U.S.D.A clearing issues

[jpomazi]

Hello all, Looking for advice and experiences of others. As a background I have always cleared my own trophies arriving from both RSA and Nambia. Granted this is the first time since 2011 but overall the process is similar. My crate arrived at J-Burg right before the lockdown and was stuck there until about November. Finally get it on a plane. They've always used Delta in the past but this time it's Turkish airlines. It goes from Joburg to Istanbul and then Houston. From Houston it is suppose to go via truck to Portland, Oregon. Side note I don't live in this sh*thole city but I do work at the Justice center for one more year until I retire and leave this State forever. Okay, back to the issue.

The U.S.D.A puts a hold on my crate. I never bring back warthogs or swine unless they are finished as I know they will make you redip them at a certified taxidermist. Getting answers from them is like pulling teeth. To make a long story short they are telling me that nothing actually needs re-dipped. However due to the disease status of the country of origin it needs to go to a certified U.S.D.A taxidermist for the finish work. This makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. If you want everything re-dipped okay, but how can you force me to use one of the 5 certified taxidermist in Oregon to do my work. I have a friend that does my stuff and he gives me great prices as well as we do some horse trading. In addition it might be quite awhile before I do anything at all. I was actually thinking of maybe just displaying the skulls on a skull hooker tree and then slowly doing shoulder mounts.

Anyway, that's the skinny of the situation. Is this a new thing? I know this is the place to get answers so give me your thoughts. Thanks.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

It's not entirely clear in your post, but these are trophies that have been D&P only, correct? The hides have not been tanned? If this is correct and you are doing the tanning and taxidermy work in the US, then yes the trophies need to be received by a USDA approved receiver. More often, this is a tannery and not a taxidermist. Since your shipment is coming into Houston, you could have a Houston area USDA approved tannery accept it, tanned it and forward it to your taxi in Oregon.

 

[mikecatt13]

It's not entirely clear in your post, but these are trophies that have been D&P only, correct? The hides have not been tanned? If this is correct and you are doing the tanning and taxidermy work in the US, then yes the trophies need to be received by a USDA approved receiver. More often, this is a tannery and not a taxidermist. Since your shipment is coming into Houston, you could have a Houston area USDA approved tannery accept it, tanned it and forward it to your taxi in Oregon.

I'm no expert as I'm using a trophy import company as well as a USDA certified taxidermist shop for my upcoming trip, but if I remember correctly from my research this is the way I understand it as well that basically someone USDA certified has to accept it and then there are options from there

 

[375Fox]

Talk with the taxidermy you want to use for your work, you’ll just have the trophies sent to a tannery that can accept them first (hopefully one they already work with regularly) then they’ll go to your taxidermy. It’s not a big deal, I’ve done it several times. Your taxidermy is likely going to send them to a tannery anyway if he was to receive them first. I don’t think anything has changed for why it’s needs to go to a usda facility, but it will be easier than trying to flight it with them.

 

[JimP]

Talk to your taxidermist and see who he uses for the tanning. My taxidermist isn't USDA certified but his tannery is and that is where my shipment would of went if I would of had any swine in it.

It could be as simple as redirecting where the final shipment is going.

 

[Randy F]

I was told mine had to go to a USDA certified taxidermist too. Thankfully mine is.

 

[wipartimer]

Is this a new requirement? I've never been required to send to a USDA tannery or Taxidermist. Except for certain animals (baboon and warthog come to mind)

 

[jeff]

I have a lot of african stuff sent directly to my studio and have never had a problem receiving any except swine and primates have to go directly to a USDA receiver.

 

[jpomazi]

Thanks for the responses. To clarify. Yes they are not tanned just the typical dip and pack you do over in RSA. I have never had my crate held up before. Usually it's gone through San Francisco and on to Portland. I have already coordinated with U.S.F.W the arrival. Then it's as simple as going and having my paperwork stamped and off I go with my crate.

Is this a new requirement? I've never been required to send to a USDA tannery or Taxidermist. Except for certain animals (baboon and warthog come to mind)

Exactly my question!

 

[jpomazi]

I have a lot of african stuff sent directly to my studio and have never had a problem receiving any except swine and primates have to go directly to a USDA receiver.

That's my experience also Jeff. Which is why this is confusing to me.

 

[Dee S]

Same issue here. I'm using Tom with @TROPHY SHIPPERS. I had a baboon skull in the box, a 'finished' skull. Instead to going to Houston as the last crate did, this one had to go through Chicago. At Chicago, the same story, it has to go to a USDA approved taxidermist. Instead of the crate coming to my house by truck, it had to go to a USDA taxidermists in Kerrville, 2 hours north. This is common according to my taxidermist here in San Antonio, who specializes in African animals.

 

[jpomazi]

It's not entirely clear in your post, but these are trophies that have been D&P only, correct? The hides have not been tanned? If this is correct and you are doing the tanning and taxidermy work in the US, then yes the trophies need to be received by a USDA approved receiver. More often, this is a tannery and not a taxidermist. Since your shipment is coming into Houston, you could have a Houston area USDA approved tannery accept it, tanned it and forward it to your taxi in Oregon.

Correct D&P only. Like I said in my post it might be awhile before I'm ready to actually mount these trophies and I'm sure a taxidermist would be thrilled to have them sitting in their shop for a year or so. Even if I wanted to use a tannery in Houston, which I don't, they still have to clear U.S.F.W which is scheduled in Portland. I guess most of my confusion is that my buddy that went with me on this trip went through what I'm use to. He had a warthog. That went to a U.S.D.A taxidermist who re-dipped it. Everything else he took home. Once the warthog was re-dipped he took that home as well. It didn't all have to go to a certified taxidermist. In Oregon there is only 5 or 6 certified taxidermists. From what the Houston U.S.D.A is telling me they are the only ones that can do finish work on African trophies. My taxidermists usually sends them to San Francisco maybe the biggest tannery in the U.S. I'm sure it's certified. I feel like I have to ask very specific questions to the U.S.D.A in Houston to get any answers. Thanks for your help.

 

[jeff]

Finished baboon skulls and finished swine I have had shipped direct to me also along with tanned baboon capes

 

[Philip Glass]

Hello all, Looking for advice and experiences of others. As a background I have always cleared my own trophies arriving from both RSA and Nambia. Granted this is the first time since 2011 but overall the process is similar. My crate arrived at J-Burg right before the lockdown and was stuck there until about November. Finally get it on a plane. They've always used Delta in the past but this time it's Turkish airlines. It goes from Joburg to Istanbul and then Houston. From Houston it is suppose to go via truck to Portland, Oregon. Side note I don't live in this sh*thole city but I do work at the Justice center for one more year until I retire and leave this State forever. Okay, back to the issue.

The U.S.D.A puts a hold on my crate. I never bring back warthogs or swine unless they are finished as I know they will make you redip them at a certified taxidermist. Getting answers from them is like pulling teeth. To make a long story short they are telling me that nothing actually needs re-dipped. However due to the disease status of the country of origin it needs to go to a certified U.S.D.A taxidermist for the finish work. This makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. If you want everything re-dipped okay, but how can you force me to use one of the 5 certified taxidermist in Oregon to do my work. I have a friend that does my stuff and he gives me great prices as well as we do some horse trading. In addition it might be quite awhile before I do anything at all. I was actually thinking of maybe just displaying the skulls on a skull hooker tree and then slowly doing shoulder mounts.

Anyway, that's the skinny of the situation. Is this a new thing? I know this is the place to get answers so give me your thoughts. Thanks.

They are wrong. It does not have to be finished by a USDA certified taxidermist. They can’t make you finish anything! It only has to go through a certified taxidermist.
Go up the ladder at USDA

 

[outwestidaho]

They can make any shipment from any where in the world a restricted shipment no matter what's in the crate. It's the field agents discretion. Happening more and more all the time. Some newer agents think that they all have to be restricted. They just don't know . So they throw restricted paperwork and restriction tape on the box.
So the shipment must be moved by bonded carrier and go into our quarantine room and be treated as restricted items. This can even apply to mounted and finished items. If the items come from certian regions of the world they will always be restricted just because of location (hoof and mouth disease etc etc present in said location) no matter what they are. But yes not finish work but only treatment of skulls and horns is needed if required.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Classic government! No one knows what they are suppose to do, so we need more of them to not know!

 

[TROPHY SHIPPERS]

We are investigating this. We have a shipment in for one of our hunters right now that consists of finished and mounted trophies including a baboon. We were just notified by USDA inspectors that it has to go to a USDA certified establishment. We are investigating and will have some info soon!

 

[Dee S]

Tom Kelly and I have been on the phone a couple of times today. Glad he's taking care of this crap for me. A small price to pay for his services.
So, my crate contains a 'finished' baboon skull, along with my plains game animals. In Chicago, it got hung up and they said the crate had to be shipped to a USDA approved taxidermist. Not for the actual taxidermy work, just as a final point of shipment. My taxidermist here in San Antonio is used to this and he has them shipped to a USDA approved taxidermist shop in Kerrville. He's used to it, no big deal.
Okay, so my crate arrives in Kerrville, stamped "cleared and ready for release". But wait, apparently the local USDA inspector in Kerrville wants to be there when the crate is opened so she can "inspect the contents."
There isn't supposed to be any additional charges for her inspection, so I don't really care, but typical government efficiency at its finest.

Oh, Tom replied also.
Tom, appreciate all that you do, Merry Christmas to you and the family.

 

[AfricaDreams]

This thread got me curious about my own trophies, so I looked up the following from the USDA website:

"To be safely imported, animal trophies and other animal hides or feathers from certain regions of the world must be sent directly to Approved Establishments for processing or sent to an Approved Warehouse for short term storage before processing at an Approved Establishment, unless they are accompanied by a VS import permit or a foreign government certificate. APHIS requires this step in order to protect American livestock and poultry from foreign animal diseases.

Animal Trophies​

Trophies from CANADA may enter with documentation that proves country of origin, including a bill of lading; certificate of origin; invoice; document on official letterhead prepared by the manufacturer, seller, outfitter, Provincial government, Tribal Nation, shipper; or an official certificate issued by a veterinarian representing the Canadian national government certifying the country of origin. The trophies must be fully finished or receive special processing upon entry.

Items that DO NOT Require Special Processing​

The following items do not need special processing at an Approved Establishment:

• Finished/mounted trophies
• cleaned and dried bones, antlers, horns and hooves being used as trophies
• flint dried hides not from countries with African swine fever
• trophy/display materials from rabbits, rodents, fish, shellfish and non-human primates

You should still check with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before importing, because they may have their own import restrictions.

Items that DO Require Special Processing​

Unfinished animal trophies, hides and feathers that come from areas of the world with the following foreign animal diseases must undergo special processing to protect against introducing those diseases into the U.S.:

• highly pathogenic avian influenza (for bird/poultry items)
• virulent Newcastle disease (for bird/poultry items)
• foot-and-mouth disease (for split-hooved animal items)
• African swine fever (for swine items)

Information about which countries APHIS considers to be affected by these diseases is available on our Animal Disease Status page.

If you are looking to import these trophies using an import permit or foreign certification, contact the APHIS animal product import staff by email at APIE@usda.gov or visit the Animal Health Permits page for more information.

To bring in these materials for processing in the U.S., you will need to use a USDA Approved Establishment for processing. The Approved Establishment will use proper processing techniques, which are specific to the animal materials and the diseases of concern, to inactivate or remove any potential disease causing agents. After the processing is complete, they will release the materials back to you."

Seems like this has been the rule for awhile, including the fact that finished trophies could be required to go to a USDA approved facility. Trophy Shippers or any other experts want to comment or clarify?

 

[JimP]

And all this is why it is a great idea to use a company that knows the ins and outs of importing trophies and or anything else. They know the inspectors along with the rules and regulations and will save you a ton or headaches.

I used SSI one my one and only trip and if I go back I may use them again. But Trophy Shippers appear to be a good one also. You may have to pay some money but it is money well spent.