Furs, antlers up for auction to raise money for Utah wildlife conservation
Mar 6, 2025, 7:00 AM
Furs and antlers for auction by the state will raise money for wildlife conservation in Utah. (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)
(Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)
SALT LAKE CITY — Hundreds of antlers and furs will be auctioned off this month to help raise money for wildlife conservation in Utah.
The Department of Natural Resources and DNR law enforcement officials host the event that sells forfeited bows, traps, furs, and antlers from animals that were either illegally poached, hit and killed by vehicles or died during harsh winter months.
“It is quite a sight to see all those antlers, and it can be sad that a majority of them are from illegally killed animals,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Lt. David Beveridge. “But on the flip side, it’s a good opportunity for us to give the public a chance to obtain some of these items and all that money goes back to wildlife conservation in Utah.”
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This auction event has been going on for decades and is usually held once every four years. The last antler auction was in 2022, where Beveridge said over $300,000 was raised.
“All of that money went back to wildlife conservation and to the department of wildlife resources restricted account,” he said.
Beveridge explained this is not the only way to obtain antlers found in the wild.
“If someone finds a head in the wild and they want to obtain that, we do have a dead head reporting app that people can go to our website and download … It does provide an opportunity for people who do come across a dead head to report that and to possibly have that donated to them and given to them.”
According to a DNR press release, “The antlers will be sold by “lot,” which may consist of one set of trophy-sized antlers or numerous small sets of antlers. Some of the antlers are individual antlers, but most are attached to a skull. Many of the antlers are from deer and elk, but there are also antlers and horns from moose and pronghorn.”
“We certainly hope [this auction] raises awareness of poaching that does occur and we’re always finding opportunities to get the word out,” said Beveridge. “Conservation officers cover very large areas so we need the public’s help in finding violations. They can do that by calling us, our phone number is on all licenses … 800-662-3337.”
He continued, “[This event] provides an opportunity for the public to bring some wild back into their home and it allows us to put that money back into the wildlife resource account and help protect wildlife.”
There will be a public walkthrough event on March 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at JJ Kane Auctions at 2353 N. Redwood Road in Salt Lake City.
The online auction begins March 27 on the JJ Kane website.
“It is a good opportunity for the public to see the resources that we have in Utah and the amazing place we have to live.”
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