Walrus ivory

It would be prudent to look into USDA fish and Game rules on moving bear parts as well.

I'll ask the game and wildlife officers when I get to Alaska...they were just curios i would like, but if they're restricted its no big deal.
 
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I'll ask the game and wildlife officers when I get to Alaska...they were just curios i would like, but if they're restricted its no big deal.

It would be the US fish and wildlife dept., and Alaska dept. of Fish and Game.

Brown bear skulls and claws may not be bought, sold, traded or bartered. They can be given as gifts, however both departments get a little weird about skulls without seals on them, brown and grizzly bear skulls are supposed to be sealed. It is possible sometimes to get a courtesy seal put on "pick-ups".

To drive through Canada with them would be a big mess, also to bring them to Australia, if you wanted to do that sometime would be a big mess. Many times it's better to just mail the stuff but you need to be sure everything is on the up and up because interstate shipping, either by mail or carrying it, of shady wildlife materials is in violation of the Lacey Act, a federal offence which carries stiffer penalties.

For instance, sometimes people shoot bears close to their homes for safety reasons, that is understandable. The lawful thing to do would be to report it, skin it and give the skin and skull to wildlife officials. I am not saying this is the case but if you think it is possible, the best thing to do is leave them where they are. Officials get suspicious when someone says "My friends found this on their property and gave it to me."

I'm not trying to mess in your business, hope I was helpful, have a good time in Alaska, if you go through Fairbanks be sure to stop at my store and say Hi, I'm always happy to meet people from the forum.
 
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Usually we just goto Homer but if we get to go up that way I'll definitely stop by! I've seen a few BF members that live around Homer so I'd like to meet them too. And its all good...I am moving to the US permanently as soon as my visa is approved so Australia is out of the question, they would seize it quicker then look! they tried to seize fossil walrus teeth I brought back with me.

Guess I can call them, explain the circumstances and see what they say...would be nice to have the skull to go with other weird animal parts i've kept but I can live without it :p

Cheers mate.
 
Remember that US laws regarding any marine mammals are often much more strict than CITES regulations and other countries laws regardless of whether tha animal in question is endangered or not. The law covers ALL marine mammals, even ones that have died from natural causes. For example, while some European laws regarding the use of "pre-ban" elephant ivory tend to be much more strict than those in the US, you can legally buy and transport legally harvested narwhal tusk in the Euro zone like the small amount that is harvested annually in Canada and a couple of other places. Not so in the US unless it is "fossil" or the aforementioned native crafts. One of the Scandinavian suppliers at the Gembloux, Belgium show in 2008 had some incredible narwhal tusk pieces for sale, but as far as ICE and the other US agencies are concerned, it might as well be plutonium.
 
Remember that US laws regarding any marine mammals are often much more strict than CITES regulations and other countries laws regardless of whether tha animal in question is endangered or not. The law covers ALL marine mammals, even ones that have died from natural causes. For example, while some European laws regarding the use of "pre-ban" elephant ivory tend to be much more strict than those in the US, you can legally buy and transport legally harvested narwhal tusk in the Euro zone like the small amount that is harvested annually in Canada and a couple of other places. Not so in the US unless it is "fossil" or the aforementioned native crafts. One of the Scandinavian suppliers at the Gembloux, Belgium show in 2008 had some incredible narwhal tusk pieces for sale, but as far as ICE and the other US agencies are concerned, it might as well be plutonium.

Yeah when I was googling for US laws on Animal product I found a Canadian based site that had stockpiles of narwhal tusk...pretty restrictive in the US when it comes to exotic or hard to get materials.
 
Usually we just goto Homer but if we get to go up that way I'll definitely stop by! I've seen a few BF members that live around Homer so I'd like to meet them too. And its all good...I am moving to the US permanently as soon as my visa is approved so Australia is out of the question, they would seize it quicker then look! they tried to seize fossil walrus teeth I brought back with me.

Guess I can call them, explain the circumstances and see what they say...would be nice to have the skull to go with other weird animal parts i've kept but I can live without it :p

Cheers mate.

Yep, that's the best way to approach it, you have a good attitude. Best of luck.
 
Old thread, but the answer is that if the ivory is legal, and your state has no laws against it ( California and NY) then...yes. Keep your provenance paperwork and have it with you when showing the knives. Give a copy to any buyer.

The biggest legal issues with walrus have to do with transporting it out of Alaska. Once in the lower forty-eight, it is pretty much legal everywhere AS LONG AS IT WAS LEGALLY BROUGH OUT OF ALASKA OR IS PRE-BAN.
 
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