Importable Elephant hunt

[wildwilderness]

What are the current options for an Importable elephant hunt? I heard it’s “case by case” basis to the USA, but I would assume some have a proven track record.

I would also assume these are more expensive than other hunts? What size tusk would you consider “minimum “ to go through the effort etc?

Thanks for any info, lots of knowledge here

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I can only speak for our company, Tokoloshe Safaris. All of our hunts are exportable price does not vary. The problem is on the U.S. side will U.S. Fish and Wildlife issue your import permit.

 

[wildwilderness]

Thanks.
From what countries does the US potentially allow ivory?

 

[Scott CWO]

With the new “case by case” permit policy, the hunter has to document that the country and the operator have conservation enhancements in place such as limited and sustainable quota, anti-poaching programs, community involvement and buy-in, etc…. If I had to guess, I think hunters with operators/outfitters in parts of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia might have a chance but the backlog of applications is large and the “case by case” evaluation will take a long time and is very subjective. Perhaps parts of Tanzania as well.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Good luck with that. I believe there are 8 pending applications that must be decided upon by 3/16/22. That will be the litmus test of whether or not it can even be done in the near future. Go for an "Own-Use" hunt and simply buy replicas upon return home. I believe you can buy antique ivory that pre-dates the ban. (Even during the Trump days, F&WS stopped processing apps. They were sued by DSC, and it resulted in them having to act on apps already received by the above date.) It doesn't sound good. The current apps were from Namibia and Zimbabwe.

 

[C.W. Richter]

"Case by Case" translation: Made LARGE DNC election fund contribution.

 

[wildwilderness]

So not looking to good?

how many years back is the backlog?

 

[Scott CWO]

From JJ at Conservation Force earlier today:

Scott,
I fully expect the backlogged FWS to approve Botswana elephant imports. They just approved the first leopard that we filed.
FWS recently approved some Zimbabwe elephant import permit applications we had filed going back to 2016. It has hundreds more to process before reaching Botswana’s.

Hoping to get my ele import permit but looks like it will take a while. In the meantime, I am getting replicas made. JJ said Botswana leopard permits from 2021 are already being approved. A different FWS team is working on leopard and the backlog is much less. Trump's "hold" on elephant permits created the backlog for elephant.

 

[Scott CWO]

"Case by Case" translation: Made LARGE DNC election fund contribution.

Perhaps you know that the case by case basis for approvals came out after a court case that ended the country-wide approvals of the past.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Still no bueno. Why I opted for "own-use" and left everything in the Caprivi, excepting the experience (most important of all.) You may have misread what I meant: Yes, the court case resulted in case-by-case approvals. The actual approvals are likely reserved for the 1%'ers club that ring up their local DumbDem. lol If I have to pay for another Obama or Biden in the course of doing so, I'm OUT.

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

Importing is getting harder, but it is not impossible. Especially given the movement from DSC's successful suit to restart the import process.

I'd recommend using Conservation Force if seriously considering. They handle the full import process for a reasonable fixed fee. Absolutely worth it given their dedication to conservation / hunting globally and their intimate knowledge of the (ever changing) process.

Conservation Force | A Force for Wildlife Conservation

A world with more abundant game, wildlife and marine life, and secure natural places kept relevant forever through traditional human enjoyment.

www.conservationforce.org

 

[wildwilderness]

Importing is getting harder, but it is not impossible. Especially given the movement from DSC's successful suit to restart the import process.

I'd recommend using Conservation Force if seriously considering. They handle the full import process for a reasonable fixed fee. Absolutely worth it given their dedication to conservation / hunting globally and their intimate knowledge of the (ever changing) process.

Conservation Force | A Force for Wildlife Conservation

A world with more abundant game, wildlife and marine life, and secure natural places kept relevant forever through traditional human enjoyment.

www.conservationforce.org

Thanks for the info. Are there other companies to consider for the importation process?

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

I'm sure there are other companies that offer an import service but I'd still only recommend Conservation Force for CITES importation. This is much different than the service that a typical trophy shipper would offer to get plains game mounts back stateside.

Conservation Force is an advocacy group with legal and legislative chops. They are involved in most all of the major hunting / conservation issues that you hear about and many that you don't. Whether it is the proposal in California to reclassify black bear as a non-game species to prevent it from being hunted (proposal was defeated) or being a key piece of the lawsuit to restart the elephant import review process (old thread here)

They're the most experienced group with the best chance of preparing a viable import case (it is a moving target that is getting harder by design with pressure from anti-hunting groups). They deserve our support.

 

[Wheels]

From JJ at Conservation Force earlier today:

Scott,
I fully expect the backlogged FWS to approve Botswana elephant imports. They just approved the first leopard that we filed.
FWS recently approved some Zimbabwe elephant import permit applications we had filed going back to 2016. It has hundreds more to process before reaching Botswana’s.

Hoping to get my ele import permit but looks like it will take a while. In the meantime, I am getting replicas made. JJ said Botswana leopard permits from 2021 are already being approved. A different FWS team is working on leopard and the backlog is much less. Trump's "hold" on elephant permits created the backlog for elephant.

Scott,

Do you know if any of these applications were for elephants shot after April 1, 2014?

I have heard of elephants that have come in on case by case but still have not heard of any that were shot after Obama's 2014 date.

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott,

Do you know if any of these applications were for elephants shot after April 1, 2014?

I have heard of elephants that have come in on case by case but still have not heard of any that were shot after Obama's 2014 date.

Yes, JJ said some approved "going back to 2016." As you know, the Obama ban was overturned and then Trump applied his infamous "hold" afterwards, which was unconstitutional and done without due process of law.

 

[Wheels]

Yes, JJ said some approved "going back to 2016." As you know, the Obama ban was overturned and then Trump applied his infamous "hold" afterwards, which was unconstitutional and done without due process of law.

I saw where JJ said applications going back to 2016 in his letter to you, but didn't know if that was for elephants shot in 2016 or for elephants shot before the April 1, 2014 ban and the applications were made in 2016.

 

[Scott CWO]

I saw where JJ said applications going back to 2016 in his letter to you, but didn't know if that was for elephants shot in 2016 or for elephants shot before the April 1, 2014 ban and the applications were made in 2016.

In all my phone conversations and emails with JJ, the context of the conversations have revolved around my application that CF did for me after my hunt last year and also the backlogged applications from all previous years that have not been approved or denied. He says some people are under the wrong impression that the DSC lawsuit only applies to a narrow number of permit applications from certain years and countries. He said in his discussions with USFWS that the USFWS said they will look at all applications from all countries now that the lawsuit settlement is complete. He is also in the process of filing amendments to older applications to bring them up to snuff with the "case by case" requirements before they are not approved for lack of information.