WTB bighorn skull

[Topo_trekker]

Preferably clean and in good condition.

 

[mtnhntr]

Be very careful and do your homework. I'm a taxidermist and this is a big no-no. I know several individuals in CO who received $100k+ in fines and jail time for selling skulls and horns -- and they paid less than $100 for the skulls/horns.

Since these are highly regulated species all the paperwork needs to be in order. I deal with this all the time.

 

[mntnguide]

I found a dead head ram on the Wyoming shed opener...150+ class... I'm about to boil him and bleach him soon... not sure I'm looking to sell him but would entertain an offer at least for the thought. I took it to game and fish that day, had it legally plugged, recorded and tagged with interstate game tag.

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[mtnhntr]

I found a dead head ram on the Wyoming shed opener...150+ class... I'm about to boil him and bleach him soon... not sure I'm looking to sell him but would entertain an offer at least for the thought. I took it to game and fish that day, had it legally plugged, recorded and tagged with interstate game tag.

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You may have had him tagged, but I would confirm with Fish & Game that you can legally sell him. I've never seen an approval completed and I've had people want to sell me stuff all the time. I wouldn't touch this with a 20' pole.

Also with a ram like that, don't boil him. Go ahead and soak him up to get some moisture and put him sealed up in a plastic garbage sack. Let him get good and spoiled in the sun and the horns will come off with the aid of a rubber mallet. I see too many sheep horns ruined from boiling. The become discolored from the oils releasing into the horns. Once the horns are off, clean however you would like - but spare the horns

 

[mntnguide]

The horns are already off, just boiling to bleach then put the horns back on..but thank you for the tips, i got lucky and it was already spoiled enough they popped right off. There were people selling rams here last week during Elk Fest and I believe mine was perfectly legal as well, but if I decided to get rid of it, I would double check, but I have the paper work and everything saying it's been checked and recorded and is mine to do with what I want. But like I said, not really looking to sell because you don't find nice rams without drawing a tag often.

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[mtnhntr]

The horns are already off, just boiling to bleach then put the horns back on..but thank you for the tips, i got lucky and it was already spoiled enough they popped right off. There were people selling rams here last week during Elk Fest and I believe mine was perfectly legal as well, but if I decided to get rid of it, I would double check, but I have the paper work and everything saying it's been checked and recorded and is mine to do with what I want. But like I said, not really looking to sell because you don't find nice rams without drawing a tag often.

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Interstate sales are MUCH easier - that's why you probably saw folks selling. The catch is selling across state lines. Now, those folks who were out of staters are the ones (if not properly processed) who would catch hell from not just the Fish and Game but the God damn USFWS. It's those POS's that cause all the problems. That's a government entity that should be completely disbanded and jailed - they do nothing but meddle in things they shouldn't.

 

[Topo_trekker]

Great find!

 

[Snyd]

One must check the state regs for sales of sheep horns. For example, it is legal in here in Alaska to sell Dall Sheep horns BUT, they cannot be attached to the skull. One can sell the cape. It is also legal to pick them up in the woods and keep them/sell them. BUT, not in National Park that's a federal thing. Also, it is NOT legal to sell a mount/trophy OR a skull!

 

[mtnhntr]

One must check the state regs for sales of sheep horns. For example, it is legal in here in Alaska to sell Dall Sheep horns BUT, they cannot be attached to the skull. One can sell the cape. It is also legal to pick them up in the woods and keep them/sell them. BUT, not in National Park that's a federal thing. Also, it is NOT legal to sell a mount/trophy OR a skull!

I agree with everything but the last part. There are brokerages and auction houses that specialize in the sales of all things taxidermy. When I worked for Cabela's corporate offices in Sidney, NE one of our original downtown buildins was full of taxidermy collections that were legally purchased. There is just tons of documentation that must be maintained. The team I was on was tasked with ensuring that we maintained compliance and kept said records. It's just a royal PITA to keep up with it all.

 

[Topo_trekker]

I live in CO, and am in contact with them about this very issue.

 

[Snyd]

I agree with everything but the last part. There are brokerages and auction houses that specialize in the sales of all things taxidermy. When I worked for Cabela's corporate offices in Sidney, NE one of our original downtown buildins was full of taxidermy collections that were legally purchased. There is just tons of documentation that must be maintained. The team I was on was tasked with ensuring that we maintained compliance and kept said records. It's just a royal PITA to keep up with it all.

Alaska State Law does not allow the sale of Trophies. There are a few exceptions but the state needs to approve. Estate sales, Taxidermist selling a trophy someone didn't pick up. But, I cannot sell my euro sheep mounts or grizzly rug. See below...

Title 5 . Fish and Game Chapter 92 . Statewide Provisions Section 200. Purchase and sale of game

5 AAC 92.200. Purchase and sale of game


(a) In accordance with AS 16.05.920 (a) and 16.05.930(e), the purchase, sale, or barter of game or any part of game is permitted except as provided in this section.
(b) Except as provided in 5 AAC 92.031, a person may not purchase, sell, barter, advertise, or otherwise offer for sale or barter:
(1) any part of a bear, except an article of handicraft made from the fur of a bear;
(2) a big game trophy;
(3) a big game animal skull, except the skull of a wolf or wolverine, or a horn or antler that is still attached to any part of the skull;
(4) the antler of a caribou taken in Unit 23, unless the antler is a naturally shed antler or has been made into an article of handicraft;
(5) unsealed marten taken in Units 1 - 7, and 15, except as provided in 5 AAC 92.170(a) ;
(6) unsealed beaver taken in Units 1 - 11 and Units 13 - 17;
(7) unsealed land otter, lynx, wolf, or wolverine;
(8) the meat of big game and small game, except hares and rabbits; however, caribou may be bartered in Units 22 - 26, but may not be transported or exported from those units.
(c) Notwithstanding (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section, a licensed taxidermist, estate executor, or bankruptcy referee, may sell a skin or trophy by permit issued under 5 AAC 92.031, and the state will, in its discretion, sell a skin or trophy as excess property. A person may purchase and possess an animal skin or trophy sold under this subsection. However, no person may resell a skin or trophy purchased from a seller under this subsection.
(d) A person who engages in fur dealing, as defined in AS 16.05.940 , and who purchases or acquires, through consignment or barter, the raw skin of a furbearer or fur animal, shall report the transaction to the department on a form provided for this purpose, within 30 days after the last day of the month during which the transaction occurred.

 

[Topo_trekker]

Just heard back from CPW. They said as long as the sheep was legally harvested in the state and within the regulations of that state to sell that it originates, the skull is legal to ship and possess in CO. It would only need inspected and marked if it was harvested in CO.

 

[Kimbersig]

check out wyobackcountrydecor.com they do amazing replicas

 

[mtnhntr]

Alaska State Law does not allow the sale of Trophies. There are a few exceptions but the state needs to approve. Estate sales, Taxidermist selling a trophy someone didn't pick up. But, I cannot sell my euro sheep mounts or grizzly rug. See below...

Title 5 . Fish and Game Chapter 92 . Statewide Provisions Section 200. Purchase and sale of game

5 AAC 92.200. Purchase and sale of game


(a) In accordance with AS 16.05.920 (a) and 16.05.930(e), the purchase, sale, or barter of game or any part of game is permitted except as provided in this section.
(b) Except as provided in 5 AAC 92.031, a person may not purchase, sell, barter, advertise, or otherwise offer for sale or barter:
(1) any part of a bear, except an article of handicraft made from the fur of a bear;
(2) a big game trophy;
(3) a big game animal skull, except the skull of a wolf or wolverine, or a horn or antler that is still attached to any part of the skull;
(4) the antler of a caribou taken in Unit 23, unless the antler is a naturally shed antler or has been made into an article of handicraft;
(5) unsealed marten taken in Units 1 - 7, and 15, except as provided in 5 AAC 92.170(a) ;
(6) unsealed beaver taken in Units 1 - 11 and Units 13 - 17;
(7) unsealed land otter, lynx, wolf, or wolverine;
(8) the meat of big game and small game, except hares and rabbits; however, caribou may be bartered in Units 22 - 26, but may not be transported or exported from those units.
(c) Notwithstanding (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section, a licensed taxidermist, estate executor, or bankruptcy referee, may sell a skin or trophy by permit issued under 5 AAC 92.031, and the state will, in its discretion, sell a skin or trophy as excess property. A person may purchase and possess an animal skin or trophy sold under this subsection. However, no person may resell a skin or trophy purchased from a seller under this subsection.
(d) A person who engages in fur dealing, as defined in AS 16.05.940 , and who purchases or acquires, through consignment or barter, the raw skin of a furbearer or fur animal, shall report the transaction to the department on a form provided for this purpose, within 30 days after the last day of the month during which the transaction occurred.

I apologize if I wasn't clear - I'm a taxidermist so some if this is second nature in terms of what can and cant and/or shouldn't be done. I honestly wouldn't believe many states would permit this to take place due to the anticipated increase in possible poaching to support the sales. I know when I hunted for several years in Russia that we couldn't bring a lot of stuff back due to regulations to head off the poaching aspect.

 

[mtnhntr]

Right on! I know the guys I knew who got burned were in CO, so it's important to know your state's game laws. They're not just for living game, but for all game pre and post harvest. Most taxidermists working on showpieces for competitions tend to use replica horns to avoid the complexities of managing multi-state sales.

Good luck on your quest! Make sure to keep a folder with all your paperwork in a safe pace...

Also, if you want to try and find someone in your state, Welcome to the Taxidermy.net Forum and Community! is the main taxidermy forum in our industry. You might be able to find someone with head in CO that would be willing to help.

 

[BCinKS]

I was in a Cody 2weeks ago and one of the shops on the Main Street had a bighorn ram skull for sale. I think it was around $1500-$2000 if I remember right.

 

[kscowboy01]

Here's one on another forum:

Bighorn sheep euro - MonsterMuleys.com