Local man faces seizure of Antler collection and is charged with unlawful trafficking of wildlife

Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers announced that they have laid charges against Garland Poyser of Lougheed and his business, which included two counts of unlawfully trafficking in wildlife, one count of possessing wildlife for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of wildlife.

As well, officers seized over 500 sets of white-tailed deer and mule deer antlers, 36 sets of moose antlers, six sets of elk antlers, and one set of caribou antlers.

Public Affairs Officer Brendan Cox from the office of Justice and Solicitor General says, “Tips received from reliable and valid sources alleging the unlawful sale of wildlife parts led to further investigation,” which culminated Aug. 25 for Poyser with the charges, and confiscation of part of his lifetime collection of antlers.

Poyser declined to talk to The Community Press at press time, but the Calgary Sun quotes him Sept. 25 as saying, “I was entrapped. I was set up by those guys.”

In a Nov. 23, 2004 Community Press feature story written by Michelle Molyneux about Poyser’s collection, he talked about antler sets given to him by friends, like an elk set given to him by Jim Hampshire, or a very special set shot by MP Kevin Sorenson’s grandfather and given to him by the Sorenson family, as having special reminders for Poyser of the friends who gave them to him.

In 2004 Poyser said he had collected the antlers for years, since childhood, and he said many of his antlers have been given to him by friends and acquaintances who want to help out his collection.

While it is legal to sell shed antlers in Alberta, selling or giving away antlers that came from a legally harvested animal is a lot more complicated.

Wildlife and their parts can only be sold under very stringent and controlled conditions in Alberta.

If the permit holder of the harvested animal wishes to sell the antlers, he or she must register them for sale at a Fish and Wildlife office, then wait three years before selling.

Even for road kill animals, a person wishing any part of the animal must apply for a permit to keep it, and that permit of found dead wildlife may be transferred to another person, that includes antlers found attached to a skull.

Cox confirmed that it is legal to gift or will legally harvested animal antlers to another person, but that the responsibility is on that person to be able to show that the giver legally harvested the antlers, and that they legally acquired them from the giver.

Executors of estates must also register antlers for sale before selling, but are not subject to the three year waiting period.

Cox says if someone was selling their antler collection at a garage sale, and they did not first register them for sale, they could be charged with Illegal Trafficking in Wildlife.

The maximum penalty for Illegally Trafficking in Wildlife, or for Possessing Wildlife for the Purpose of Selling it is $100,000 in fines and/or two years in jail. A charge of Unlawful Possession of Wildlife can result in up to $50,000 in fines and/or one year in jail.

Poyser’s initial appearance in court to address the charges will take place Oct. 16 in Killam.

Leslie Cholowsky
Editor