Self-importing zebra mount to the US

[saulius]

Hi all,

I’m not a hunter, but I recently bought a zebra shoulder mount as a souvenir from a taxidermist shop in South Africa. The shop is providing me with the export permit and all the necessary documentation. I plan to take the mount home with me to the U.S. as part of my checked baggage on my flight.

However, I’m a bit unsure about whether I need to file U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Form 3-177. The taxidermist told me that since the zebra skin is fully tanned, processed, and mounted on wood, making it a finished product, and since I’m not shipping it via freight, he believes I don’t need to file any forms.

Can anyone clarify if I still need to submit Form 3-177 in this situation? Appreciate any guidance, thanks!

 

[sureshot375]

How are you going to package it to get it as checked baggage?? Seems like you would be over size.

I think people do it with zebra rugs, but I’ve never heard of anyone flying back a shoulder mount. Hopefully others have some better insight.

Maybe check with US fish and wildlife. I’ve found them to be surprisingly helpful.

 

[buck wild]

I bet you'll find out as you clear Customs carrying it . Please don't take this as legal or expert advice, but I also think you don't need to file anything and the SA taxidermist is probably correct.

 

[Neophyte]

Tell the airline that you’re blind and it’s your seeing eye dog.

When they tell you it’s a zebra mount act surprised. Tell them someone must have stolen your seeing eye dog.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Tell the airline that you’re blind and it’s your seeing eye dog.

When they tell you it’s a zebra mount act surprised. Tell them someone must have stolen your seeing eye dog.

Or you could start out with "I grew up in a middle class family". That seems to be working for someone with brains on the low rung of the totem pole.

 

[Hannay]

I've imported moose antlers, roe buck and muntjac antlers as checked luggage coming from Sweden and the UK. In both cases, I called the USFW Service office at the airport I was coming through (Atlanta and DFW). They had different procedures, but both asked me to tell them when I was coming, send the 3-177 form, and for Atlanta (10 years ago) they had me fill in another form with my contact details, flight schedule and what I was brining. In both cases, they informed Customs that they could clear me and they weren't going to come over to inspect my import.

In both cases, the Customs person didn't know that USFWS had contact their office, but IMO telling them that I had communicated with USFWS cleared the way. So, your mileage may vary, but I'd go ahead and call the USFWS office at your port of entry.

 

[Mountaineer]

6 plus calls to my USFWS and no answering of the phone. I did leave a message, no return call. Mmmm. I got the number from there rep at SCI in Nashville.

 

[Hannay]

It's possible I emailed, not called - these imports were in 2015 and 2019. I went on the USFWS web site, but the link to the port contact information was broken. So...using archive.org's Wayback Machine, I downloaded a copy of the directory that was live in 2023 - see attachment.

 

[saulius]

Update:

I had to get creative with packaging and ended up combining several boxes to create an oversized box that could safely fit the shoulder mount, paying extra attention to protecting the ears since they're the most fragile part. The total weight came around 12kg, and to my surprise, when I checked in, they didn’t bat an eye and let it pass without any additional charges (I was fully expecting to pay for oversized luggage).

Upon landing in New York, I made sure to declare the wooden shoulder mount with the zebra skin at Passport Control. The officer took hold of my passport along with the documentation I had brought and directed me to retrieve my baggage and head straight to Customs for X-ray screening.

The Customs officer spent nearly 20 minutes closely examining the paperwork I provided and asked a series of questions. He seemed skeptical about the authenticity of the document since it was just a basic form that the taxidermy shop issued a few weeks after I made the purchase. All I had to back it up was the invoice and dozens of photos I took at the taxidermy shop, showing other taxidermy mounts, including dozens of lions and various other wildlife.

The document was labeled:

"PREMIER OF THE PROVINCE OF GAUTENG NATURE CONSERVATION"
CPC2 - PERMIT TO EXPORT OR REMOVE DEAD GAME OR GAME PRODUCTS FROM THE PROVINCE
It was stamped with GAUTENG PROVINCE / DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE with the permit date of issue and then DIRECTORATE OF CONSERVATION PERMITS OFFICE

It was stapled to another page outlining a list of permit conditions.

The customs officer was telling me that it should have came with other documents, taxidermy license? CITES? , and the customs official say I will let you go this time.

Now as far as US FWS - I am not sure if I had to do anything on their part - but I did call their toll free number multiple times to inquire - but each time the phone representative directed me to make an online ticket - via https://fwsepermits.servicenowservices.com/fws?id=fws_contact_us - and click Program Support - However, I never received a reply from them.

 

[Hannay]

Thanks for the report on importing your zebra and congratulations on getting it home unscathed and without an oversize luggage charge!

Your USFWS experience and them not having the port contact information online anymore makes me wonder...

 

[DonPablo]

The customs officer was telling me that it should have came with other documents, taxidermy license? CITES? , and the customs official say I will let you go this time.

Are zebra CITES animals? I didn't think they were but have never shot one so IDK.