officer
would be the best place to ask about the legality of horn and bone
keeping in your state.
The phone book may be a poor place to start though. Here in Ohio we
have the state office of the Ohio Department Of Natural Resources in
Columbus and 5 (I believe) regional offices throughout the state. If
you do not live in the city or county that the regional office is in
it won’t appear in the phonebook.
Because the local wildlife officer is a law enforcement officer he
will probably have an unlisted phone number so the phone book will
not be of much help either.
Ask your local sheriff to get a hold of him or you also may have
luck obtaining a contact through your local park district or park
rangers as they have many of the same goals in their
responsibilities.
They reason they have unlisted phone numbers and hard to find
addresses is that they are law enforcement officers just like police,
highway patrol, sheriffs, etc. and they do not want to be “found” by
someone looking them up in phonebooks and other places of public
record.
Hello Richard, Sort of a late response to your question:
I have a couple of questions to pose regarding the use of
materials from wild animals (and/or plants such as vegetable
ivory). Do we know that the source is sustainable and that the
animals are being killed for some other reason like food or
sanctioned hunting? Are we creating or expanding a market for
these products that will help to promote poaching for profit?
I can only speak to the Kansas experience, but the natural deer herd
has multiplied dramatically in the last 50 years. Even 10 years
ago, deer hunting permits were only available to Kansans and
landowners. This season, landowners could purchase additional
permits and actually resell them to out-of-state hunters - at any
price they wanted.
Deer are so plentiful that they are considered a nuisance by farmers
because of the crop damage. During fall rutting season, there is
real danger of colliding with a deer on the road - the deer have
their minds on other things, you know. Would you believe that elk
are also on the increase? Yup. A car was totaled by collision with
an elk.
The state is living up to the song lyric “Where the deer and the
antelope play.” - huh, except for the antelope part.
As always, moderation is the key to sustainability. My US$.02,Judy
in Kansas
Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936
Here is an odd bent on the subject. I was set up at the Lincoln Rd.
antique/collectible show last year on Miami Beach. Next to me was a
booth loaded with Elephant ivory, rough, slabs, finished jewelry,
carvings both new and old. He was selling it rather reasonable. He
had bags of blocks and strips sold by weight. You could buy a 1
pound bag from $20-80 depending on the quality of what was in it. I
like many others asked the dealer how it was possible he could deal
in it. He had a permit from the Fish & Wild Life Dept. and he was an
ex agent for the department. That is how he came upon the ivory.
Most of what he was selling was confiscated by the department and he
purchased it from them. I tried to strike up other conversation
about how it was that he an agent was able to aquire the ivory, and
can others do so. What are the laws and requirements involved? Rain
and winds came and caused the show to close early. He did say he
spends a lot of time in the Keys both living and selling his
inventory.
Cece Bercier