auction, (big elk)
- Thread starter ivorytip
- Start date
Musket Man
Veteran member
CrossCreeks
Veteran member
wy-tex
Veteran member
about 20 or so years ago , I bought one for 800 and sold it a year later for 1600, though it were a wee bit biggern that one
no telling what a rich man will pay to have it hanging in their den.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I have a little different take on it than just price. IMO this is one of the things that drives poaching. Think of how many case of killed (poached) animals are found with their heads removed and the body left to rot. There is big money in horns like these. I have a neighbor that killed a Desert Bighorn here in Colorado that was offered 25K for the shoulder mount. I believe states like California have it right...illegal to sell horns & mounts. I know lots of you won't agree, Just my take........
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brianboh
Active Member
it is illegal to poach.that is enough for me.
if animal is legally taken ,I see no reason to make law saying it cannot be sold. all that really does is makes folks feel good, inside.
let's face it ,those who poach have already shown they care nothing for the law and would happily break another. why pass another law just to punish the honest folks?
where does it end?
perhaps we should just jump right to outlawing the hanging of trophies on walls in your home?
surely if we did that it would curtail poaching,right???
it's time america had an honest discusion about "common sense,"bone laws, isn't it???
it is my opinion that it is time we stopped passing laws punishing folks for what they MIGHT do and spend a little(lot) more energy on the laws and punishments WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE for what they actually have done! BRING BACK THAT PESKY THING CALLED PERSONAL responsibility for ones actions.
if animal is legally taken ,I see no reason to make law saying it cannot be sold. all that really does is makes folks feel good, inside.
let's face it ,those who poach have already shown they care nothing for the law and would happily break another. why pass another law just to punish the honest folks?
where does it end?
perhaps we should just jump right to outlawing the hanging of trophies on walls in your home?
surely if we did that it would curtail poaching,right???
it's time america had an honest discusion about "common sense,"bone laws, isn't it???
it is my opinion that it is time we stopped passing laws punishing folks for what they MIGHT do and spend a little(lot) more energy on the laws and punishments WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE for what they actually have done! BRING BACK THAT PESKY THING CALLED PERSONAL responsibility for ones actions.
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buckbull
Veteran member
- Jun 20, 2011
- 2,167
- 1,354
Very good point. That's why I believe taking a hunting license away from poachers as punishment is not a punishment at all.
Also, alot of folks sell the sheds they find for supplemental income. Would be hard to determine if the rack as a shed or killed on the hoof.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
I have always wondered why someone would buy a trophy head or horns, hang it in his den to impress folks and make up lies on how he took it. I wouldn't want someone else's head or horns in my house, but that's me.
Yea, I've never seen the appeal of putting horns or antlers on the wall taken by someone else.
JimP
Administrator
It is really quite easy to tell if it is a shed antler or if it came from a deadhead. Now if a lot of states would like to implement a deadhead policy like Utah has then that might help on the poaching side of things. There you can not pick up a deadhead at anytime of year. If you think that you want it you need to contact the DOW with the GPS location of the head and antlers and let them go out and do a investigation on what killed the animal. You can then request the head from them and if they find that it died of natural causes or a 4 legged predator took it down you just might get the head and rack.
I would hate if that became illegal, I make a lot of cash on selling these things. buying and selling them is what pays for a lot of my hunting toys and trips. this particular one is being sold out of Utah. touch up the skull and antlers on this one and I'm sure I could get it sold for around $800. I have a price limit I spend on one set of antlers though. good point about the tag though.
JimP
Administrator
Utah has some quirky laws concerning the buying and selling of antlers that are attached to the skull plate. If you haven't read them here they are:
Purchasing or selling big
game or its parts
Utah Code § 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-20
You may not buy, sell or offer, or possess for
sale, barter, exchange or trade, any big game
animal or its parts. The only exceptions are the
following:
• Antlers, heads and horns of legally taken
big game may be bought or sold from
Feb. 15 through July 31.
• Untanned hides of legally taken big
game may be bought or sold from Aug. 1
through Feb. 14.
• Inedible byproducts of legally possessed
big game—except for hides, antlers and
horns—may be bought or sold any time
of the year.
• Tanned hides of legally taken big game
may be bought or sold any time of the
year.
• Shed antlers and horns may be bought or
sold any time of the year.
• Protected wildlife that the Division
obtains may be sold or donated by the
Division or its agents (usually Utah State
Surplus) any time of the year. Also,
you may purchase or receive protected
wildlife from the Division any time of
the year.
If you sell or buy antlers, heads, horns or
untanned hides, you must keep a record that
states all of the following information:
• The name and address of the person who
harvested the animal
Finding a skull with
antlers or horns
attached
If you find a skull with the antlers
or horns still attached, it’s possible the
animal was poached. Do NOT pick
up or move the skull, or disturb
any footprints or other evidence.
Instead, we encourage you to take the
following steps:
• Take photos of the skull from a
couple of angles
• Pinpoint the location of the skull
(preferably its GPS coordinates)
• Call or visit a Division office to
report your find
• Provide key details in your report
The Division will send a conservation
officer to investigate if the animal was
poached. If it’s clear that the animal died
of natural causes, we may allow you to
keep your find.
• The date you sold or bought the items
• The permit number of the person who
harvested the animal
There is one exception to this rule: scouting
programs and other charitable organizations
do not need to keep a transaction record if
they’re using untanned hides.
Possession of antlers and
horns
Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-21
You may possess antlers or horns—or
parts of antlers or horns—that were obtained:
• From lawfully harvested big game
• By lawfully meeting the requirements
listed in the Purchasing or selling big
game or its parts section on page 46
• From lawfully gathered antlers or horns
shed by big game animals
You may gather shed antlers or horns—or
parts of shed antlers or horns—statewide, but
there are a couple of seasonal requirements.
From Feb. 1 to April 15, you need an
antler-gathering certificate on your person
while collecting shed antlers or horns. You
can obtain this certificate free of charge by
visiting wildlife.utah.gov and completing an
online education course. You do not need an
antler-gathering certificate at any other time
of the year.
Important: Do not trespass on closed
areas or private lands to collect shed antlers
or horns.
“Shed antlers” are antlers that a big game
animal has dropped naturally as part of its
annual life cycle. Shed antlers have a rounded
base that’s commonly called an antler button
or burr.
A “shed horn” is the sheath from the horn
of a pronghorn that the animal has dropped
naturally as part of its annual life cycle.
Pronghorn are the only big game animals that
shed their horns.
Purchasing or selling big
game or its parts
Utah Code § 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-20
You may not buy, sell or offer, or possess for
sale, barter, exchange or trade, any big game
animal or its parts. The only exceptions are the
following:
• Antlers, heads and horns of legally taken
big game may be bought or sold from
Feb. 15 through July 31.
• Untanned hides of legally taken big
game may be bought or sold from Aug. 1
through Feb. 14.
• Inedible byproducts of legally possessed
big game—except for hides, antlers and
horns—may be bought or sold any time
of the year.
• Tanned hides of legally taken big game
may be bought or sold any time of the
year.
• Shed antlers and horns may be bought or
sold any time of the year.
• Protected wildlife that the Division
obtains may be sold or donated by the
Division or its agents (usually Utah State
Surplus) any time of the year. Also,
you may purchase or receive protected
wildlife from the Division any time of
the year.
If you sell or buy antlers, heads, horns or
untanned hides, you must keep a record that
states all of the following information:
• The name and address of the person who
harvested the animal
Finding a skull with
antlers or horns
attached
If you find a skull with the antlers
or horns still attached, it’s possible the
animal was poached. Do NOT pick
up or move the skull, or disturb
any footprints or other evidence.
Instead, we encourage you to take the
following steps:
• Take photos of the skull from a
couple of angles
• Pinpoint the location of the skull
(preferably its GPS coordinates)
• Call or visit a Division office to
report your find
• Provide key details in your report
The Division will send a conservation
officer to investigate if the animal was
poached. If it’s clear that the animal died
of natural causes, we may allow you to
keep your find.
• The date you sold or bought the items
• The permit number of the person who
harvested the animal
There is one exception to this rule: scouting
programs and other charitable organizations
do not need to keep a transaction record if
they’re using untanned hides.
Possession of antlers and
horns
Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-21
You may possess antlers or horns—or
parts of antlers or horns—that were obtained:
• From lawfully harvested big game
• By lawfully meeting the requirements
listed in the Purchasing or selling big
game or its parts section on page 46
• From lawfully gathered antlers or horns
shed by big game animals
You may gather shed antlers or horns—or
parts of shed antlers or horns—statewide, but
there are a couple of seasonal requirements.
From Feb. 1 to April 15, you need an
antler-gathering certificate on your person
while collecting shed antlers or horns. You
can obtain this certificate free of charge by
visiting wildlife.utah.gov and completing an
online education course. You do not need an
antler-gathering certificate at any other time
of the year.
Important: Do not trespass on closed
areas or private lands to collect shed antlers
or horns.
“Shed antlers” are antlers that a big game
animal has dropped naturally as part of its
annual life cycle. Shed antlers have a rounded
base that’s commonly called an antler button
or burr.
A “shed horn” is the sheath from the horn
of a pronghorn that the animal has dropped
naturally as part of its annual life cycle.
Pronghorn are the only big game animals that
shed their horns.
AGAIN,
I agree .
but that's not the issue here.
should it be illegal for them to so???
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
that is my feelings also. even though I seldom go pick them up anymore ,there was a time I lived for it.
my biggest problems with it are
1. if someone is caught poaching we already have the laws and punishments in place. now if one wants to discuss more severe punishment for poaching,I am open to that possibility. I am not for redefining what poaching is.
2.I simply do not have faith in the ability of ANY government person or entity,(or the public ,for that matter) to use "common sense ", when passing laws.
I certainly hope this remains a state by state issue and folks don't start crying for it nation wide.
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Vikingload
Member
You make a good point here and I would agree that if it is done legit than it's up to the hunter to determine if he wants to sell it or not.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree with kidoggy, enough with all the laws, enforce what we have and make criminals accountable. It wouldn't matter if there was a law against selling antlers, it not going to stop criminals anyway, that's why they are criminals, they don't follow laws. We've become a nation of just want to pass laws(and taxes for that matter) and they rarely solve anything because the existing laws aren't enforced or vaguely enforced.
As for putting someone else's antlers on their wall I too wouldn't do it but some people do it for decoration and have no issues saying it was only for that. My wife's grandfather is one example. First time I went over to his home I saw a nice whitetail rack over a stone fireplace. Wasn't nothing huge but decent, I told him nice mount and asked where he shot it. He just chuckled a sec and said he bought it at an antique store and it's for decoration. Don't just make an assumption people are going to lie about having antlers, believe it or not there are still honest people in the world.
As for putting someone else's antlers on their wall I too wouldn't do it but some people do it for decoration and have no issues saying it was only for that. My wife's grandfather is one example. First time I went over to his home I saw a nice whitetail rack over a stone fireplace. Wasn't nothing huge but decent, I told him nice mount and asked where he shot it. He just chuckled a sec and said he bought it at an antique store and it's for decoration. Don't just make an assumption people are going to lie about having antlers, believe it or not there are still honest people in the world.