Goose Cracker
AH enthusiast
So, the crate is home with me and all my trophies have been unpacked. A few are even on the wall. African Artistry did a really nice job - had everything done in SA. Mostly Europeans and rugs, but a full body mount for my steenbuck, and shoulder mounts for my kudu and the bigger of my two impala. Pics at some point.
But that's not the point of the post - I tried to import my trophies myself, and thought I'd share my experience.
Before you have to read the whole sob story, here's the "bottom line on top": Don't do this yourself. Select one of the outfits that does this for a living. Seriously. Money very well spent. I ended up getting last minute help from Tammy Lewis in Coppersmith's Atlanta office - and I highly recommend her. I will use her from now on. Unbelievable service. tlewis@coppersmith.com. 404.366.1650 ext 12. She's the bomb.
Not sure why I tried to do the import myself - I think I just never got around to selecting one of the services that do it for you and time got away from me. So I get an email from African Artistry, everything is almost done, am I using a service or doing the import myself. I've heard it's not too bad, I live in the Atlanta area so I can just drive down and clear everything in person, then pick up my crate and drive home. Easy, huh? Well no...
It's not easy. It's frustrating, time-consuming, and confusing. There are no detailed step-by-step instructions I could find, including on AH.com. I searched. Read everything. Pieces here are there, but nothing definitive a newbie could rely on.
The USDA was terrific. Popped an email off with my trophy list to see if they needed anything from me and received an answer the next day. All set. Very helpful and professional. Not necessary for my trophies (no pigs, all finished taxidermy, no CITES stuff). Only needed to clear US FWS and CBP.
USFWS was fantastic. Helpful and professional. Very pleasant. They helped me through the 3-177 form and eDecs submission via email and telephone. I didn't need a 3-200, you probably don't either. Leave the "license" field on the 3-177 blank. Followed up with the ATL inspection office after submission, all set, called to ask when I'd be down to clear my trophies. Had my clearance waiting on me. All I had to do was head to the Swissport cargo services office first and bring original copies of my SA export permit to the US FWS office. In and out in 5 mins. Really terrific folks. Tells me all I have to do is head over to the CBP window, tell them I need an "informal entry" for hunting tropies, says they are duty free.
Then I got to the CBP office. I'd called and emailed and left voicemails and no one called me back. When I finally did get someone after weeks of trying, they asked me if I was using a broker, I said no, they said fine what is the value of your trophies? I said they are worth very little since I'm doing a personal non-commercial import and I can't sell them. She asks how much taxidermy was so I tell her $3500. She says you need a broker or you need to do a formal entry it's all on the website (narrator - it's not on the website). I call Coppersmith just to ask, they say I've done all the hard work so see if CBP will let you do an informal entry. So I show up at the CBP cargo window in Atlanta. Sorry sir, the value is $3500, says here on your taxidermy invoice, don't care if this is duty free (it is), you must do a formal entry, it's all on the website. Oh yeah, and CBP "Supervisor" Sanders and I are very unlikely to be exchanging holiday cards this year. I'd use a few adjectives to describe him but this is a family site. Really horrible. Think of the worst experience you've had with an officer of the law and a government employee - now roll them into one and double it. It's still not as bad as Supervisor Sanders, but you get the general idea.
So I call Tammy at Coppersmith back, she says come by the office and we'll get it done for you, I drop by, give her everything I have so far, and go grab a late lunch. I'm back 30 mins later and everything is done. I drive back to Swissport cargo, see the lady at the counter (who's not a fan of hunting and tells me so), pay my $60 (in cash, they don't take checks or credit cards at the counter) and get my final clearance. Wait 35 mins on the gents with the forklifts, one of them finally is free and he loads the crate on my truck.
All done after a very long day thanks to Coppersmith. If not for them I'd have had to do a load more CBP paperwork and wait on them to clear my trophies. And pay storage to Swissport. And deal with the lovely (not) folks at my local CBP cargo office again.
But that's not the point of the post - I tried to import my trophies myself, and thought I'd share my experience.
Before you have to read the whole sob story, here's the "bottom line on top": Don't do this yourself. Select one of the outfits that does this for a living. Seriously. Money very well spent. I ended up getting last minute help from Tammy Lewis in Coppersmith's Atlanta office - and I highly recommend her. I will use her from now on. Unbelievable service. tlewis@coppersmith.com. 404.366.1650 ext 12. She's the bomb.
Not sure why I tried to do the import myself - I think I just never got around to selecting one of the services that do it for you and time got away from me. So I get an email from African Artistry, everything is almost done, am I using a service or doing the import myself. I've heard it's not too bad, I live in the Atlanta area so I can just drive down and clear everything in person, then pick up my crate and drive home. Easy, huh? Well no...
It's not easy. It's frustrating, time-consuming, and confusing. There are no detailed step-by-step instructions I could find, including on AH.com. I searched. Read everything. Pieces here are there, but nothing definitive a newbie could rely on.
The USDA was terrific. Popped an email off with my trophy list to see if they needed anything from me and received an answer the next day. All set. Very helpful and professional. Not necessary for my trophies (no pigs, all finished taxidermy, no CITES stuff). Only needed to clear US FWS and CBP.
USFWS was fantastic. Helpful and professional. Very pleasant. They helped me through the 3-177 form and eDecs submission via email and telephone. I didn't need a 3-200, you probably don't either. Leave the "license" field on the 3-177 blank. Followed up with the ATL inspection office after submission, all set, called to ask when I'd be down to clear my trophies. Had my clearance waiting on me. All I had to do was head to the Swissport cargo services office first and bring original copies of my SA export permit to the US FWS office. In and out in 5 mins. Really terrific folks. Tells me all I have to do is head over to the CBP window, tell them I need an "informal entry" for hunting tropies, says they are duty free.
Then I got to the CBP office. I'd called and emailed and left voicemails and no one called me back. When I finally did get someone after weeks of trying, they asked me if I was using a broker, I said no, they said fine what is the value of your trophies? I said they are worth very little since I'm doing a personal non-commercial import and I can't sell them. She asks how much taxidermy was so I tell her $3500. She says you need a broker or you need to do a formal entry it's all on the website (narrator - it's not on the website). I call Coppersmith just to ask, they say I've done all the hard work so see if CBP will let you do an informal entry. So I show up at the CBP cargo window in Atlanta. Sorry sir, the value is $3500, says here on your taxidermy invoice, don't care if this is duty free (it is), you must do a formal entry, it's all on the website. Oh yeah, and CBP "Supervisor" Sanders and I are very unlikely to be exchanging holiday cards this year. I'd use a few adjectives to describe him but this is a family site. Really horrible. Think of the worst experience you've had with an officer of the law and a government employee - now roll them into one and double it. It's still not as bad as Supervisor Sanders, but you get the general idea.
So I call Tammy at Coppersmith back, she says come by the office and we'll get it done for you, I drop by, give her everything I have so far, and go grab a late lunch. I'm back 30 mins later and everything is done. I drive back to Swissport cargo, see the lady at the counter (who's not a fan of hunting and tells me so), pay my $60 (in cash, they don't take checks or credit cards at the counter) and get my final clearance. Wait 35 mins on the gents with the forklifts, one of them finally is free and he loads the crate on my truck.
All done after a very long day thanks to Coppersmith. If not for them I'd have had to do a load more CBP paperwork and wait on them to clear my trophies. And pay storage to Swissport. And deal with the lovely (not) folks at my local CBP cargo office again.
