# Criminal violations



## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

*Open letter to my fellow Taxidermists:*
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*At some point in time you are going to be asked to mount a Raptor illegally. Most of us will come up with a bunch or reasons in our minds to justify doing this. I know that the temptation is going to be there, but do the right thing and just say 'No'.*



COs Ben Shively, Kris Kiel, and Mike Drexler conducted an inspection on a taxidermy
shop in Oakland County. The inspection led to an illegally taken bear, a subject taking
an overlimit of antlered deer, an otter that had been taken during the closed season and
not sealed, three fawn hides with no scientific collection permits, and two cases of
using/lending kill tag of another. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) was
contacted and responded to the taxidermy shop after the COs located *a full bald eagle*,
*three bald eagle heads and parts*, *a great horned owl*, *a red tail hawk*, and a sandhill
crane. The COs located approximately 100 specimens that were not tagged. Tickets
were issued to the taxidermy shop for failing to keep accurate records, failing to tag
specimens with specimen ID tags, and possession of a road killed fawn. Evidence was
seized by the COs and USFWS agents. The COs have been conducting interviews and
obtaining confessions, and warrants will be sought on the illegally taken game. *The*​*USFWS agents will be investigating the protected species.*

_(b) CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS.&#8212;(1) Any person who knowingly violates any provision of this Act, of any permit or certificate issued hereunder, or of any regulation issued in order to implement subsection (a)(1)(A), (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F); (a)(2)(A), (B), (C), or (D), (c), (d) (other than a regulation relating to recordkeeping, or filing of reports), (f), or (g) of section 9 of this Act shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than* $ 50,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. Any person* who *knowingly violates any provision of any other regulation* issued under this Act shall, upon conviction,_* be fined not more than $ 25,000 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. *

​ 
Was it really worth it? Thats $50,000.00 per Bird! Not accounting for the other violations he's already in for $300,000.00 so far. When the judge takes in the full scope of his infractions, this guy is a shoe in for the "both" part meaning 1 year in jail. 

I'm willing to bet his angle was that if he didn't renew his Taxidermy License then he'd be off the DNR's list of shops to check. I say this because I've overheard a conversation of other Taxidermists doing just that while I was at the State Show in Grand Rapids many years ago. 

My ties with the Native community has given me the oppertunity to mount a lot of Raptors over the last 20+ years in business. If you are going to take one in heres what I do.

I tell them on the phone to leave everything in the same Box that it was sent in (which will read "Federal Eagle Repository, Denver Colorado") and bring everything with them. Then I double check their Drivers License and address against the shipper on the box AND the Cities form! If it doesn't match up DON"T TAKE IT IN! No exceptions. Just being 'Native' does NOT mean they can posses Raptors or their parts and most already know this. Be sure YOU keep the Original CITIES form with the specimen at all times and make a COPY of it and file it away in your records book. Keep a zip lock bag to put any loose feathers that come out the whole time you are working right up until finished and return those with the finished specimen. I do all of this because 1 loose feather turning up under the work bench 2 years from now will have to be explained should one turn up during an inspection.

For any of the Sportsman reading this, remember...even a feather from a Hawk, Owl, Falcon, Eagle or Songbird that you may find, pick up or be given is 'Illegal to Posses" and you WILL be fined quite severely! 

Ask yourself...is it really worth it?

Mitch


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Those fines make taxidermy the business one business that I won't be getting into anytime soon. I have a friend that is in the business and he says most of the time the DNR officers will find at least one little thing they can cite you on and make it out to be a big thing then warn you and let you go. They inspect him at least once a year.


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## tazzymoto (Mar 16, 2005)

Some people are just plain stupid! don't feel sorry for this SOB he deserves everything he gets, It's obvious he has no integrety at all


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

I can understand how you feel, but lets try not to go off topic and lose sight of the real reason for the post. 

Mitch


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## tazzymoto (Mar 16, 2005)

So what is the reason for this post? Everyone who does taxidermy long enough will have to make that choice , I've had my share of call's i always tell them the same thing. That it's illegal to posess raptors and to leave them where they found them. Once in a while i'll get a legitamate call, And most of the time it's the feds fishing


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Every year I get contacted by people wanting me to mount something that is illegal. I just had a guy call me who had a hawk that he hit with his vehicle and wanted me to mount it, and when I told him it was illegal, he was shocked and didn't want to believe me. I just told him to call the DNR and find out for himself, but my guess is that he will just keep calling taxidermists until he finds one that will mount the bird.


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