SALT LAKE CITY — Hundreds of antlers and furs that were seized by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources during poaching investigations will be auctioned to the public at the end of April, the first such auction held since 2016.
A preview of auction items—including bobcat furs, antlers, bows, and traps—will be held on Monday, April 25, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range located at 6000 West 2100 South in Salt Lake City.
These items will be auctioned online through the TNT Auction website on April 25-26; pre-registration is required prior to the start of the auction.
Antlers will be sold by “lot,” which may consist of one set of trophy-sized antlers or numerous small sets of antlers. Most are from deer and elk, with some from moose and pronghorn, as well as taxidermy mounts.
While most of the items were forfeited by court order, some as from roadkill animals. All of the proceeds from the auction will go toward funding wildlife conservation in Utah.
“It is quite a sight to see all of these antlers, but the sad reality is that the majority of them are evidence of illegally killed wildlife,” said DWR Capt. Chad Bettridge said.
“Poaching steals that opportunity away from law-abiding hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts to enjoy these animals. On average, each of our conservation officers covers around 1,500 square miles in their patrol area. We need the public’s help in enforcing wildlife laws, which help to maintain healthy wildlife populations for future generations to enjoy.”
