Starting to get serious with my planning for an up coming Namibia Plains Game hunt in May of this year and could use some help on what to do with trophies. I understand that if I have the trophies just dipped and packed they have to under go a USDA inspection, especially Warthog's and Baboon's. So my question is, if I have all trophies finished by a taxidermist in Namibia, can they be shipped directly to me, or do they still have to go thru USDA?

either way they have to go through customs inspection at a US port of entry- if they are the finished product, they are then forwarded on to you-if they are the raw product, they are forwarded on to your taxidermist

Dawg:
Dollar is correct. If you are prepared to put up with the normal guvment bullshit, you can do it yourself. I did it last year for a baboon and a hog. It took me about 1.5 hours. This year I found a guy in Anchorage who did it for $106. Not worth my time, I hired him.
If your interested, PM me, I can give you a couple names (broker/taxidermist)I highly recommend avoiding. The guys screwed me big time and I don't want anyone else to get screwed.

DD,
Pigs and baboons have to go to a USDA approved taxidermist...Since all your trophies will be in the same crate, same applies...
USF&W will check your trophies and yu can clear them if you have the time...

Mike

Another option is to have the skins tanned vs dipped. I believe that will classify them as finished goods.
I did that on my last trip and plan on doing the same this year. It should save you one your taxidermy bill also because it cost a bit more to tan vs dip and it saves the cost of tanning here in the states.
Some have had bad luck tanning in Africa, but I have not. Check with your taxidermist.

Maybe I need to re-phrase my question. Does having all taxidermist work including baboons and hogs done in Africa minimize the government BS and shipping to a USDA approved taxidermist here in the states? I understand that everything must clear customs, which I can do myself as I do have the time. I'm just trying to eliminate any other steps, delays and expenses that would come when having to ship to other parties.

Lets talk finished complete taxidermy including the tanning of hides. No dip and pack items to be shipped.

Here are the steps as I have experienced them:

-- PH/game farm owner deliver skins/horns/ivory etc. to Namibian taxidermist. You might go with to see the operation if the game farm has its act together and transports the trophies with you down to Windhoek when you leave. You will have filled out a sheet explaining what taxidermy you want. I've used both Reiser and Trophaendienste.
-- Eventually Taxidermist asks for wire transfer of funds, half the cost if a large amount; the whole if a small amount. I only do finished trophies or tanned/dressed hides. I reply with funds wired by my bank to the taxidermist's Windhoek bank, and a separate email giving the name of my U.S. (Baltimore-based) Freight forwarder
NOTE: At least two US Government agencies are involved when you import: US Customs which has never assessed any duties on finished taxidermy that I have imported; and the US Fish and Wildlife Service that is concerned about both disease and legal hunting and must sign off before you can pick goods up at the airline warehouse that is usually quite close to the Customs/FWS offices on the airport grounds. I do not have any information on pigs/primates, but recently had a warthog among other finished trophies that was shipped straight to me by my freight forwarder in New York (Namibian taxidermist shipped without doublechecking with me to the old Freight Forwarder near Kennedy used before BWI airport had a USFWS office established).
-- freight forwarder notifies of arrival of goods at BWI;
-- I drive to freight forwarder's office and pick up papers. NOTE: can't recall when I pay actual freight charges, but believe it is at this very moment. Need to be fairly quick otherwise goods begin to accrue storage charges;
-- Drive to BWI airport to USFWS office with the papers. Inspector there asks questions, stamps papers;
-- Drive the short distance to the airline warehouse, present papers, forklift brings shipment; load into car/truck and head home.

Everyone please comment, add, correct for local practices.

Regards, Tim

Here's a better option that I use. I send everything to Fauna and Flora and they clear customs for me. You can do that yourself if you have the time and are near a port. (Im not). Then have the crate shipped to your taxidermists favorite tannery(mine is Carolina Fur Dressing) and have them break the box. They are approved to do it and you won't have any headaches. Also because the crate is shipped directly to the tannery as opposed to you or your taxidermist, you can save some shipping costs. That's what I did in 02 and what Im doing in August.

Hugh

For the easy answer, finished taxidermy does not have to go thru USDA inspection. From what I am now hearing and trophies that are not considered finished taxidermy have to go thru USDA a inspection and then shipped directly to a USDA approved facility. As I have heard that is just not limited to hogs and baboons, it is everything not considered finished taxidermy.

Your going to have some red tape no matter what route you take. For myself, I have all capes, skins and skulls/horns dipped and packed in Africa and shipped to JFK in care of Fauna and Flora. John has an excellent reputation and if any headaches come around he's the guy that can take care of them. Once he clears your shipment with the F&W and USDA (if swine or primates are involved) they will then proceed to an approved Taxidermist or Tannery, but mine arrive at my Taxidermist. Tanning skins in Africa can be risky, as some tanned skins can come apart when rehydrated during the mounting process, and dry tanned skins will generally not have the true stretch that wet tanned skins (Carolina Fur Dressing offers this) will retain. There are many options but do your homework and you should be able to choose the route that suits you best. Good hunting, David

I use and recommend the same procedure as Hugh posted above.