A legal question concerning road kill

[Oldetexian]

I guess this could have been posted to trekking life but it's here because I think it is a more general question...

I think the federal law is clear about it being illegal to have feathers or body parts of raptors. (If anyone has precise info, I would be interested.) The law is designed to protect the birds, and I am 100% in favor of it. In fact, we need to do even more to protect them and prosecute the idiots who would kill them.

But, on several occasions I have spotted road killed hawks (most always Red Tails). Several times I have stopped to move the bodies off the road.

In my younger days I have taken a few feathers, and once even the claws. Is it illegal to have these items in my possession, even though they came from a road-killed animal? I think the answer is YES it is illegal, but I would like to hear what others know or think about this.

[rollingb]

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to have any "parts or pieces of" any raptor in your possession unless you are native american,.... and even then, I'm not sure if that includes all raptors or just eagles. 

 

[Ohio Joe]

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to have any "parts or pieces of" any raptor in your possession unless you are native american,.... and even then, I'm not sure if that includes all raptors or just eagles. 

I'm on the same page with Rondo on his post above.

Now other critters, I'm not sure? But it seems to me that if you have (say a small game licenses) here in Nebraska you're probably ok... However, if it's a large game animal (such as deer, antelope, elk) you can probably tag it (again if you have a licenses for it) or in some cases as I've heard - give it to a "soup kitchen" for those in need and not have to tag it and I've understood in some cases they'll let you keep the antlers it you want them... This is all hear-say, I don't know this for a fact... However, I doubt anyone's going to say anything about taking road kill if it's not a protected species such as, skunk, rabbit, raccoon, coyote,,, but it's always better to check the game laws in your state.

[Uncle Russ]

Regarding possession of Raptor or parts including feathers.
I won a handsome bet on this very subject about two years ago.
In WA State, possession is against the law.
A simple feather can cost some big bucks, the case I'm referring to happened in Nevada. But the offender had a lot more than just one feather!
The man lost his truck and was heavily fined for "each feather" in possession.
Indians, of all nations, must have a permit to hunt or gather the feathers for religious and ceremonial events, through the Feds. This has been a law since about 1921....The majority of Eagle Feathers sold today as real Eagle Feathers are actually dyed domestic Turkey feathers.

Here is "a part of the deal" in Nevada....but there is more.
http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/24432/quote

I have been guilty, for years, of picking up Eagle, Hawk, and Owl feathers.....but not any more. Not after talking to a few Game Wardens.

[Oldetexian]

Good comments from everyone...and as I thought already, we all agree it's illegal to have Raptor feathers, etc in our possession. I still have a few, but will discard them. It just seems a shame to not be able to use materials that come from accidental road kills even though I understand that no one can tell if it might have come from a poached animal. Seems like a waste to me.