Man, that's great to see one like that!”

“Look at that monster white-tail buck! I bet I could get lots of cash for that one!” It's clear that some folks can view wildlife merely for the thrill and beauty, but to others there's a dollar sign attached. The challenge that Saskatchewan Environment has is to meet the legitimate demand for sale of provincially protected wildlife while protecting against the illegal marketing of wildlife. 

Commercialization of wildlife has, at times, been the demise of many species around the world. In Canada, the sale of wildlife parts is as old as the fur trade. There is a significant demand for wildlife parts and, if managed properly and controlled, Saskatchewan Environment can meet this demand without threatening populations.

Around the globe at this time, here are just a few examples of problem illegal commercialization of wildlife:

• The Snow Leopard, one of the most endangered big cats in the world, is being severely threatened by illegal killing and trade in their parts 
• Indonesia is set to lose its last remaining Tiger species, the Sumatran Tiger, if widespread illegal trade in Tiger parts is not stopped
• Many European Union countries demonstrate a growing passion for new and unusual pet species, many of which are taken from the wild: Frogs, Lizards (mostly Iguanas), Gekos, Chameleons, Turtles, Snakes, Parrots, Spiders and Scorpions
• Sturgeon poachers take this fish illegally, as there is big money to be made in the sale of caviar
• Despite the fact that they are frequently bred in captivity, macaws continue to be taken from the wild to supply the international demand for pet birds and feathers
• Elephants are poached for their ivory tusks
• The gall bladders of bears are used in traditional medicines to treat symptoms ranging from high fever and convulsions to swelling and pain - they fetch up to $3000 apiece

Right here in our province of Saskatchewan we see trafficking in wildlife as a problem threatening our resources. Wildlife items most commonly bought and sold illegally here include white-tail and mule deer antlers, eagle parts, and Black Bear gall bladders. The fine for illegally trafficking in wildlife is a minimum of $2000 and a maximum of $100,000, and imprisonment of two years less a day, or both. The definition of “trafficking” under the Saskatchewan Wildlife Act includes “offer for sale, expose for sale, sell, buy, barter, exchange, deal, solicit or trade, or advertise for the purpose of doing any of these things”.
We do allow the sale of some wildlife items in our province. Sale of wildlife permits are free and available at any Saskatchewan Environment office. When a Conservation Officer is satisfied that the wildlife was lawfully taken and the person has legal possession, a sale of wildlife permit may be issued to sell the following:

• Upland game birds, except the meat, that have been taken under license.
  Big game, except the meat and Black Bear gall bladders, that have been taken under a license.
• Exotic wildlife, except bear gall bladders, as defined in The Wildlife Act.
  Captive wildlife held under a special permit issued for commercial purposes. This includes zoos and commercial wildlife farms for upland game birds or raptors. Note: authority to sell this wildlife may be included in the original permit.
• Big game antlers taken under the authority of a hunting licence where the antlers are attached to the skull. Antlers separated from the skull are defined as antlers that are removed from the skull plate and separated above or immediately below the burr to form two distinct antlers.
• Unprocessed big game antlers taken by Aboriginal people under the authority of a hunting license

A sale of wildlife permit is not required for sale of the following wildlife or parts:

• Legally tagged big game hides, including bear hides, and leather and leather products made from these lawfully-taken hides
• Pelts and other parts (claws, organs, flesh) of fur animals excluding bear taken under a fur license or as unprotected wildlife as defined under Section 4 of The Wildlife Regulations
  Naturally shed big game antlers, shed big game horns, or shed feathers
• Unprotected wildlife, excluding bear, as defined under Section 4 of The Wildlife Regulations
  Game animals held under a game farm license that are being sold to another holder of a game farm license
• Live wildlife held under a captive wildlife permit that is being sold to another holder of a captive wildlife permit

Saskatchewan Environment will never issue a sale of wildlife permit for the following:

• Fully protected wildlife including raptors, Pelicans, Cormorants, Ravens, Jays, Turkey Vultures, Sage Grouse, Greater Prairie Chicken, Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, Black-footed Ferret and Swift Fox
• A cougar or bear taken under landowner property protection rights
• Parts of road-killed big game and animals found dead (persons may be able to obtain a permit to possess, but will never be able to sell these wildlife items)
• Bear gall bladders
• Ducks or geese

“The sale of wildlife permits are an important tool,” says Dave Harvey, Director of the Enforcement & Investigations Section of Saskatchewan Environment. "The close monitoring of the movement of big game antlers is necessary to protect the world quality big game resource in this province and guard against the illegal traffic in wildlife. Without this kind of tracking and cross-checking, it would become easier for someone to abuse the resource and that would put it at risk for now and for the future."

Beginning this fall Saskatchewan Environment is changing the procedures for hunters who wish to sell legally taken deer antlers. "This fall the white-tailed and mule deer hunting licences will be changed to include a head seal that must be attached to the antlers or head of any legally taken deer," says Environment's Harvey. "By having this new head seal, we should see a reduction in the number of cases where a hunter wants to sell antlers separated from the skull, but can no longer find the hunting licence used to take the animal so is forced to get a sale of wildlife permit.”

To address a backlog of antlers that hunters may have collected over the years a change of procedure allowed them to sell antlers that had been separated from the skull without having to get a sale of wildlife permit. The change was in effect until September 1, 2004.
“The procedural change gave hunters the opportunity to sell some of those old sets of antlers without having to get a sale of wildlife permit, provided that the antlers were separated from the skull plate," says Environment's Harvey. 

After September 1, 2004 someone who has legally taken an animal and wishes to sell antlers that are still attached to the skull needs a permit. Antlers that are not attached to the skull may be sold without a permit provided the seller can produce the hunting licence used to take the animal. If the licence is not available then the seller needs to get a sale of wildlife permit. Antlers taken from road killed animals or under Treaty Rights may not be sold.
People who use antlers for artwork may also sell them without a permit, provided they were obtained legally, have been separated from the skull and have been processed into a form of artwork.

Antlers acquired by Aboriginal persons, under his/her treaty rights, can be sold without a sale of wildlife permit provided that the antlers have been separated from the skull and have been processed into a form of artwork (carved or altered into a specialty product). This also applies to other wildlife parts including bear, wolf, or lynx claws and/or teeth, moose scapulas, and upland game bird feathers, provided that the wildlife was taken under Aboriginal hunting rights.

One question we often get as Conservation Officers is “Can I give my set of white-tailed deer antlers to friend?” You can, but you would have to prove to a Conservation Officer that the antlers were lawfully taken, and the officer will issue a special permit. If your friend lives out of Saskatchewan, then the CO will issue an export permit. 

Another question we are asked as CO's is how can a person legally advertise wildlife items for salefor example if a family wishes to sell some wildlife items in an estate auction and they want to advertise the sale in the newspaper, the local Swap 'n Shop radio program, or maybe even on eBay. The legal way to do this is to contact the local Conservation Officer and obtain a special permit to advertise the sale of these wildlife items, and then get specific sale of wildlife permits after the estate auction for each wildlife item.

As you can see, the sale of wildlife is a fairly complicated issue. The bottom line is if you have questions it's best to contact your local Conservation Officer for clarification as to what you can and cannot sell, and how to go about it.