I went to my local DNR office and got conflicting stories from the wardens there. One said it is legal to sell a tanned bear hide, one said it wasnt. I have been unable to contact Madison and was wondering if anyone new the right answer?
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If you are a taxidermist, here is what I can tell from the Wisconsin Taxidermy Permit Requirements Taxidermy rulebook. Under buying / selling: " Wisconsin Statutes prohibit any person from buying or selling fish and game. One legal exception provides that wildlife mounted, or in the process of being mounted (hide or cape removed) FOR A PRIVATE COLLECTION ( not intended for sale)may be bought or sold. Wildlife cannot be mounted for the purpose of sale. Sale can only take place after the specimen is part of a private collection. ...... Any part of a collection including a taxidermist's private collection can be sold, except migratory birds cannot be sold."
It is my opinion that if you are a Liscenced Taxidermist in WI or the tanned bear hide is part of your own personal collection, or you mount a bear or make a bear hide rug, it first needs to be part of your own private collection. Then you can sell it.
It is very hard to interpret this s--t! You know it's a badly written law, when even the game wardens at the DNR can't tell you.
Good luck
Rick
I just spoke with the DNR about buying a taxidermy permit for doing hobby taxidermy and they said you don't need one unless you intend on making money off of the hobby.
As far as selling or buying goes...I think you can buy anything except bear to practice mounting on. Then once you mount and it becomes "your personal collection" you can sell it. From what I understand you can buy or sell a cape if it is taged properly, but you can not buy full skulls, feet, claws, or any organs. Hope this helps....Call Madison if you have any questions.
If you have a taxidemy liscence in Wisconsin you also have a fur buyers liscence.The game warden in my county has left me with the understanding that I can buy and sell hides and bear are also legal for me to sell.as long as the parts are all attached.Once tanned it's legal for me to sell to anyone when it is legal for them to buy in their state.The person who kills a bear CAN sell the hide as long as the head and claws are attached.I can sell unclaimed mounts except for waterfowl and I can sell finished mounts completed from hides I have puchases.Fish are only allowed for sale if they are unclaimed.Your best bet is to call your LOCAL warden and get his take on things.
Thanks for the responses, after talking with three people in madison I got a consensus that as long as it is already tanned, I can legally sell it, if it was green, it would have to have the claws and skull and teeth still intact.