My lastest shipment of animals is about ready to be shipped. I have been informed that I will probably need to provide an affidavit that they are for personal use since I have more than 7 impala in the shipment. Has anyone else ever run into this? And is there anywhere I can get a form without having to use a lawyer?

Just looking for the easiest, affordable way to take care of this and make sure everything is in proper form since it is the USF&W I will be dealing with.

just get a notary public to stamp the letter , i get mine done at my bank they dont charge anything ..its a pretty regular thing to be asked ...

keep the letter simple and to the point ..

this letter serves to confirm that i will be importing seven impala trophies for my personal use . they will not be for resale .

etc etc

Thanks Ivan

I thought it maybe something I could just have a notary sign and stamp but was not sure. I was also not sure what all it needed to say, as the USF&W can be a pain on somethings.

I did a search on the internet for affidavits and all kind of things came up for all kinds of scenerios just not what I was looking for.

An affidavit is not the same thing as having a signature notarized. Not sure exactly what they want here, perhaps they can tell you.

Edit: You can have a notary attest to the affidavit, but the form of the document is different from just something with a notary block for the signature.

DISCLAIMER: Not giving any legal advice here, just cautioning that more may be needed.

Talk to the broker who will be clearing the shipment , they will know what to do.

Likely something like this:

State of Georgia]
County of ______]

Before me, a Notary Public for said county and said state appeared David Culpepper, who first being sworn to tell the truth, deposed and testified as follows:

My name is David Culpepper. I am over the age of 19 years. I am a resident of ____ County, Georgia. I have personal knowledge of the matters averred herein.

I took a hunting safari in _______, ____. The safari took place in the Country of _______. While on safari, I shot, among other things, seven (7) impala. I am in the process of importing those seven (7) impala into the United States. I give this affidavit for the sole purpose of facilitating their importation.

The purpose of my safari was purely personal recreation and was not a commercial endeavor. The purpose of importing the seven (7) impala is purely personal and non-commercial. I wish to have the Impala for what they are, my personal hunting trophies.

Further the affiant sayeth naught.


________________[seal]
David Culpepper

Sworn and subscribed to before me on the ___ day of March, 2010.


__________________
Notary Public
MCE:______________

Thanks Will

That is probably exactly what they will want. My broker is not even sure they will ask for it or not but I just wanted to be prepared. I guess you can tell I am pretty legally naive.

Dave:

Just be sure to keep them for personal use. If you ever decide to get rid of them there could be a problem with offering them for sale.

Mike

If they're ordinary aouthern or east African (etc) impala why do you need to prove they're for your own collection?

They're not a CITES listed species so you should be able to sell them if you want to.

Sounds to me like Big Brother, (probably in the form of those tossers at USF&WS) is sticking his nose in where he has no right to stick it.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
If they're ordinary aouthern or east African (etc) impala why do you need to prove they're for your own collection?

They're not a CITES listed species so you should be able to sell them if you want to.

Sounds to me like Big Brother, (probably in the form of those tossers at USF&WS) is sticking his nose in where he has no right to stick it.

I believe there may be licensing requirements for people in the commercial import-export business.

Charles,

Thanks..... it really suprises me that there are companies that can make a profit out of commercially import such things as impala trophies.

I wouldn't have thought there's enough of a market for that kind of thing at all, least of all a market willing to pay the price they must command by the time shipping costs and a decent profit margin is added.

Importing and Exporting Your Commercial Wildlife Shipment

quote:

In most cases, you must be licensed with us and pay user fees for each shipment.

Again, not giving legal advice, just pointing out some information.

I was told that if you have more than 7 impala in your shipment the USF&W think they are for commerical use, which you need a importor's license. I have 12 impala in my shipment because I was leopard hunting, unsuccessfully, and these were the bait animals I took and decided to have the skulls and horns sent back.

David - Why not consider checking with the guys on the Adventures Abroad TV show? They shoot more Impala than anyone I have ever seen, heard or read about!! Surely they must know what to do with them all?

Seriously, Ivan has the right idea. Good luck.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member