No excuse for moose: How was he to know it was illegal to sell the thing?

Toronto Sun
Apr. 02, 2006

NEWMARKET -- A man who was hauled into court after he sold a stuffed moose head on eBay says he's going to fight to the end to get "Bob" back.

"This is ridiculous," Ken Procyk, 34, said yesterday after rejecting a Crown offer to settle the case.

The Aurora businessman said he had no idea selling the majestic moose head that his family fondly nicknamed Bob was against the law.

"They invent thousands of petty laws and expect us to memorize them, and meanwhile, the streets are crawling with criminals."

As first revealed in Mark Bonokoski's column in the Sun last week, Procyk was charged under a section of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act that prohibits the unauthorized sale or purchase of wildlife, including pelts, antlers, mounted wildlife or any wildlife parts.

Bob the moose was also seized.

The maximum penalty under such a charge is $100,000 and/or two years in prison.

Yesterday, Procyk rejected a deal that would have had him pay a $250 fine in exchange for a guilty plea and losing Bob for good.

"No deal," said Procyk. "We'll take this thing to court first -- we want Bob back."

The case was adjourned to May 19.

Procyk said Bob has been in the family for years, but lack of storage space for the majestic moose head forced him to sell Bob for $450 US to a fellow in St. Louis, Mo., where he would find a new home in a place called the Big Bear Grill. But Bob was seized at the border.

It is not unusual to find moose heads for sale on eBay. You can also buy the head of a hippo shot in Zambia or an alligator head. But don't buy an animal head from Canada, because in most provinces, it's against the law.

"Gimme a break," said Procyk. "I'd like to tell you what I think of this law, but it uses too many 'F' words."

He said he has had calls from well-wishers organizing a campaign to spring Bob and return him to Procyk.

Meanwhile, U.S. Customs has sent Procyk a bill for $560 US -- the storage fee for Bob's time in custody.













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