No matter what kind of taxidermy you're interested in, the first thing you should do is get familiar with the laws surrounding it.

In the U.S., a good starting point is fws.org, along with your state and local natural resources offices. FWS or Fish & Wildlife is a very approachable office and is happy to answer any questions. Be aware to import even something as “little” as insects proper licenses need to be obtained!

Key laws like

the Lacey Act,

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora),

the ESA (Endangered Species Act),

the MBTA (Migratory Bird Treaty Act)

And more are all searchable online.

There is an amazing book by Lupa Greenwolf, which has put together a fantastic resource on state and federal animal parts laws, which you can find here.

We have added hyper links to all the laws above please keep in mind some laws may not be covered in this list.

Just keep in mind that these resources are meant to guide you and are NOT a substitute for legal advice from a lawyer. It’s also important that any communication with your local wildlife officers is done in writing.

we can’t take responsibility for your actions, so please do your due diligence!