Selling animal parts

[Guest Dan]

I happened to stumble across some Roughed Grouse tails for sale on Ebay the other day. I was surprised to see that a nice clean tail could fetch a few bucks. Some of them had several bidders. They were advertised for use in jewelery making and fly tying. Would it be legal to sell my Grouse tails on Ebay? They'd probably be bought by an American and sent across the border. Rather than toss them into the garbage, I'm thinking that I might sell them on Ebay. Legal or not?

[Some Old Guy 968]

MNR Answer: The answer to this question is an unequivocal NO. In Ontario, a person cannot buy or sell (which includes offering to buy or sell) game wildlife or specially protected wildlife. This includes wildlife that is alive or dead, in whole or any part, at any stage of its development and whether or not it originated in Ontario or not. Ruffed Grouse is listed as a game bird under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and is therefore protected. You cannot buy or sell something you are representing as wildlife either. For example, it would be illegal to offer chicken feathers for sale as ruffed grouse feathers.

If you legally shot a grouse and wanted to use the feathers for yourself either in fly tying or jewelry, that would be acceptable.

It would also be legal to sell artwork made from wildlife (ie jewelry) where the value was in the artwork and not the wildlife itself (but only if the wildlife was legally harvested). Artwork does not include a wildlife specimen that has been treated by a taxidermist, whether in whole or in part, or mounts of such specimens.

Reference: Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act 1998, Sections 48(1), 49 and Ontario Regulation 666/98 Section 31(2)

Ross Johnston

Community Liaison Conservation Officer

Ministry of Natural Resources

Thunder Bay District

Telephone: 807-475-1521

Facsimile: 807-475-1527

Email: ross.johnston@ontario.ca

" Web Page www.mnr.on.ca

[Guest Dan]

Thanks Ross. That's pretty much the answer that I expected. Into the garbage they go..

[Some Old Guy 968]

Hey Dan,

Do you know if the Ebay listing was from Ontario?

Roger

[Guest Dan]

The ones that I checked the location on were from the US Roger. Some of the listings have ended, but there's still a few up there. And I'm sure more will come and go. Just search "Ruffed Grouse" on Ebay and you'll find some I'm sure. There's also some really awesome art prints for sale. I'm thinking about buying this one. It sure has a Northwestern Ontario feel to it.

[Some Old Guy 968]

That is an awesome print. It does have the NW Ont feel to it.

Roger

[Bill Arnott 2]

Hey - That's my secret chicken road! Great print.

[Guest Dan]

Hey - That's my secret chicken road! Great print.

LOL Slick. I think we all have a "secret chicken road" just like the one in the print.

[Smokey 1]

Great print. Looks great for a walk with the .410 on a nice sunny morning.

[Guest Dan]

Great print. Looks great for a walk with the .410 on a nice sunny morning.

The first time I saw the print up for auction, it had a starting bid of $15.00 US. One guy bid and won the auction for $15.00. I was then notified that there was another one listed by the same person. So I bid $15.00. On the last day of the auction a bidding war started (which I stayed out of) and it sold for $28.00. Go figure. I'll keep looking and hopefully I'll get one for $15.00.