# Is buying mounts illegal?



## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

If I remember right, there was a guy in the Cleveland area that was either fined or even jailed for selling mounts. 

I want to just buy a mount instead of catching a fish and having it mounted. I found a couple for sale and was just curious if I would get in trouble for buying mounted game fish that I didn't have mount.

I looked it up and it said you can buy replica's but it's illegal to sell mounted game fish. I find that odd as it's simply a mounted fish. What's the difference between buying one mounted and having one mounted for you? I'm assuming because of how the fish was probably sourced? Even then, if I illegally sourced a fish or animal to mount, it's still illegal.

Does anyone have any information on this? I get the whole "mounting what you catch is more special" side of it so please save it if you are going to preach that it. Buying one already mounted saves me money and the headache if the mount doesn't come out how I want it. I want to see what I'm getting, not "hoping" it turns out looking like how I want it to.

TIA


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

It's my understanding that its illegal to sell them but NOT illegal to buy them. The guy that got busted was selling them from a bait store which probably got ODNR's attention. He probably should have give them away when you buy a "special magic fish lure" for $50.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

a mount is usually a fish that's been mounted. and its illegal to sell a fish. but a replica is usually made out of fiberglass or some other materials and its not a real fish and can be sold. this is my understanding anyway.
sherman


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## baitguy (Dec 17, 2013)

Not sure about the specifics of whether or not the mount has to be real. Could be mistaken, but I'm under the impression that most if not all fish mounts are replicas, not the real fish any more. You the the taxidermist a picture along w/weight and dimensions and they make it out of a plastic of some sort, so I don't know how that would work. Plastic isn't a fish. The guy in Cleveland was L&D tackle on Detroit Rd. in Lakewood and was doing it for years. I know he got fined and had to close his bait store which had been open like forever. Not sure about any jail time but that would seem a bit extreme for selling a stuffed critter.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

jeffk said:


> Not sure about the specifics of whether or not the mount has to be real. Could be mistaken, but I'm under the impression that most if not all fish mounts are replicas, not the real fish any more. You the the taxidermist a picture along w/weight and dimensions and they make it out of a plastic of some sort, so I don't know how that would work. Plastic isn't a fish. The guy in Cleveland was L&D tackle on Detroit Rd. in Lakewood and was doing it for years. I know he got fined and had to close his bait store which had been open like forever. Not sure about any jail time but that would seem a bit extreme for selling a stuffed critter.


That would be a replica (fake). Skin mounts (real) use the Skin/scals, head, tail and fin so it is the actual fish. A replica is perfectly legal to buy and sell so thats your best bet.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

rustyfish said:


> That would be a replica (fake). Skin mounts (real) use the Skin/scals, head, tail and fin so it is the actual fish. A replica is perfectly legal to buy and sell so thats your best bet.


So what's the difference between a replica and a real mount once finished?..can the differences be seen by the naked eye?..neither of them are the actual fish in my opinion...they are both fake.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Shad Rap said:


> So what's the difference between a replica and a real mount once finished?..can the differences be seen by the naked eye?..neither of them are the actual fish in my opinion...they are both fake.


Not hard to tell the two apart. A real mount is not fake it's just dead.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

i think the issue is people harvesting fish to mount and making a living. 

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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

montagc said:


> Shad rap, does a cow become fake when it's dead? What are cheese burgers made of then, fake meat? Anyhow...
> 
> " No person shall buy, sell, or offer any part of wild animals for sale, or transport any part of wild animals, except as permitted by the Revised Code or division rules." Orc 1531.03
> 
> If you find a statute or rule that says you can sell or buy dead animal parts, then you're golden. Other wise, yeah, it seems to be illegal.


Ummm...I can read the orc there wiseguy...I was just asking a question...I have several 'real' mounts...but no replicas...I just love it when some einstein quotes the orc like someone else is too dumb to know it...happens a lot here.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

legendaryyaj said:


> I looked it up and it said you can buy replica's but it's illegal to sell mounted game fish. I find that odd as it's simply a mounted fish. What's the difference between buying one mounted and having one mounted for you? I'm assuming because of how the fish was probably sourced? Even then, if I illegally sourced a fish or animal to mount, it's still illegal.
> 
> TIA


I guess if I ever knew this, I must have forgotten it. If it is illegal to sell mounts, it is another of our "lame" laws that needs to be fixed.
What does my wife do with all my fish and deer heads(assume it applies to animal mounts as well!) when I pass away, throw them in the trash?? She will not want them, my kids would only want their own. This probably has some really good-though outdated-reason to be on the books but IMO, this needs to be updated or dismissed! I can understand selling fresh fish you caught as maybe crossing the "commercial fishing" line but animals, or fish, that I caught/harvested legally(tagged and/or committed to mounts) that I paid to have done, should be my choice what I want to do with them! If I am all screwed up on this, please straighten me out!Talking MOUNTS ONLY here, not meat!


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

I know selling waterfowl mounts is illegal..... but you can buy fish mounts on e-bay.....how do restraints get them?


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

It goes for all animals. So the problem is that it puts a price on their heads. You can not sell wild animals for profit other than comercial fishing and trapping. Why does it matter if it is meat or not. The meat is not always the most valuable part of an animal. It is not an outdated law, it is the way it should be. That is a big can of worms you would be opening. 

That being said.... they get sold all the time.

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

rustyfish said:


> It goes for all animals. So the problem is that it puts a price on their heads. You can not sell wild animals for profit other than comercial fishing and trapping. Why does it matter if it is meat or not. The meat is not always the most valuable part of an animal. It is not an outdated law, it is the way it should be. That is a big can of worms you would be opening.
> 
> That being said.... they get sold all the time.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Exactly! If people think the poaching game is bad now, imagine if you could legally sell mounts... the sale of spotlights would skyrocket immediately!

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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Maybe Donate them to a Bait and Tackle Shop for Décor? Or give them away to Friends?


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

So I guess all fly tiers and jig tiers are lawbreakers. As they use parts of dead game animals and birds all the time. Of course non-game animal material is also used. Skunk , coyote even opossum. If ever a duck hunter wanted to sell me flank feathers should I pass ? I buy all the time in packages from different fly shops.

So what is the obvious answer now ? Not taking sides just wondering.


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## davef (Aug 7, 2007)

I've been to auctions where they made it clear you are bidding on the wood plaques that a group of single ducks were mounted on. The duck came free with the wood plaque. I doubt if a buyer could get in hot water but the seller would be a different matter.


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## lmbchckn (Apr 3, 2013)

What about selling deer mounts? Was always under the impression it was perfectly legal as long as the tag was attached. I would think there would be some legal way to sell an old fish mount. How do stores like cabelas and gander, or resturaunts get mounts to decorate there stores? Was at texas roadhouse tonight and they had several old bass and steelhead mounts. I can't imagine all of those were donated?


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

montagc said:


> You mean that wasn't rhetorical? You really don't know what the difference is between a dead fish and fiberglass?


No...it wasnt rhetoric, I was just asking a question as to seeing both of them with the naked eye...either way, once mounted the fish is not real anymore...90% of it is fake...that was my point...someone brought up a good point about the people that tie flys and all that...same difference...


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

How come I can sell the furs from animals that have been trapped or shot but not a mount of a legally taken fish??? Weird.


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## davef (Aug 7, 2007)

I have no idea of the correct answer but could it be the buyers have a license to buy furs? Here in Pa. I think they must have a fur buyers license or permit.


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