I’ve been a frequent visitor to this site, but this is my first post. I’ve been to Africa several times and have imported trophies back to the US several times, without any issues. When my shipment (sable and impala) from Zimbabwe arrived in the US a couple of days ago, the customs broker I used told me that I had to send the trophies to a USDA approved facility. My taxidermist isn’t approved so I had to send them directly to the tannery, then they’ll ship them back to the taxidermist.

Does anyone know when it became a requirement to send them to a USDA approved facility? I cleared trophies from Namibia directly to my taxidermist last summer.

Thanks.

If you have any primates, pigs or rodents in the shippment it has to go to a Approved facility.

Did you have any of the above?

No. Just the Sable and the impala. The customs broker said this was a new process that just changed a few months ago.

in 2004 my taxidermist was not allowed to open the crate until a USDA rep was there to witness the shipment. There was no primates and no swine. I wasn't allowed to keep the wooden crate as it had to be burned. There was no charge and nothing wrong at all.
The crate was sent from Port Elizabeth RSA

Thanks for the information. I'm still a little confused. In 2005 I sent my trophies straight to the taxidermist, with no issues. Does anyone know who I could contact to find out what the process is? USDA, Fish and Wildlife? I'm headed to Namibia on a leopard hunt this year and I hope to take a couple plains game animals on the trip as well.
Thanks.

Who was the broker?

I don't know all the details, but when making arrangement for last falls trophy I was told I could not use the clearing agent in Baltimore I had used before and need a qualifed person so I am using the tannery in Pa that has done work for me before as he is about 50 miles from Baltimore.

i've had that happen before but only with pigs or primates (they go CDC) - only things that hit my head would be either a new customs agent or because they came for zim that has hoof & mouth disease quite prevelant

I have cleared animals through Baltimore, no problem at all. My broker cleared the trophies, put the crate in the back of my truck and off to the taxidermist. If you check USFWS regulations, they have an office at BWI airport.

You should only need to ship to an approved facility if you have swine, cats, or primates (I believe in North Carolina is a USDA facility).

The customs people at BWI are not always on top of the animal regulations. I had to spend a day convincing the customs official my hides were dipped in the proper solution, for the right time, and were not wet.

When I got my buffalo cape and skull from Zimbabwe in April of 2005, I had it cleared through Coppersmith in Atlanta and shipped to my local taxidermist. About a month later, I got a call from a Department of Agriculture investigator from Atlanta, raising hell because I hadn't shipped it to an approved taxidermist. I thought that this law only applied to swine etc, but was told and was shown the statute requiring any unproccesed skin and or skull to be sent to an approved facility, if in the opinion of the inspector at the clearing point it needs to be disinfected. My skull still had a small (and I mean small) bit of dried flesh near the base of the horns, and that is what concerned them. After arguing with them for about another month, and them threatining to sieze my cape and skull, I simply had my taxidermist fill out the paperwork and pay the fee to get on the approval list. They came and inspected his shop, and he is now on the list. It was a real pain in the ass, and remember you are dealing with the US Government here.

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
I don't know all the details, but when making arrangement for last falls trophy I was told I could not use the clearing agent in Baltimore I had used before and need a qualifed person so I am using the tannery in Pa that has done work for me before as he is about 50 miles from Baltimore.

It happened to me last fall. I think I posted about it then. The licensed quarantine facility/importer/tannery I used was Keystone Fur Dressing, near Aspers, PA. Is this the one you used?

quote:

Originally posted by Hutty:
I have cleared animals through Baltimore, no problem at all. My broker cleared the trophies, put the crate in the back of my truck and off to the taxidermist. If you check USFWS regulations, they have an office at BWI airport.

You should only need to ship to an approved facility if you have swine, cats, or primates (I believe in North Carolina is a USDA facility).

The customs people at BWI are not always on top of the animal regulations. I had to spend a day convincing the customs official my hides were dipped in the proper solution, for the right time, and were not wet.

So have I in the past, but the rules have been changed.

Thanks for all the information. I used Hecny. I've used them many times, matter of fact the same guy to clear other trophies. I've never had any issues. He did mention, that USDA was worried about hoof and mouth. I eventually sent them to Golden State Tannery (near San Francisco).

USDA is now known as CBP/A. They have always had a requirement that ruminants from countries
affected with FMD must go to an Approved Establishment like the swine and non-human primates. They just did not enforce it. Well they issed a new Animal Products manual in December and what with the new agents they started enforceing the ruminant transfers. I have been working with one of my agents in South Africa to see if we can arrange to work with CBP/A to get more current definitions in their glossary that would clarify dip and pack from flint dried trophies. Also want to see if the FMD cases have deminished in South Africa
in order we can get this ruminant section reversed. Otherwise, the taxidermist overseas will push for having the mounting done there which will affect the US taxidermist adversely.

Just a shot in the dark here but if I'm reading right this problem happened in Baltimore? Could it possibly be due to the new regs on importing game parts into MARYLAND, due to concern over CWD? We of course know Sable and Impala from Zim don't have CWD but I doubt our government officials at the airport are so enlightened... just curious speculation on my part.

quote:

Originally posted by TRL:
I’ve been a frequent visitor to this site, but this is my first post. I’ve been to Africa several times and have imported trophies back to the US several times, without any issues. When my shipment (sable and impala) from Zimbabwe arrived in the US a couple of days ago, the customs broker I used told me that I had to send the trophies to a USDA approved facility. My taxidermist isn’t approved so I had to send them directly to the tannery, then they’ll ship them back to the taxidermist.

Does anyone know when it became a requirement to send them to a USDA approved facility? I cleared trophies from Namibia directly to my taxidermist last summer.

Thanks.

Just got my Trophies in Feb 05 and everything went fine Here is my story. Hunted with Numzaan Safaris in RSA. They treated the animals and delivered them to Tracks Freights. I had a Wart hog, a Zebra, a Waterbuck, a Blue Wildebeast, a Kudu hide and a Bushbuck. Tracks Freight contacted me several times starting in December about my shipment. They suggested sending them through Atlanta to clear customs and USDA; then on to Saint Louis (no USDA office)for me to pickup. My Taxidermist is authorized to received trophies(paid his $500 and inspected by state VET)but suggested I ship them directly to his Tannery which I think is in Michigan. Tracks Freights has my Taxidermist listed on the shipping papers along with my name. Tracks kept me totally informed with several phome calls along with many E-mails. Custom in Atlanta called and ask me who was an authorized receiver of animal trophies. She checked his name on the computer and said they would release for shipment to Saint Louis. In a few days the freight company in Saint Louis called an notified me that I had about 4 days to collect my trophies before they started charging storage fees. I drove to Saint Louis with my wife checked into a hotel and then went to the freight company and they gave me the paper work and a map to the customs office. I went to the customs office and gave them the papers along with my military ID card. First they said something about the value and then about inspecting the trophies. I showed them the USDA stamp and they released my trophies. The next day I went to the freight company and paid them $25 and they took a forklift and put them on my truck and I drove them directly to my Taxidermist where we unpacked the crate and did an inventory. I also took a copy to Saint Louis of my Taxidermists USDA permit and a letter that I was his representive but since Customs did not ask for it I did not offer it. One other thing; the crate was made almost entirely of plywood as I read about some problems with some crates. Extra cost $50 for gas $25 for lunch going up $115 for a hotel room $150 for dinner $15 for lunch going home. Kudu's with my wife; priceless.

Thanks again for the information and advise. I've learned a lot.