Sealing fur?

Having an awful hard time getting department personnel to seal a cat for me. In Maine, the law requires a warden or biologist seal a cat. I've been trying for two weeks to get a warden to return my call so I can get this cat tagged and off to a taxidermist. A friend of mine wants a cat mount but he doesn't trap or hunt them himself, he just wants one for his cave and I offered him one of mine for the project.

I have the cat wrapped up in a couple of heavy plastic bags in my freezer but I don't like the idea of it spending an extended stay. Fur has to be tagged no latter than ten days after the close of the season. That's still about two weeks out.

You guys run into this? They're normally pretty good around here and have come to my home on occasion to tag fur.

No problem here as our officers respond ASAP. I suggest you contact the department at your State capital. It will roll down hill.

I called the Ashland regional office and they sent a warden to my cabin on the day & time I requested.

I would definitely make sure I can document the dates and the number of attempts you have made to contact DNR if it is their fault you are not in compliance with their own 10 day stipulation

I just tagged all my fur in Greenville at IF&W. It was really easy.

Very interesting. Any cats or otters? I went into the Ashland regional office (a week before Thanksgiving) and they told me they were not allowed to tag furs. They sent a warden to me on the date & time I requested. I think cats & otter must be tagged by a warden.

It's amazing how much red tape individual state agencies wrap themselves in. Tell them you think your "sealing" would make a good "North Woods Law" episode and they'll be right over...

I called the Ashland office late last week and getting someone on the phone there was no easy task. That's about an hour and a half away from me but if something doesn't give soon I'll be making the drive. They told me to coordinate it with them to make sure someone was in the office.




That might work or I could tell them I think I caught a lynx.

Good idea, thanks. To get the warden service here, you go through the state police. The state trooper recognized my request the second time I called. Wardens are likely worn out from deer season.

It doesn't have to be a Warden. I didn't tag any cats or otter this time but it wouldn't have been a problem. The front desk secretary, April, tagged the fur for me. She could have applied CITES tags too. I was only tagging fisher, marten, mink, coyote this time. When I used to live closer to Bangor I would go to the offices there and Joan, the front desk secretary, would tag all of my fur for me. I've had wardens come to house too. They actually offered to send someone to the house but I wasn't ready yet.

Coyotes are tagged in Maine? And mink? I understand fisher and marten, but those other species seem odd.

Good advice here!!

coyote,mink,fox,beaver fisher..and bobcat and otter...they wrap themselves in red tape for sure

A hunter can shoot a coyote and throw it in the ditch, if you trap one it has to be tagged. It makes no sense. Many things they do here make no sense.

TAGGING LOCATIONS
Bobcat and otter must be tagged by
Department personnel. Other furs may
be tagged at one of the many fur tagging
stations which are located throughout the
state.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The skins of all beaver, bobcat, coyote,
fisher, fox, marten, mink and otter must
be tagged within 10 days after the end of
the season on each species. Tags must be
attached to the skins of these furbearing
animals before you may sell, gift, send, or
transport the pelts except for preparation
and tagging purposes. There is a 25 cent
tagging fee for each skin.
Skins of other furbearing animals (muskrat, opossum, raccoon, red squirrel, skunk
and weasel) do not need to be tagged.

And a new law as of last year:

Harvested coyotes can be gifted
to another person without the
attachment of a permanent tag, but
must have the following information
attached to the coyote: person's
name who harvested it, hunting or
trapping license number, harvest
method, harvest date, harvest town.

What's the line from that movie..."I do not want him down on me." I have a good relationship with the warden service as a rule, they've done a lot to help me in the past. As eb pointed out, I have tagged fur at our local gun shop but they can't do bobcat. I'm mystified by the trouble I'm having getting them to respond.

Stand by what I stated.

I understand your sentiment. I have one of the wardens on speed dial, we're friends but he is out on light duty. I'd just as soon not make a rift if I don't have to.

Thinking about it, tagging fur is about as light a duty as it can get. I'll make another call tomorrow.

I ran into a warden three or four days ago and he had heard I was looking to have a cat tagged. Got my hopes up but he didn't have a seal on him. It seems the department won't let the wardens carry tags, too many unaccounted for in the past. They have to go to their regional office to pick up tags. Looks like I'll head that way Monday. Crazy.

I have no complaints with New York. One time in real bad weather (wind cold and lots of ice on the roads) I drove to their office since I had chains on, he was going to try to meet me but it was on the way home anyway.......jk