r/Taxidermy • • Jul 11 '26

Mod Post VERY General Guide to Legality

21 Upvotes

Users have requested a general guide or sticky regarding legality and laws. This is challenging because this sub has reach worldwide and legality varies significantly depending on location.

With that in mind, below is an extremely general guide to get users on a track towards learning about what is legal to collect, possess, modify, transport, sell, and buy. Being hyper-specific in this guide to all areas is not realistic.

At the end of the day, please bear in mind the onus is on you, the possessor of the item in question, to learn the legality of the item. Look it up yourself first, try to gather information, then ask the sub. Information presented here and by users is guidance and not to be taken as legal guidance.

If getting irrelevant information for your country from other users is bothersome, please ensure you give your location in the title and body of your post. Users may still get it wrong; please give them grace.

A VERY GENERAL GUIDE:

It is up to you to know the laws of your respective location regarding animal remains. This includes picking up items, possessing them, receiving them as a buyer, and as a seller.

This is a world-wide sub with a significant portion of members being from the USA. You may find users' responses to be USA-centric as a result.

Please put your location in your post. This helps users respond best and may (may) avoid users sharing information on laws that are not relevant to you.

Because YOU are ultimately responsible for looking up your area's laws, please take the time to search online. Laws vary by country, state, province, etc. For most locations, your area's division of wildlife services or hunting department tends to be most helpful. Animal control, pest removals, or wildlife catchers/rehabbers generally cannot answer legality questions. When speaking with a representative, we recommend recording their full name for your future reference.

We cannot possibly outline all laws for all areas here.

However, below is a list of laws that have far-reaching legal standing.

MBTA:

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 ("MBTA"): Read more at this link (via the USA's Fish and Wildlife Service). The MBTA has implications for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. For outside of the USA, please look into the country's version of the MBTA which may have a different name.

- A list of birds NOT PROTECTED via the MBTA is found at this link. It is generally easier to look up legal birds compared to illegal birds, as the number of legal birds is less.

- Laws surrounding birds typically also apply to nests, eggs, feathers, and remains regardless of if found dead, nest empty, shells empty, etc.

CITES:

The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): In short, CITES is an international agreement and system of identifying and protecting vulnerable or endangered animals. CITES-protected animals can require special permits to harvest, hunt, buy, sell, move over state or country lines, and more. Some CITES-protected animals cannot be possessed in any form. Either can apply to creatures found already dead, hunted, etc.

- Information about CITES in general can be found here.

- An overview of CITES "Appendices" ("levels") is here.

- An index of CITES species can be found here and can be looked up by keyword.

Notes on Sub Policies:

Please note that flippancy towards legality ("I don't care, I found it..."), blatant illegal acts ("How do I sell this without getting in trouble?"), and similar are not tolerated on this sub and can result in post/comment removal and/or being banned. This includes helping or advising someone knowingly regarding an illegal act.

It can be annoying at times to see people constantly asking for or giving information about legality. It is the nature of this sub. If it is bothersome to you, then this sub may not be a good fit for you.

Be kind if someone gives you information on legality. It is meant in good faith.

Additionally, many countries' legal governing bodies regarding animal parts are present in this sub. It is wise to remember that posting incriminating things here is unwise. If you are instructed to return animal parts to the wild or dispose of something, seriously consider doing so.

Specific to the USA:

This subreddit has a significantly higher number of users in the United States compared to elsewhere. For this reason, additional resources for the USA can be found below:

- Amphibians, reptiles, etc. tend to be protected or restricted in states via the Lacey Act. https://www.fws.gov/law/lacey-act

- Bat species are commonly protected in the USA. Information can be found here. https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/species-listings-by-tax-group?statusCategory=Listed&groupName=Mammals&total=80

Note: many bat species are imported from countries with lax protection laws: these bats are unsustainably sourced or poached and buying them is discouraged. Rabies is a real threat: leave any bat you encounter alone!

- Marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and others. More information can be found via NOAA's website. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory/marine-mammals

- The Endangered Species Act for the USA focuses on protected animals and can be viewed here. https://www.fws.gov/law/endangered-species-act

Please forgive formatting errors or typos. The OP, Mod Meowza, wanted to get this posted but doesn't have a great device for doing so at the moment. They will be fixed when Meowza is back home. Thank you for your grace.


r/Taxidermy • • 16h ago

Collection/ Item Showcase Today’s wear!!

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39 Upvotes

Big BEAR!! 🐻


r/Taxidermy • • 21h ago

I Made This! Chipmunk

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22 Upvotes

Wet tanned chipmunk


r/Taxidermy • • 16h ago

Oddities, bone, etc. help Does Anyone Know What Happend to Simon's Taxidermy in Norco, CA?

5 Upvotes

I'm kind of desperate but does anyone know what happend to the taxidermist Simon Romero?

I left my rabbit with him to taxidermy some years ago. I followed up several months later and he said he would have it done soon. Then I heard nothing back for over a year. I tried contacting him again recently and he has gone entirely silent. His phone rings but never answers. I've texted and gotten no reply. Ive contacted his social media accounts and nothing. His yelp page has multiple customers in the same boat as me where he basically took our money and never delivered on taxiderming our pets/animals.

I've got no way to contact him and I want to try to get my rabbit back.

Can anyone give me some leads or any advice??


r/Taxidermy • • 9h ago

"How Do I...?" Insect taxidermy supplies?

1 Upvotes

Hii, I'm really sorry if this doesn't fit here and will happily delete it if need be but I couldn't find a better place to ask.

Has anyone purchased anything from minibeast UK? They seem to have good reviews but so many of Thier pictures seem to use ai or at the very least edited and it doesn't fill me with confidence. Was after a display piece as a base for a project but its alittle off putting that non of the photos seem to be unedited

Thank you <3


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

Collection/ Item Showcase I found a chipmunk head, id like to skin it and keep the skull... idk with I'm doing, though

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17 Upvotes

I would like to keep the skull, but i have no experience and no tools. I tried looking up YouTube videos, but find bigger projects, like boars heads and stuff. I can easily find a pot at a goodwill to boil it, but do i skin it with a knife before or after- i keep finding contradicting info! Does Anybody have the patience to give me a step-by-step?

Also... I through this in a ziploc bag and chucked it in my garage a few days ago. So i'm wondering if the length of time that this has been in a container is going to make this more difficult....


r/Taxidermy • • 19h ago

Taxidermy/Fur ID Seen in Glastonbury

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1 Upvotes

Scuse the shit photo, but is this real? Seen on a shop just off the highstreet, near the taxidermy shop, and i was just wondering what yall would think


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

"How Do I...?" Newbie w. A Big Project

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12 Upvotes

Reside in the southwest desert of the US and a friend of mine who hunts frequently donates bones/skulls to me for my art projects. He just got back from a hunt and offered me this Coyote head, which I am highly intrigued in, but have NO idea where to start or how to process. Any and all advice/steps would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks! 🫶


r/Taxidermy • • 2d ago

Feedback Appreciated First Mount

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146 Upvotes

Got my first mount back this weekend and it has a line running across the right side of its face. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of that side of its face when I hunted him last year. Not sure if it’s some sort of scar, crease, etc. Just curious if anyone has an idea of what it could be. I’m no expert, but besides that line, I think he came out pretty solid.


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

"How Do I...?" preserving a turtle shell as a newbie

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2 Upvotes

my dad found this little guy outside a construction site who was unfortunately already dead. i’m located in california and wanna know how i can preserve his shell


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

Oddities, bone, etc. help How to source specimens?

4 Upvotes

I’m a beginner working with bones, wet specimens, bugs, ect.

I’m wondering… where can I source them other than forests? I live in KY and most bones are stole by the coyotes in the woods. I really only find road kill every now and then and 9 times out of ten the bones are gonna be crushed or the body can’t be taxidermied or preserved from severe damage.

ANYWAYYY,
Are there any animal hospitals/vets or may pet shops or anywhere that could provide me with specimens when something dies or is euthanized?
Or just good forests or streams to look?

Any comments are appreciated!


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

"How Do I...?" Dyeing vintage head

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0 Upvotes

I was looking for advice or tips on dyeing my vintage whitetail black. I don't want to ruin or break anything. Thanks!


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

Feedback Appreciated What does this mean on my taxidemey?

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1 Upvotes

What does CCS mean


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

"How Do I...?" Fixing unfinished hide

1 Upvotes

Last year I found a deceased wild rabbit and skinned it without defleshing, stretching or tanning it and it is stiff as cardboard although the fur is not slipping so I would like to know the best way to redo it properly now that i have made a few rats


r/Taxidermy • • 1d ago

"How Do I...?" Wing Preservation

1 Upvotes

Hello all! My friend gave me a dead juvenile duck from their farm. When I finally got a hold of it, it already reeked of rot. Not wanting to handle its innards at this stage, I decided to let it open air decompose.

Today I checked it, and the meat is all gone. I’m thinking about separating the wings and using the borax/salt method to dry them (I’m still new to the hobby, and because of limited supply and space this is the method I’m most comfortable with), but I’m worried about lingering bacteria. I was thinking of boiling it first? But would that mess up the feathers? Anyway, my question is this: how do I sanitize the wings without messing with the quality of its appearance? If I do have to get the feathers wet/ruffled, how do I restore them afterward?

I appreciate any advice I can get!


r/Taxidermy • • 2d ago

"How Do I...?" NEW TO THIS…

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9 Upvotes

Over the past 5 years I’ve kept all my elderly reptiles that have passed away in ziploc bags in my freezer til the day I finally got around to doing something with them…I’d like to have them in jars as in these photos…how do I start? What do I need and how do I acquire any materials? TIA 🙏


r/Taxidermy • • 2d ago

"How Do I...?" Need help hanging a deer mount

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4 Upvotes

Hey guys,

I’ve just moved into a new house and my wife got these deer mounts. I have no idea how to hang this style of mount. Others I’ve seen have a notch in the top hole for a screw head but this one doesn’t, and I’m not sure if adding one is the right way to hang this.

Thank you for all the help!


r/Taxidermy • • 3d ago

Collection/ Item Showcase Just added this Japanese Serow (Kamoshika) pelt to my collection! Fully legal with official government documentation. 🇯🇵

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37 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m a taxidermy/pelt collector based in Japan. I recently acquired this new piece from secondhand market, and wanted to share it with you all.

This is a full pelt of a Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus), sourced from Gifu Prefecture.

About the Japanese Serow (Kamoshika):
For those unfamiliar with the species, the Japanese serow is a goat-antelope endemic to Japan's main islands. Although its Japanese name "Kamoshika" contains the word for deer (shika), it actually belongs to the Bovidae family, making it more closely related to goats, sheep, and cattle. They are known for their stocky build, short horns, and thick, bushy coats that protect them from harsh mountain winters.

In Japan, the Japanese serow is designated as a Special Natural Monument, meaning hunting them is strictly prohibited under normal circumstances. However, in areas where they cause severe damage to agriculture and forestry (such as eating cedar and cypress saplings), controlled culling is permitted as a last resort.

This specimen was harvested legally under a special nuisance wildlife control permit. Legally acquired specimens like this come with an official laminated certificate issued by the local government, featuring the official red ink stamps (hanko), and a matching identification tag attached to the pelt to track its provenance.

Here is the exact translation of the included certificate:

Front (Certificate of Legality):
・Certificate: This certifies that this serow was legally harvested during the 1998 fiscal year in accordance with Article 12, Paragraph 1 of the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Law. Please observe the precautions on the back.

・Product Number: Gifu-10-Ka-141 (岐10カ141)

・Date: November 16, 1999

・Issued by: Taku Kajiwara, Governor of Gifu

・Prefecture (Includes official red seals)

Back (Precautions):
・When possessing this product, confirm that the certificate number matches the number on the attached identification tag (目印標).

・When transferring/selling this product, this certificate must accompany it.

・Do not divide/cut this product any further.

As for the texture, the fur is quite coarse and stiff to the touch, and the hide itself has a solid, heavy weight to it.
I love the unique coloration and the thick winter fur. It’s amazing to have such a well-documented and legally compliant specimen of a protected species.


r/Taxidermy • • 3d ago

Taxidermy/Fur ID Real or fake?

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15 Upvotes

We stayed in this lodge and my friend kept insisting all these are fake. I disagree and think they are real. We have very little knowledge about taxidermy and would appreciate your help.


r/Taxidermy • • 2d ago

"How Do I...?" Crystallization help: How do I get the whole skull to crystallize, but not the teeth?

1 Upvotes

r/Taxidermy • • 3d ago

Oddities, bone, etc. help Hi I have just gotten this wet specimen I’ve got told it was a gerbil, but I don’t think it is. Can someone help me identify him

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5 Upvotes

r/Taxidermy • • 2d ago

Fur/Pelt Help Otter pelt smelling like dog musk

1 Upvotes

I don't know if that makes sense but I got an otter pelt yesterday and it smelled like dog ear musk? Is this bad? If not, how can I get rid of that smell/will it go away on its own?


r/Taxidermy • • 3d ago

I Made This! First time doing taxidermy!

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35 Upvotes

so this is my first time ever doing taxidermy. I know it looks a bit roughed up but that’s because I found it mangled on the side of the road…

I skinned it and fleshed it with a few YouTube shorts to help me out, it was a bit messy though since its insides were kinda spilling out. The body was made and formed by me with some old green foam I found in my closet? probably like craft foam since it’s a bit squishy. The eyes were from an old teddy bear which is why they might be a bit too big.

Did this guy about a week ago, no smell or bugs which is amazing, just posting this because I’m really proud!

(Extra note: This roadkill was fresh and wasn’t rotting, just incase anyone was wondering! I wasn’t about to go pick up a bug infested animal lol)


r/Taxidermy • • 3d ago

"How Do I...?" Raccoon Body Parts!

3 Upvotes

So i got ahold of a very recently deceased raccoon today. Less than 10 hours.

I fully skinned the tail and kept the pelt
Kept all 4 feet/hands
Skull
And fully intact head pelt including nose whiskers and ears

I ran out of daylight and wasn’t at home so I couldn’t do the full skin and gutting and unfortunately had to abandon the body due to lack of space and transport

The skull is all set up currently doing a water maceration because that’s what I’m most comfortable doing (5th one so far)

But as for the 2 pelts and the feet I’m fully lost as to what to do because I have never tanned anything before. They’re currently in my deep freezer.

I’ve done crows feet and wings buried in salt for mummification and that worked out very well

The raccoon feet are also in the deep freeze currently. As for mummifying them I’ve seen mixed suggestions regarding how to do raccoon feet - I would like to do something like a lucky rabbits foot

Any and all suggestions are appreciated and any tutorials would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much!


r/Taxidermy • • 3d ago

"How Do I...?" Any advice on how to clean and neaten this guy up a bit? Also what's the white stuff falling off the feathers?

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6 Upvotes

This moorhen is my first ever proper taxidermy mount. I have skulls and bugs and little oddities but never owned one of these. Any advice on how to clean and what is the white stuff on falling off his feathers?