Poached Bucks Up for Auction in Utah, Along with Hundreds More Skulls and Hides

The state of Utah is currently auctioning off hundreds of antlers, furs, and other items that were either seized from poachers or taken from animals that were killed by vehicles or other causes. The online auction is hosted on the JJ Kane website, and it runs through the end of the day Thursday. Buyers will have to create an account before they can place any bids, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. 

The DWR held a public preview for the items yesterday in Salt Lake City. This allowed antler collectors and other interested buyers to walk past some of the piles of furs and stacks of trophy antlers — mostly from elk and mule deer, although the DWR says a few moose, sheep, and pronghorn are in the mix as well. Most of this headgear is still attached to the skulls, and some of the antlers are being sold by the “lot,” which means they “may consist of one set of trophy-sized antlers or numerous small sets.”

The vast majority of these antlers and furs were seized or otherwise obtained by the DWR during poaching investigations, in which cases the poachers would have been court-ordered to forfeit the items. The auction also includes other things, like bows and traps, that were seized from poachers. Some of the other animal parts being auctioned off came from road-killed critters, and a fair number were from dead animals that were picked up during the brutal winter of 2022-23. 

Lt. David Beveridge with DWR law enforcement explained in the announcement that these auctions are a great way to raise money for Utah’s wildlife. They have been going on for several decades and are typically held every four years or so. The last one was held in 2022. 

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“These auctions give people the opportunity to obtain a public resource that was either illegally killed or died of other causes,” Beveridge said, adding that all the funding “goes back toward wildlife conservation.”

The DWR did not provide figures as to how much money these auctions typically raise, but they undoubtedly help offset the damages poachers inflict on Utah’s fish and wildlife resources each year. In 2024 alone, the agency reported a final tally of 1,007 wild animals and fish that were taken illegally. This list included:

• 216 deer, 12 of which were classified as trophies
• 140 elk, 20 of which were trophies
• 12 cougars
• 7 moose
• 5 bears
• 4 bison
• 3 bald eagles  

“Each animal that is illegally killed in Utah is one less animal for legal hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and everyday residents to enjoy,” the DWR says. “Poachers steal these precious resources from the law-abiding citizens of our state and hurt our ability to enjoy Utah’s wildlife.”