U.S. Fish and Wildlife seizure Black-Faced Impala vs Common Impala

[houston49]

I posted about a year ago concerning my hunt and the problems I had with my PH. I finally got all my animals but one. My animals came into the Houston port. U.S. Fish and Wildlife seized my Impala claiming it to be a Black-Faced Impala. My Impala was killed in Kwazulu-Natal province of SA. It looks nothing like a Black Faced Impala. Apparently USF&W seized three Impala out of the same container. All killed by three different hunters in SA. All killed in different areas. I now am required to file a Petition for Remission and may still lose my animal. I never knew what a Black-Faced Impala was until this came about. I have researched and discovered Black-Faced Impala are only found in NW Namibia. Most likely at least 1000 miles from where I hunted. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Do you have a picture of your Impala that you would like to share with us? Did you provide the U.S. Fish and Wildlife with one? I believe you can ask them to do a genetic test...


Here is a Black-Faced Impala taken in Namibia...

Here is a Common Impala taken in Namibia...

Some Common Impala can also have a black ban down their nose, although usually lighter and not very prominent it can resemble a Black-Faced Impala... Here are some examples...

Here are some Black-Faced Impala in Namibia...

 

[Bobpuckett]

Hi Houston49 I would ask to have it geneticly tested as Jerome has pointed out they can look very much alike with the same kind of markings just a little lighter here is a Common Impala taken by my wife in South africa it has very good markings but it is no Black Faced Impala.

 

[houston49]

Sorry I'm so late getting back. This is the picture of my Impala. Please give me your opinion if you think this is a Black Faced Impala or Common Impala. I have not heard anything on my Petition for Remission I filed in August.
In my petition I stated I would pay for DNA.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Sorry I'm so late getting back. This is the picture of my Impala. Please give me your opinion if you think this is a Black Faced Impala or Common Impala. I have not heard anything on my Petition for Remission I filed in August.
In my petition I stated I would pay for DNA.

Not a hope in hell that is a Black Faced Impala.

 

[spike.t]

:headscratch: cant really see any markings on it at all.......

 

[Red Leg]

You have taken a common impala and are the victim of an over zealous fish and wildlife agent. Do you or anyone you know have connections to your congressman or one of your senators? The Texas delegation has been pretty eager to take on the Feds lately. This might interest one of them. Even without a "contact", I would send letters to my congressman and both senators. Make sure the Fish and Wildlife Office (Houston and DC) get copies of every letter that you send.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Not a hope in hell that is a Black Faced Impala.

If this is a picture of Houston49 Black Face Impala that F&G agent needs a Serious color blindness test, and I mean big time!

 

[enysse]

Sorry for your troubles, unless someone switched capes or something, that is a common impala.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

No way it even resembles a black faced.... I hope you get this sorted, sorry to hear that you had issues with your ph.

My best always

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Sorry for your troubles, unless someone switched capes or something, that is a common impala.

+1

No way it even resembles a black faced.... I hope you get this sorted, sorry to hear that you had issues with your ph.

My best always

+1

 

[houston49]

Seized Impala

Hi, this is Doy Houston in Okla. I have a question and would appreciate any help. I hunted SA in 2011. I killed a Common Impala at Bayala Game Lodge close to the Indian Ocean . In July of 2013 my animals finally arrived in Houston. USF&W seized my Impala claiming it to be a Black Faced Impala. Two others were seized from the same container according to my broker at Coppersmith. I filed a Petition for Remission in July 2013, but have received a response other than acknowledging receipt of my Petition. I am wondering if it is even possible to hunt Black Faced Impala in SA.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Hi, this is Doy Houston in Okla. I have a question and would appreciate any help. I hunted SA in 2011. I killed a Common Impala at Bayala Game Lodge close to the Indian Ocean . In July of 2013 my animals finally arrived in Houston. USF&W seized my Impala claiming it to be a Black Faced Impala. Two others were seized from the same container according to my broker at Coppersmith. I filed a Petition for Remission in July 2013, but have received a response other than acknowledging receipt of my Petition. I am wondering if it is even possible to hunt Black Faced Impala in SA.

Just to let you know houston49, I moved your post to this thread.

The Angolan or Black-faced Impala
Endangered: USDI/IUCN endgrd U.S. Citizens cannot enter after 1970. The Black-faced Impala has been upgraded.

DESCRIPTION Similar to the southern impala, except that its general color is less reddish and more purplish, and it has a well-defined blackish blaze on the middle of the face below the eyes, more black on the tip of the ears, and a longer, very bushy tail.

Please note: A certain percentage of southern impalas (A. m. melampus)-notably in the Transvaal in South Africa-exhibit facial blazes of varying extent and blackness that are similar to those of the Angolan impala (A. m. petersi). The Record Book does not accept these South African specimens as Angolan impalas, because the Angolan impala is not indigenous in South Africa, nor has it been introduced there. Simply because an impala has a dark facial blaze does not necessarily mean it is an Angolan impala.

DISTRIBUTION Natural populations are now limited to southwestern Angola and extreme northwestern Namibia, particularly along the Cunene River, which forms the border between these two countries in the west.

Has been introduced and/or reintroduced on fenced private ranches elsewhere in Namibia, mainly in the Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein districts. These animals were supplied by the Namibian government as seed stock for breeding herds in an effort to counter the decline in the wild population and safeguard the subspecies from extinction. (For record keeping, we treat all populations as indigenous.)

STATUS Listed as endangered by the USF&WS (1970), which would be well advised to modify its position, in our opinion. While the endangered designation may be valid for natural populations that have been heavily poached, it should not apply to surplus males taken from private breeding herds on fenced land. A costly eight-foot (2.5 m) game fence is needed to hold impala. Were it not for the substantial trophy fees paid by hunters for surplus males, few landowners would go to the expense and trouble of stocking, holding and protecting this rare subspecies.

 

[Diamondhitch]

Hi, this is Doy Houston in Okla. I have a question and would appreciate any help. I hunted SA in 2011. I killed a Common Impala at Bayala Game Lodge close to the Indian Ocean . In July of 2013 my animals finally arrived in Houston. USF&W seized my Impala claiming it to be a Black Faced Impala. Two others were seized from the same container according to my broker at Coppersmith. I filed a Petition for Remission in July 2013, but have received a response other than acknowledging receipt of my Petition. I am wondering if it is even possible to hunt Black Faced Impala in SA.

There is obviously a HUGE gap in the training of those responsible for enforcing these laws. Species ID should be the 1st thing they are taught.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Yes they are available in SA.

 

[Buff-Buster]

I'd be willing to bet that I can guess who the agents in question, voted for in the last two presidential elections..............just sayin

 

[BRICKBURN]

Environment Canada - Enforcement - Species Identification Tools - Mammals

This is a manual created to help staff identify species of concern.

Page 52 is instructive

 

[adgunner]

Really curious to take a look at the manual (CITES site doesn't want to let me in ), see what they think of this one when they open the crate here in Canada.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Really curious to take a look at the manual (CITES site doesn't want to let me in ), see what they think of this one when they open the crate here in Canada.

Nice trophy. At least with your I could see why it might take some skill to judge.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Really curious to take a look at the manual (CITES site doesn't want to let me in ), see what they think of this one when they open the crate here in Canada.

Rod, Funny thing is , we hunted that same area after I told someone about the specimens there with the black faces and could not find a single ram with a black face.

 

[adgunner]

Marius, he is absolutely unique looking with that patch, i consider myself lucky. Interesting that were no more like him, you would think there would be some more. I will make sure however that i have the species id manual indicated above with me when the crate arrives!