Wildlife assets to be auctioned this weekend at outdoor expo in Phoenix

PHOENIX — Various wildlife assets will be auctioned off this weekend at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo in Phoenix.

The expo takes place at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility (4044 W Black Canyon Blvd.) on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Among the assets available are antlers, hides, skulls and wildlife mounts, as well as wildlife artwork and taxidermy, according to a press release.

The assets were seized during law enforcement investigations, obtained from donations or from animals killed in vehicle collisions, the organization said.

“Because of the pandemic, we’ve not been able to conduct this auction for the past three years due to the cancellation of the expo,” Ken Dinquel, wildlife law enforcement coordinator, said in the release.

“To that point, we have three years’ worth of inventory to sell this year — more than we’ve ever had in the past.”

Auction procedures can be found on Instagram, along with photos of the assets once the expo gets underway.

Items can be purchased individually or by the pound in the silent auction using cash or a credit card, AZGFD said.

All bids must be made in person as the organization said phone-in bids will not be accepted. Winners will be notified by phone within one week after the close of the individual auction and items can be picked up by appointment only.

AZGFD said it will use funds generated from the auction to purchase equipment and technology used in the investigation of wildlife crimes and the protection of resources.

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