Fish and Wildlife seizure

24 November 2008, 22:45

They siezed two elephant hair bracelets from my trophy shipment. ($8 value)

Should i sign the form to abandon or should I just ignore it?

My concern is that by signing I acknowledge that I owned the imported items that were in my crate making it easier for possible civil penalties.

Thanks,

John

25 November 2008, 02:08

elkfitter

I wouldn't sign anything. Ever watch the show COPS? Guy gets busted with dope in his pants pocket and swears it's not his as he just bought those pants last week at the trift store and it must have been in there then.
Next time just wear them on the way home or put in your luggage.

25 November 2008, 03:18

els

Sounds like some one needed a bracelet. I would just leave it alone.

25 November 2008, 03:45

RCG

Sounds like you will lose them either way, so why sign and admit that you had them shipped?

I am assuming from your initial post that you bought them and they are not part of a legal CITES elephant hunt and allowed trophy parts.

Too bad you just didn't wear them home under a long sleeve shirt.

Oh well.....next time.

RCG

25 November 2008, 05:46

lavaca

What elephant hair bracelets are you referring to, sir?

25 November 2008, 07:06

JohnHunt

the ones I bought in Nam for my ph. Not sure how they ended up in my crate

25 November 2008, 08:26

namibiahunter

Just consider the elephant hair bracelets lost.

The next time just wear it and don't say anything about it. But if they do see them and ask about the bracelets tell them they are made of giraffe from China.

Namibiahunter

25 November 2008, 09:02

LHowell

Better yet, the next time your PH/Outfitter asks you to carry anything with you [inbound or outbound] DON"T do it!

Just explain that you are max'ed out on your baggage weight, and want to avoid any excess charges and complications!

27 November 2008, 04:29

Dr. Tim Burkhart

John,

Why did you have Kobus ship those? If we were to bring back anything like that, for instance for our kids or friends of our kids, we would have certainly brought them home with us.

Shipping anything extra is always an issue because there are suppose to be just your trophies in those crates. I think anything else in the box always raises suspicion and inspection.

Hope everything else comes home okay.

We are still waiting for our shipment.

TJB

27 November 2008, 21:46

thebrewcrew

Not necessarily, Dr. Tim. Many people use the crates to put things like spears, furniture, and other things that won't fit in your checked luggage (or carry on), and since you are paying for the shipping already, it is a less inexpensive way to get things home. However, those bracelets obviously didn't need to be put in a crate.
Like any government agency, the letter of the law is causing John's problem; The spirit of the law may help reduce poaching, but John didn't poach anything. Best to not get bureaucrats involved in your business.

27 November 2008, 23:05

JohnHunt

Everything else came out ok. I now have a very cool wood rhino.

Tim you will like the packing job that Reiser does. The Zebras came out great. They did everything correct, except for shipping a Cites item without the cites paperwork.

John

28 November 2008, 00:25

Brooks Carmichael

John,

I have friend in USFWS. He recommends go ahead and sign it. You are not admitted guilt. It is just a paperwork trail for the inspection service. He says this happens all the time. They realize you are not trying to smuggle things in or they would not have given you this option. If they felt you were trying to do something illegal a USFWS special agent would be knocking on your door by now. But, it is up to you.

29 November 2008, 01:21

Gator1

Don't sign it.

I shot a Leopard once in Zambia. I had the proper CITES Permit but the Safari Company hiccupped and shipping was delayed for two years.

By the time the Leopard arrived the permit had expired. I was asked to sign the same admission of wrong doing and the skin would be destroyed.

On advice of the booking agent (Klineburgers) and a Wildlife Attorney the F&W Agent admitted that I could be prosecuted with the admission and that the admission would be a permanent part of my 'file' with F&W. Instead, I reapplied for a new Cities permit and eventually I received the skin.

Never admit to any wrong doing.

One other thing. Do you realize that when you are being cleared through Customs, particularly when your baggage is being checked, everything you say and every question you answer is being written down and attached to a permanent file that is accessed every time you check through Customs? Even when crossing the US Canadian Border or the Mexican Border.

29 November 2008, 02:08

Oday450

quote:
Originally posted by Gator1:
Don't sign it.

I shot a Leopard once in Zambia. I had the proper CITES Permit but the Safari Company hiccupped and shipping was delayed for two years.

By the time the Leopard arrived the permit had expired. I was asked to sign the same admission of wrong doing and the skin would be destroyed.

On advice of the booking agent (Klineburgers) and a Wildlife Attorney the F&W Agent admitted that I could be prosecuted with the admission and that the admission would be a permanent part of my 'file' with F&W. Instead, I reapplied for a new Cities permit and eventually I received the skin.

Never admit to any wrong doing.

One other thing. Do you realize that when you are being cleared through Customs, particularly when your baggage is being checked, everything you say and every question you answer is being written down and attached to a permanent file that is accessed every time you check through Customs? Even when crossing the US Canadian Border or the Mexican Border.

Yes, and that bothers me a great deal. When I returned from SA last June I believe that they even entered the serial numbers on my rifles. I really started to object to this de facto gun registration but thought better of it.