Thanks Larry. I received my 'green card' today indicating that my letter sent certified mail, return receipt requested and on my legal stationary, had been received by the USFWS. We'll see if the USFWS will put out a notice.

I have one question: does the release of trophy import info apply only to CiTIES species or all imports?

Thank you.

It was all imports as I originally understood it.

I have made my filings as well via certified mail, fax and e mail.

I received the document above today. I hope they are right. They are certainly the best connected.

Good news.

One point that I think needs further explanation is they say "Humane Society". Really they need to give the correct title of the organization. It's really Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) which is a radical animal rights organization not to be confused with the American Humane Society.

Unfortunately too many unknowing people give money to HSUS thinking they are saving dogs & cats.

OK, the FWS says that they will not release any hunter's private information. They want information from businesses like Coppersmiths, Flor and Fauna etc. That's damn good. However those businesses do not import anything for themselves. They do it for clients, (hunters) and they have a lot of your personal information. Most require a limited Power of Attorney to act in your behalf going through all the "hoops" to import your trophies. My question is: Will the businesses be required to provide a client's personal information?

Does anyone who has had contact with the FWS know the answer to my question in my above post? I have tried to contact someone in the FWS who would know and I cannot find anyone who answers the phone that has any idea what I am asking.

Gracias,

Hoot

Doesn't the FWS get all the relevant information from the import documents anyway??

Importer: Joe Blogs, address 1234
Importing: Kudu, sable, Buffalo etc, legally hunted in Zimbabwe.
Export document from the exporting country are enclosed.

What else do they need??

Any animal that requires a CITES document normally has one issued from the country exporting it.

Saeed, that is correct. The FWS gets all the personal information as that has to be filed on their forms and they get copies of the documents that come with your trophies from the country where you hunted. I am sure that the customs brokers also have this information on file. The FWS has stated that the FOIA from the Humane Society of the U.S. wanting all the information about trophies imported into the United States was not directed to individuals but rather to the Customs brokers. In the FWS' posting in the Federal Register was very vague as to who was to supply the information and you had 21 days to respond or if you did not, that would be qualified as a yes. OK, we are back to the Customs Brokers. Since they have your personal information in their records/files will they have to submit your personal information and that would be released to the HSOUS and the FWS would be able to say that they did not release from their files but rather the information came from the Customs Brokers. I may be "Booger Huntin'" but I have no confidence in U.S. Government Agencies under the current reign of King Obama.

Mr. Shores:

I am sorry for my late response, but thank you for answering my question.