What do you think a customs broker is responsible for? I am asking because I had a problem with importing trophies from Mozambique. The scientific name of my blue duiker was changed and the broker didn't catch the mistake until the USFW officer held up all of my trophies. After $1250 worth of storage fees the broker, Maria Felix at Hunter International, doesn't think they have any responsibility in making sure names are right on CITES forms and it is my tough luck.

When you use a broker what do you think they are responsible for? I leave again for RSA this week and would like to know before I hire another company. Probably Coppersmith.

quote:

Originally posted by SDR:
I leave again for RSA this week and would like to know before I hire another company. Probably Coppersmith.

Don Truly in the Dallas office knows his stuff. Good people and they do a great job.

SDR,

I spoke to my taxidermist who has done African mounts as a large part of his busiess for 44 years. He believes that it is the shippers responsibility in Africa to double check all paperwork before it leaves Africa. If he was going to complain he would do it on the Africa end.

Mark

Thanks Mark.

I always assumed that I am hiring the US broker to check the permits and make sure everything is right for the US side of things. If they are just a middle man collecting money and not responsible for the accuracy of permits I could have my 11 year old son do it.

My problem with the shipment was that the name the Mozambique agriculture department accepts is not the name the USFWS accepts and is in the database. I am sure this is not a common problem since the scientific names don't change often. I know I will be checking the current names on the USFWS website myself in the future.

Steve

Steve,

Somebody in Mozambique must be doing it write as I had a blue duiker plus the rest of my trophies arrive this spring from Mozambique with no problems. Safari Export Mozambique handled mine. They've actually done two shipment for me with no problems and great care taken with the capes.

This won't make you feel better but I had a mongoose in a shipment from Zim recently. The Zim Parks rocket scientist put Moongoose/lemur on the forms. USF&W fined me $500 dollar for illegally importing a lemur even though there was not a lemur in the shipment and lemurs do not live in Zim. I could have disputed their decision if I wanted to come to Seattle with my attorney and go to court. I chose the fine of course. US,F&W just sucks!!!

Mark

P.S. I'm having great luck with International Frieght Systems in Seattle. They call me to confirm all trophies in the shipment are correct before they ever leave Africa.

Hello,

I have used Coppersmiths in the past, no problems, but then again my paperwork was done correctly.

Nitro

In the past I have used Maria at Hunter Int. Unfortunately, I also had problems and switched to Well in Texas for my last large shipment. They did a good job, but I would have appreciated more E-mails letting me know what was happening with my trophies. IMO Hunter Int. needs to step up to the plate and pay the fees that their inattention to details caused. The PRIMARY reason I use a broker such as Hunter Int or Well is to insure that my paperwork is perfect. For a broker to mess up on this is inexcusable and they should be held accountable. While I hope Hunter Int. will realize the negative publicity from this is not worth it and send your a check there are legal remedies as well.

My Taxidermist uses Maria @ Hunters Int. as well. She does an excelent job BUT...........I don't have the option to pay her with a credit card????? HELLO....It's the year of our lord 2010. Don't you think its time??

Steve

We always recommend Don at Coppersmith,Dallas.
In the forum there are always those who prefer to save a little and clear customs themselves and perhaps shop about for the lowest price.

I doubt the average hunter would have spotted this difference in nomenclature. This is an example of how things can go off track and then negate any savings.

Chances are that a long experienced customs broker like Don would have spotted this difference immediately, prior to departure the taxidermist to shipper or prior to ship date from orgin. Too often we do not know or appreciate the bullets a good customs broker deflects.

We see postings complaining of extreme high price tag with an African shipping company. Observation.. a customs broker gets to see the whole field of play and perhaps knows the players who have a history of clipping hunters or are slip shod providers.

Perhaps developing a relationship with a long experienced broker is over time the least expensive route. If one goes to Africa several times the odds will .... stack.

After all.... it is Africa.

Elton

Recommend you take the time to do your own research and verify scientific names before you go on safari. Make a list. Check against packing list before shipped. Its the old military adage, "follow-up on everything." It's your butt, even if the other guy is the screw-up. SBS Logistics in Jo'burg does a great job.

Eagle One

Benefactor Member NRA
Life Member SCI
DRSS
Life Member SAF

Well i see that it is the responsibility of the shipper in Africa to make sure the paperwork is correct and the customer needs to verify that the paperwork is correct. I have not used a broker and have no idea what they do, so what do they do?

Thought I heard something about a sudden change by USF&WS about this on another thread:

Originally posted by Shakiri:

Charl,

In case you missed the latest PHASA newsletter:

The following was received from Maria Felix, President of Hunter International Brokerage Services, Inc, re the blue duiker in consignments.

A blue duiker (CITES II) in your consignments - this message is an alert I want to send to you to please ensure that the scientific name reflected on the permit is “Philatomba monticola”.

For the past 20 years, it has always been “Cephalophus monticola” which F&W has always accepted. However, this time, they will only accept what the cites data base and ESA list shows, and that is “Philatomba monticola”. I do not know why suddenly this has become an issue with F&W (we asked but did not get an answer) but we have no choice but to abide otherwise the trophy will be subject to seizure.

Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd


http://forums.accuratereloadin...521053531#5521053531

We do our very best to keep up with any CITES changes considering the gazillion species listed on their data base. The only time a scientific name change gets highlighted to us is when we suddenly get a "rejection" from F&W or we get news from other sources like our agents or federal notices, etc. This is a rare occurence because in the last eight years (that's how old Hunter International is) I can only remember two species (from the commonly imported african animals) whose names were changed. They are blue duiker and serval. We believe that the issuing authority at the origin should have UPDATED INFORMATION on scientific names everytime there is a change. We as brokers can only attest to the accuracy of these names based on previous clearances or acceptance by F&W. Unfortunately, F&W does not issue any notices to this effect so unless we have prior knowledge that a scientific name of a specie has changed when we do our "document review prior to shipping", we will advise shipper to proceed.

On another note, I strongly encourage every one to please ALWAYS get a CLEAR copy of your hunting register and hunting licenses (especially for valuable cites animals) immediately after your hunt and keep them for your record. These documents are your legal proof of hunt. I highly emphasize this because F&W has been randomly asking for copies of these when they review our import declarations. Oftentimes, hunters do not have these paperwork with them so we always have to go back to the shipper to produce such and again, delays like these translates to storage fees incurred at the airline.

There is so much more to share to make the import process go smoothly . . . .

I don't go to this website as much as I used to to get feedbacks from the hunters but I'm glad I saw this post so we can explain our side.

Maria Felix
President & Proud NRA Life Member
Hunter International Brokerage Services, Inc.
www.hunter-international.net

I have used Coppersmiths 4 times and never had any problems. When I get all the paperwork emailed to me from the shipper I forward on to Coppersmiths and they double check everything.

quote:

We do our very best to keep up with any CITES changes considering the gazillion species listed on their data base. The only time a scientific name change gets highlighted to us is when we suddenly get a "rejection" from F&W or we get news from other sources like our agents or federal notices, etc. This is a rare occurence because in the last eight years (that's how old Hunter International is) I can only remember two species (from the commonly imported african animals) whose names were changed. They are blue duiker and serval. We believe that the issuing authority at the origin should have UPDATED INFORMATION on scientific names everytime there is a change. We as brokers can only attest to the accuracy of these names based on previous clearances or acceptance by F&W. Unfortunately, F&W does not issue any notices to this effect so unless we have prior knowledge that a scientific name of a specie has changed when we do our "document review prior to shipping", we will advise shipper to proceed.

On another note, I strongly encourage every one to please ALWAYS get a CLEAR copy of your hunting register and hunting licenses (especially for valuable cites animals) immediately after your hunt and keep them for your record. These documents are your legal proof of hunt. I highly emphasize this because F&W has been randomly asking for copies of these when they review our import declarations. Oftentimes, hunters do not have these paperwork with them so we always have to go back to the shipper to produce such and again, delays like these translates to storage fees incurred at the airline.

There is so much more to share to make the import process go smoothly . . . .

I don't go to this website as much as I used to to get feedbacks from the hunters but I'm glad I saw this post so we can explain our side.

Maria Felix
President & Proud NRA Life Member
Hunter International Brokerage Services, Inc.

Well said Maria, so many times people do not understand who is responsible for what and there are many people involved in this process.