Just a silly question that I'm sure will get lots of bad remarks but I don't know the answer so I'm asking you's, Is there any way to have an owl imported from Canada or something legally and mount it for my self? I know it's illegal to pick them up with out a permit but is there any thing you can do to GET one to mount? Is this something I'm going to have to call my local warden about? Thanks! Jessica
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Jessica, you've driven yourself to distraction over mounting a raptor of some sort. Ease up, it'll happen and after it does, it'll be like a lot of other things in life: more exciting to look forward to than to look back on. If you have a federal wildlife refuge or state park near you, make an overture to them. All these places have "Friends of (the park)" in helping them stay up to date. Approach these people and volunteer your service free for one owl or one hawk and let it happen. If you do it well, anyone visiting the park will see your abilities and they'll want you to do others. This time you charge for the opportunity as (trust me) mounting these birds isn't all that it's cracked up to be. (Especially if the last meal of the Great Horned Owl happened to be a skunk that it posthumously regurgitates on your work bench).
There are some books that show how to make artificial birds of prey that look so real, they fool even the game wardens, I have seen a few of them, and they are amazing.You can even get the parts you need from any supplier almost, like bald eagle artificial heads and cast raptor feet.It is alot harder work to find the correct domestic birds to use for skins, but the bird is completely legal to own and sell.
I have several species of owl and other birds of prey from Africa That are not protected hear in the US. I have imported these legally and they have been inspected and cleared By Fish and Wildlife. I provide copies of all the import documents with every bird I sell.
Feel free to email me if you are interested.
Mike
As Mike said above, there are some species which are legal to buy and sell in the US. You just can't have any that are found here naturally.
Expect to PAY for imported ones, however!