Busted for felony posession of eagle feathers?

[Questor]

Somebody told me it's a federal felony to keep an eagle feather. Is that true?  Why is that?

[Redtail1949]

National Bird..people caught every year either killing or collecting dead Bald Eagle feathers. Only one group allowed with special permits and that is Indians. Other eagles are protected as well but the Bald Eagle will cause you much heartbreak if you kill it or collect a dead ones feathers.

[alsaqr]

It is illegal to possess certain wild bird feathers.   This was brought to light early in the Klinton reign when someone sent the new "first lady" a dream catcher.  Hillary turned that person in to the feds. 

There are some exemptions for  Native Americans. 

http://www.indianseminar.com/feathers.htm

The Federal law makes it a FELONY to possess illegally protected bird feathers (or other parts such as claws, heads, etc.) Violations of the Migratory Bird Act (Covers Hawks, Owls, swans, geese, buzzards, bluejay, etc.) can result in fines up to $2,000 and 2 years in prison. Violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act carries a $5,000 fine and one year in prison for a first offense(doubles for second offense). Violations of the Endangered Species Act carries a maximum penalty of $20,000 and one year in Prison. Besides these Federal punishments you can also be punished in State Courts for the SAME violations with similar penalties. If you are transporting illegal feathers in your auto, it can be seized by the government, like in drug cases. Transporting across state lines in another offense separate from the possession. If you are convicted of a FELONY, there are other consequences: You probably won't be able to join the Armed Forces, be a teacher or public employee, hold public office, own a firearm, be an Attorney, etc. IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER, so you must learn about the LAW so as not to violate it.

[Questor]

That's pretty scary. We have some feathers we have found in the wild and keep them just because they are pretty. I wouldn't know whether any of them are eagle feathers. I might be a federal criminal. Come to think of it, we have a dream catcher too. My gosh, our house may be a clearing house for illegal activity of this sort!!!

[crustaceous]

Here's a story on the National Eagle Repository

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13242945

[GRIMJIM]

they're funny about birds. My friend was snowmpbiling in Upper Peninsula Michigan and found a hawk frozen to a fence post. He wanted to get it mounted. Even though it died of natural causes he was not allowed to take it

[fr3db3ar]

I think it's a crock of crap that I can't keep a feather I find in the woods.....Nazis

[rockbilly]

There is more to this than meets the eye.  The restriction was placed for several reasons, first and foremost to stop the illegal killings, second to curb an overseas market for the eagle talons and feathers.  Several cultures in the orient view them as a special medicine to boost sexual powers.  They also view deer and elk anthers in the same manner.  If strict restrictions were not placed on the feathers poachers would capitalize on the opportunity for their gain.

Two individual from here in Texas recently went to jail for poaching and shipping deer anthers to Hong Kong, one of the individuals had done business with my son and told him that they had shipped over two hundred sets of anthers that year,  Some of these were road-kill deer, but most were spotlighted.

[nomosendero]

That's pretty scary. We have some feathers we have found in the wild and keep them just because they are pretty. I wouldn't know whether any of them are eagle feathers. I might be a federal criminal. Come to think of it, we have a dream catcher too. My gosh, our house may be a clearing house for illegal activity of this sort!!!

That's OK, we will all be in the same shape soon anyway.