Wildlife

Trooper: Illegal Internet sales of big game trophies on the rise in Alaska

An Anchorage man has pleaded guilty to illegally selling a brown bear rug even after Alaska State Troopers warned him the sale was illegal. Attempted Internet sales of game Alaska trophies and furs have risen the past few years, according to troopers, boosted by online classified ad sites like Craigslist.

Last month, Ryan Ziegler pleaded guilty to selling the rug last August. The 34-year-old advertised the rug online, and wildlife troopers contacted Ziegler and informed him that state law prohibited its sale. That didn't stop Ziegler from going ahead, and undercover troopers ended up buying the brown bear rug in a sting operation, according to a trooper report.

Ziegler was ordered to pay a $500 fine and forfeit the rug to the state. Bear rugs can be worth several thousands dollars.

Although there are exceptions, big game trophies, bear furs and even fish caught by anglers generally cannot be sold in Alaska because harvesting is intended for personal and subsistence uses.

Wildlife trooper Lt. Bernard Chastain, who commands the troopers' wildlife investigations unit, said his office generally calls and warns people attempting to sell trophies, or bear furs, that what they're doing is illegal. Most sellers say they're unaware of the law, Chastain said, and remove their advertisements from sites like Craigslist and Alaskalist. Others still attempt to sell their illegal goods, as was the case with Ziegler.

Chastain did not have statewide statistics, but said, "I think it's safe to say it's on the rise, because of the prevalent use of sites like Craigslist."

The investigations unit handles wildlife and fisheries crimes, typically the larger cases. A lot of Internet sales-related cases are handed off to the investigations unit, because the unit has more time than patrol troopers to delve into those types of crimes, Chastain said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The unit receives many of its reports from the Fish and Game website, where Alaskans are encouraged to report illegal sales of big-game trophies. About once a year, the investigations unit scours websites, targeting offenders in an effort to reduce the number of sales, Chastain said.

Currently, the state allows the sale of black bear hides statewide. Brown bear hides can be legally sold in some areas of the state, too. But selling mounted hides remains illegal for the most part.

In all, there are three exemptions to the sale of big-game trophies -- and all require obtaining permits from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

If a taxidermist receives an order to mount a trophy, and the customer disappears or cannot pay, the mounter can apply for a permit to sell the trophy to cover his or her expenses.

Next, selling big game trophies is allowed if grandpa lovingly but annoyingly leaves a relative a trove of mounted, dead animals in his will. The recipient can sell those with a permit.

Lastly, the Board of Game created a provision to deal with cases of divorce last year. One party may be stuck with all the mounted moose heads, and that person can apply for a permit to sell them. Fish and Game provides permit holders with a number that accompanies the ad; that tells troopers the seller has the legal authority to sell the trophies.

In the complicated world of Fish and Game regulations, there's likely more loopholes. For example, the troopers' Palmer post commonly deals with people trying to sell moose, caribou or deer antlers, said Sgt. Mark Agnew. If the antlers are removed from the animal's skull plate, they can be sold separately. If the antlers are left intact, it's considered to be in "trophy configuration," he said.

"That's what we see the most," Agnew said. "We don't go through Craigslist every day, but it's common knowledge that people attempt to sell furs and trophies. The public is good about reporting illegal sales being advertised in the area."

Jerzy Shedlock can be reached at jerzy(at)alaskadispatch.com

Jerzy Shedlock

Jerzy Shedlock is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2017.

ADVERTISEMENT