By Faith Heaton Jolley, Utah Department of Natural Resources
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is alerting the public to some new requirements for anyone wishing to commercially buy and sell shed antlers in Utah.
Male deer, elk and moose shed their antlers each winter and grow new ones in the spring. Searching for the shed antlers is an activity that many Utahns enjoy each year.
In May, the Utah Wildlife Board passed a new law that states that legally acquired shed antlers and horns can be bought or sold at any time, either whole or trimmed. However, commercial antler buyers must have a certificate of registration – a document that authorizes a specific activity. A “commercial antler buyer” is defined as an individual or business that purchases shed antlers or horns to resell them for a profit.
This new rule does not apply to hunters who pick up shed antlers from the ground and then sell them to an antler buyer. There will still be no license or permit fees for people who hunt shed antlers in Utah unless they plan to buy and resell the antlers commercially.
“This new law took effect on July 1, and we wanted to remind the public of this rule before shed antler collection begins next year,” said Rusty Robinson, DWR Once-In-A-Lifetime Species Coordinator. “This new law helps provide clarity regarding the legality of this growing industry in Utah.”
The registration certificate required for commercial antler buyers costs $150 and can be purchased online, at a DWR office or from any available licensing agent. It is valid for 365 days.
For more information on shed antler collection requirements, visit the DWR website.
Photo courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
