I found an owl on the side of the road in pretty good shape. Thing looks like it was hit while trying to eat a rabbit roadkill. I'd like to skin it, I have all the supplies I need but I'm not sure how to skin a bird. Not quite like skinning a squirrel I suppose, or is it? Any websites with how-to things I could go to?
PS- I don't plan on selling this or doing anything with it for profit. Just learning... Then I pass this stuff on to my mom for her art class. Especially would like to save the wings and talons. Shame to let such a good bird go to waste.
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better put him back! it is not leagle to own any part of an owl.
Heather,throw it back where you found it. They're protected, dead and alive.
.....Cause I hate to see this stuff go to waste too. Call your local Game Warden, immediatly. Tell him that you'd like to mount this owl for a school and ask him if he knows of any that would like it. Possibly the school where your mom teaches! Unless the warden is a real %$#^, they will usually work with you.
I surley would toss the bird. It is a great idea to preserve such a bird and could preserve and educate allot of people, but is highley illegal. If you do like George says and ask a local game warden you may be able to get some kind of special/education/exibit permit, but the wardens where I live would arrest you for sure. It is not worth the risk, not even close, toss the bird.
Thanks for the responses!
I had no idea you could not keep a bird such as this...
But now I do!
NON-game Federally protected: Federally protected species such as hawks,owls and most songbirds may only be accepted by a taxidermist if a person has a valid Federal and State license to collect and possess the animal.These special licenses are issued only to persons who are affiliated with an environmental or scientific institution and are not issued to private individual for personal use.The taxidermist must have a State and Fedederal taxidermy Permit for that protected species.
Read what Randy is saying one more time.Hopefully the owl is gone by now.
Teaching taxidermy at a college I get offers from several C/O's for specimens..Yes if your mom is at a public school she can surrender the owl and obtain the permit for the school.The school Needs to have the permit to retain,yes you do need to be a liscened taxidermist to do the work so when you do the bird keeping the retain permit with the bird..
You haveing it in your possesion now is totaly illeagle..
Yup! Thanks guys [and girls]. I took it back to the woods and dumped it. I didn't have anywhere I could keep it frozen anyway. I'll stick to squirrels. Squirrels are OK, right?
I don't know where you're from, but where I'm from all you have to do is get a permit! And it's free! I would have given anything for that.