Hi all. A guy brought in a mexican eagle, I think their called "caracars" or something like that, and wanted it mounted. I live in south central Texas. It's a pretty bird, black, with white head and yellowish orange feet.
Does anyone know if it is legal to mount this bird?
Thanks
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http://permits.fws.gov/overview/overview.shtml
Ther are part of the act that protects buzzards and birds of prey.
That being the case, then NO it is not legal unless he is working with an educational or federal institution with salvage permits.
In the event that there is an open season, then you need his normal information that you would take from any hunter and proof that he had a mexican license. I'd get a photocopy of the license and proof of an open season.
Caracaras are native to the U.S. and are considered a migratory bird, not to mention a raptor on top of that. It is highly ill-Eagle (sorry couldn't resist) for you to possess without proper documentation from an educational, state, federal or other institute with proper salvage permits.
I would give the guy a call tonight and tell him he needs copies of all the papers, be it mexican hunting license (with proof that that speices can be legally hunted), a salvage permit and as much information as you can get on who he works for and why this is being mounted. I would go further to tell him that it needs to be faxed to you no later than 8am tomorrow morning or the bird will be discarded by 8:15.
Now...I have to get on my soap box. If you people are going to mount birds... you REALLY need to know the laws and better yet know your speices. You CAN NOT just mount any old bird that Joe Blow brings and slaps down with a deposit. The fact of the matter is this.. IF YOU LIVE IN THE STATES.. if it isn't a duck, goose, quail, dove (some speices excluded), crane, swan (some state tags needed and some speices excluded), coot, rail, pheasant, turkey, pigeon, starling, house sparrow or domestic pet.. then you'd best be raising your own red flags and finding out who why where when and how ALL before you take possession of it. And if you DONT KNOW what it is.. DONT take it in. So come on now people.. there are laws out there... just like driving a car and to be honest not much more difficult to understand. Get with the program or be prepared to deal with the feds.
Off my soap box now..
have a great evening!
Jon
You never actually said that you took possession of the bird... So I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn't.
Jon
The Whooping Crane is excluded from subtopic "Cranes"
Many of you are to young to remember back in the mid 1980's when one of the states had Federal Agents at every shop at the sametime.
You know that the Feds. have the man power to do just that and to them its far more important that terrorist or drugs.
Thanks everyone for the info. I had a feeling they were protected. I had never seen one mounted,just pictures in some magazines and I see them flying around all the time.
The man had found it freshly dead on the highway, which is rare for this bird.
No, I didn't take it in. And when I told him I wouldn't take it in before I checked with you folks, he was slightly mad, and took it home and put it into his freezer.
They are beautiful birds!
Thanks to all.
Are highly protected in Mexico.