FYI: Returning to U.S. through Atlanta after hunting

[Hogpatrol]

Not sure if it's been discussed in other threads so just a reminder/FYI that can expedite and make it easier to get through firearm retrieval at Atlanta. I returned in May and around 20 hunters were waiting to get their firearms. An agent was requesting hunting shoes for decontamination/spraying. Many were unaware and somewhat confused about this requirement so I filed with CBP a suggestion that a sign be posted at that location informing hunters of this so they could have their shoes ready. Got this response from them:

"Thank you for contacting the CBP INFO Center concerning your experience at the Atlanta Airport. CBP appreciate all comments and feedback concerning improvements in entry processing. Please be aware for future hunting expeditions outside the United States will require your to answer "YES" to question 11(d) as it may relate to soil contamination."

On another note, on my two entries into Dulles, they never asked about my shoes. When I asked Atlanta about the difference, I was told not all airports have the same requirements. I guess they figure there's enough farm fecal matter in Washington, D.C. to not make much difference if your shoes are sprayed or not.

 

[Red Leg]

Hmmm. Have never checked yes and never been asked. Must be a pretty new procedure in Atlanta.

 

[Royal27]

Hmmm. Have never checked yes and never been asked. Must be a pretty new procedure in Atlanta.

Happened to me for first time last May... I got all the way to final exit and since I had a rifle guy sent me back to the shoe line, where I got stuck behind the guy trying to smuggle in a months worth of rice and other food, and then back to stand in line I had already been in. PIA....

Oh and as part of the shoe line my luggage had to be screened again. How they caught the international rice smuggler.....

 

[CAustin]

Interesting! I have been sent to the spray line as well!

 

[JimP]

When I went through Dulles a year ago they didn't even look at the customs sheet. I went to hand it to one of the agents inspecting my firearm and he said that he didn't want to see it.

And as others said there was no boot spraying taking place. I think if they did they would kill off 3/4's of our politicians.

 

[Areaonereal]

Well just returned last week, I marked yes on the bovine exposure regarding the automated customs and was sent to stand inline and wait with non US passport holders, everyone else blew by me in customs clearance,when I did get the lady just asked about biltong and gave me clearance, If you have an X on you automated clearance pass you will be in line and detaiuuned with problem and non US passport holders. Once to luggage pickup and rifle clearance you stand in line and clearedthru customs and boots sprayed on sight,no more agriculture clearance and on your way. I had two locks and two plumber plastic straps on my pelican, I informed the customs agent the bolt was removed and not in the rifle, I unlocked the case and requested the agent if he had a knife to cut the plastics straps ,he informed to Stand at a distance of 15 feet from the case while he cut the straps since his knife was very sharp...you kidding me , his knife was so dull he had to saw thru those straps. Where do they find these guys. Treated me like a five year old because he had a " sharp" knife. ..........Stand back my knife is very sharp.......B. S. Bozo go back to mcDonalds. As a side note TSA stole prescription sunglasses from my checked baggage, TSA checked my baggage twice whil in Atlanta , coming in and connecting, one noi noted an agent number, another noi had no agent number

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I guess they figure there's enough farm fecal matter in Washington, D.C. to not make much difference if your shoes are sprayed or not.

If the D.C. airports got all excited about fecal matter, they'd never get anyone cleared through the airport..

 

[edward]

Not sure if it's been discussed in other threads so just a reminder/FYI that can expedite and make it easier to get through firearm retrieval at Atlanta. I returned in May and around 20 hunters were waiting to get their firearms. An agent was requesting hunting shoes for decontamination/spraying. Many were unaware and somewhat confused about this requirement so I filed with CBP a suggestion that a sign be posted at that location informing hunters of this so they could have their shoes ready. Got this response from them:

"Thank you for contacting the CBP INFO Center concerning your experience at the Atlanta Airport. CBP appreciate all comments and feedback concerning improvements in entry processing. Please be aware for future hunting expeditions outside the United States will require your to answer "YES" to question 11(d) as it may relate to soil contamination."

On another note, on my two entries into Dulles, they never asked about my shoes. When I asked Atlanta about the difference, I was told not all airports have the same requirements. I guess they figure there's enough farm fecal matter in Washington, D.C. to not make much difference if your shoes are sprayed or not.

i believe its called corrupt bull shit.

 

[tay50]

Just arrived home on Wednesday, through Atlanta, buzzed right through with my global entry, first in line at the gun clearing area, had my shoes sprayed before the next person even arrived to clear their rifle. Here's is where it got screwed up the Einstein who collected the passports to start the clearing process started at the back of the line not the front? To top it off she didn't even get to me the first guy in line to collect my passport, a kind guy said "miss this man was here first" her response "that is not my problem" are you friggin kidding me. Lucky for me the lady who sprayed my boots said something to her, she then processed me, so I ended up being number 4 in line. I don't know how long the others had to wait, but next year I'm going to allow more time to clear, so I don't miss my next flight.

 

[cpr0312]

I just came back though Atlanta also, they sprayed boots one by one, and only one person at a time in the gun clearance area. Not a big deal, hopefully you are one of the first few in line.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Update? It's been almost a year since I came home through Atlanta. Are they still spraying shoes in the gun booth?

 

[jeff]

When I went through in Oct. they sprayed my boots and checked for blood on arrows and broadheads.

 

[robertq]

Not sure if it's been discussed in other threads so just a reminder/FYI that can expedite and make it easier to get through firearm retrieval at Atlanta. I returned in May and around 20 hunters were waiting to get their firearms. An agent was requesting hunting shoes for decontamination/spraying. Many were unaware and somewhat confused about this requirement so I filed with CBP a suggestion that a sign be posted at that location informing hunters of this so they could have their shoes ready. Got this response from them:

"Thank you for contacting the CBP INFO Center concerning your experience at the Atlanta Airport. CBP appreciate all comments and feedback concerning improvements in entry processing. Please be aware for future hunting expeditions outside the United States will require your to answer "YES" to question 11(d) as it may relate to soil contamination."

On another note, on my two entries into Dulles, they never asked about my shoes. When I asked Atlanta about the difference, I was told not all airports have the same requirements. I guess they figure there's enough farm fecal matter in Washington, D.C. to not make much difference if your shoes are sprayed or not.

Have the same with USF&WL in each port....... each port operates on their own ........welcome to my world....

 

[Bullthrower338]

If you mark no and tell them you gave your boots to a tracker, no issues. Never had a problem returning. Leaving is a different story

 

[sestoppelman]

If you mark no and tell them you gave your boots to a tracker, no issues. Never had a problem returning. Leaving is a different story

And then they go thru your bags, find the boots all covered in whatever and say "oh yeah, who do these belong to?" Never fib to the feds.

 

[Hogpatrol]

And then they go thru your bags, find the boots all covered in whatever and say "oh yeah, who do these belong to?" Never fib to the feds.

Agree. If they catch you in one lie they'll suspect others and you may be in for an overnight stay in a place you'd not prefer.

 

[rookhawk]

I'm not usually a smarta$$ but I was tired and had time to kill so this is what I said in Chicago two years ago. A simple no would have been more appropriate.

"Have you been to any farms during your travel to Zimbabwe?"

Answer I gave Customs: the whites in Zimbabwe run the hunting industry. They run the hunting industry because their farms were seized in 2003 because they were white so hunting is one of their few vocations. Therefore, logic dictates if I went hunting in Zimbabwe, I was hunting with whites that don't have access to their farms any longer. You don't ever need to ask this question again from people hunting in Zimbabwe.


To my suprise, my even cadence of voice, matter of fact nature and sheer exhaustion someone caused the agent to have a lightbulb moment instead of giving me the once over I deserved for my response.

Agent: "Makes sense, have a good evening".