When I was working for the Klamath Tribes in southern Oregon, Lo these =
many years ago (1979), Bald Eagle carcasses were going for about $500 =
per - with most of the carcasses (skins) working their way into the =
Southwest or the Midwest by people going to PowWows or Sun Dances. =
Individual wing or tail feathers went for $10-25, and the wing (used for =
a ceremonial fan, usually) went for $50-100, as did the talons. Skulls =
(sometimes part of the paraphenalia used at the sweat lodge...) went for =
about the same. As with stolen cars, you could make more money if you =
parted them out...

Had one guy driving around Chiloquin with an eagle he'd shot, in the =
back of his pickup. No USF&WS agent in town at the time (position =
vacant for several months). Federal Refuge Officers said (''Tain't so, =
but they claimed it was) that they only had jurisdiction *on* the =
National Wildlife Refuges. State Fish & Wildlife couldn't do anything: =
"It is a federal case". FBI just laughed, and said to call USF&WS. =
Finally, just sent the guy's name, etc. to the Feds in Portland. Never =
heard that anything was done: No habeus corpus? =20

At least I made it out of Klamath County without getting shot....

Sounds like things haven't changed too much in the past 15+ years.

The sad thing is, is that the FWS maintains the repository for eagles, =
that they would supply tribal members with whatever carcasses they =
wanted - just for the asking. =20

I never did know why this program wasn't expanded, why it wasn't taken =
advantage of by the tribal folks more often, or why in the world anyone =
- tribal or otherwise - should get away with blasting an eagle. =
Perhaps, if there wasn't a 2-year wait for the bureaucracy to deal with =
the permit applications, there wouldn't be such an incentive to go out =
and collect one's own bird... But, then again, the most bureaucratic =
agency that I've ever dealt with was the Bureau of Indian Affairs - the =
slowest, and the least effective in its mission. And the FWS has to go =
through the BIA to confirm tribal memberships, etc etc etc.

It's one thing (and probably legitimate) to have tribal members able to =
use eagle feathers and parts in their ceremonies, for their dances, =
regalia, etc. It's another thing to have a few unscrupulous types =
profit from the illegal trade in these feathers and parts. I'm glad the =
bust went down.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net