Bear claws?

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PugetSound5

New member
OK, this one is semi-borderline iffy off-topic but bear with me (pun intended) because hunters might know the info I'm looking for, and it's FOR THE CHILDDRREENNN!!! (read it aloud with a whinny voice) :D

Here's the deal: my little nephew, who lives in Europe, has asked his American uncle (yours truly) to get him a genuine bear claw. Why? Beats me, I would have prefered him to ask for something easy to get. And why me? Well, I live in America, so I must have bears living in my backyard and all I have to do is take a couple of claws off a carcass; or go to the bear parts store and buy a few.

So, I did a search on the Internet and in local stores and all I see is pretty much lots of resin reproductions casts sometimes advertised as such; but most often many of the same sold as "genuine". And every time sold as Indian jewelry for mucho dinero. Now, Northwest Native Indian art I know a bit about; enough to recognize overpriced crap when I see it ;) Plus the kid does not want jewelry, he just wants a claw.

So, I'm looking for one genuine bear claw, good size, reasonable price, and legal (I understand that parts from certain species like grizzlies cannot be sold). Can anyone recommend a store that would carry that, in the US or Canada?

Thanks in advance for the help,

PS5
 
You may want to check with USFWS Forensics Lab in Ashland, OR, or the Customs Service to find out even if you can purchase a legal bear claw (I have no idea about animal parts that are or are not legal in country) if it is legal to send it out of the country and you will need to know if it is legal to be imported into your nephew's country.

While I don't know specifics, I know that there are plenty of people who will sell animal parts and claim such sales to be legal when they are not legal. Take a little time and find out the specifics before you get yourself into trouble or your nephew when he goes to claim the package.
 
You may want to check with USFWS Forensics Lab in Ashland, OR, or the Customs Service to find out even if you can purchase a legal bear claw
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Yes, that I checked. It's easy. Grizzly parts are illegal because it's a protected species. But not black or brown bears because after all there is a hunting season for them in some areas. My understanding is that claws are not a problem. I would not worry about the export and import; I'm not talking about smuggling in Yogi here. The problem is to find a store that sells that stuff. I found a place on the net that sells bones, animal skulls and claws etc... but they are resin moldings.

I've been learning much more than I want to know about that stuff :D Do you think the kid would settle for a Nintendo?

PS5
 
Maybe check into "black powder"/mountain man speciality shops & the like? We've one in Ft Collins, CO that sells all kinds of furs, etc, - Rendevous ... just a thought.
 
Since you've determined that black-bear claws are legal, why not repost the more specific question in the General forum? Gotta be some bear hunter who'd help out, and there are more viewers in that forum.

Art
 
Maybe check into "black powder"/mountain man speciality shops & the like? We've one in Ft Collins, CO that sells all kinds of furs, etc, - Rendevous ... just a thought.
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Bingo! That was a good tip. I actually found a place in SD that sells all kind of genuine claws, but the guy can't sell it to me via the mail because it's illegal in my state to trade these, although it's legal to possess them or give them away. He can't send it to Europe direct either because he'd need licenses etc...

That's it, the kid is getting a freaking Nintendo! :D

Thanks all for the help,

PS5
 
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