I was wanting to bring home a Zebra Rug and some tail switches I have in RSA. I was just going to check them and declare them to customs. I was told by a seasoned traveler and African Hunter I can not do this any longer. I know they sell rugs in the airport at Joburg. Anyone kwow about this?

If it's changed then that has been since September when I was there and brought back two of them.

I also brought back 6 springbok, 3 impala and a blue wildebeast all tanned as flat skins. US customs did not even ask to see them as I had the tannery reciepts and showed them upon arrival. Did not have to pay a penny in tax, or shipping. They were all folded and packed together in one large box.

I see no problem but maybe I hit them on a lucky day?

I did the same thing as JJHack, Couple of Impala skins, 4 or 5 springbok skins, a duiker and something else that I forget right at this moment. The people at customs were more worried about spraying my boots then what I had in luggage. I packed them IN my luggage and they never questioned.

Good luck.

How much do they get for the Zebra rugs? I will bag one on my hunt, but would not mind having an extra rug. Thanks, Lee.

I bought 2 in Arusha last July for $300 each. I bought them to give to people that work with me on my return. Most of these type skins were shot by poachers, as I was told, since the trophy fee for a regular hunter would be around $850. I must say that the condition of such skins is lousy if you're interested in using them "as is" for a rug in your home. The nature of how they were tanned is very poor and the rugs are wrinkled and stiff. To get them turned into a decent looking rug once they got back in the US, I later learned, would cost about $450 each. That said, if you were looking for a rug for yourself, the total of around $750, if you got one this way, isn't that bad for a nice zebra rug.
The people that I gave them to could not afford the charges to have them done here at home, so both of the skins are likely in their respective closets.

Last July, one shop in the Jo'berg airport had a whole rack full of tanned zebra skins for, if I remember correctly, around US $1000-1300.

We saw some in Kruger for $2200...

There are usually some on Ebay too.