2- The South Africa Environmental Affairs Department Threatened Or Protected Species (TOPS) permit is issued on site by Huntershill. It only costs R100 for hunting and R50 for export if you want to export the trophy (total ~ $10 US). Issuance is immediate, just as is the issuance of the general hunting license.
So there is zero admin loop to jump through if you decide to hunt a Bontebok at Huntershill, and the admin loops to jump through to import it in the US - if you wish to do so - are not all that bad
Really?
First question is the property and owner a registered Bontebok breeder with the South African Government?
If not they are hybrids and cannot legally be sold or exported as Bontebok as simple as that...neither will permits be issued....
Why would anybody go to all the trouble and expense to hunt a so called Bontebok if it is not one?
Why would somebody hunt it if it does not even look like one?
Many animals cross breed and hybridize and are hunted, but they cannot be made as either the one or the other.
In order to hunt a Bontebok and export it from SA to USA you need the following, failing which the trophy cannot be legally exported or imported.
1. Cites permit.
Please be aware that the bontebok is listed in Appendix II of CITES. As such, you must obtain a CITES export permit from South Africa. If you are not exporting the trophy from South Africa directly to the United States, you will need to obtain a CITES Re-export certificate from the re-exporting country. 6. Attach a signed statement from the landowner giving you permission to cull a bontebok from their captive herd. 7. If available, provide a copy of the landowner’s Certification of Registration for the bontebok herd. (Note: this is not a copy of the export permit or certificate issued by a South African province.)
In order to meet the criteria for a permit under the Endangered Species Act, the bontebok must be culled from a ranch that has been certified by the Government of South Africa under their bontebok program. If the ranch is not registered on the date you take the bontebok, we may be unable to issue an import permit.
Best to get CITES 1 and 2 BEFORE you conduct the hunt....
https://www.cites.org/eng/disc/how.php
2. US FWS Permit 3-200-22
Import of Hunted Bontebok from South Africa
South Africa has an established management program that allows for controlled hunts of male bontebok from registered captive herds. If you are requesting to import bontebok trophies for your own personal use from South Africa, you should complete application form
3-200-22.
Note 3:The bontebok is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Applications for endangered species permits must be published in the Federal Register for a 30-day public comment period. Allow at least 90 days for the application to be processed.
https://www.fws.gov/international/permits/by-activity/sport-hunted-trophies-bontebok.html
3. Tops permit
Here is the proper procedure to follow to legally import a Bontebok trophy and frequently asked questions, of course you can take shortcuts and many do but it is not advised....
Importing Your Bontebok Sport Hunted Trophy
The bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus dorcas) is an antelope that historically occurred in the Western Cape of the Republic of South Africa. It became nearly extinct from overhunting and loss of habitat due to expanding agricultural needs. The bontebok population went from a low of 20 specimens in 1930 to more than 2,500 today. The Republic of South Africa’s Department of Nature and Environmental Conservation established a management program in the early 1980’s to encourage private game ranchers to breed and maintain bontebok herds. The management plan allows controlled hunts of excess males from registered captive herds to provide an economic incentive to ranchers for maintaining bontebok populations and their habitat.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. The bontebok is protected in Appendix II under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and is listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
To import your botebok into the US, you need a CITES export permit from the Republic of South Africa Management Authority and an endangered species import permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Management Authority (DMA) prior to bringing a personal sport-hunted bontebok trophy into the United States.
Why are permits necessary?
The main purpose of CITES and the ESA is to conserve protected wildlife for future generations. The issuance of permits is used to monitor the international movement of wildlife in trade. For species protected under the ESA and included in Appendix II, permits ensure specimens will be:
■ legally acquired.
■ imported and exported in a manner that will enhance the survival of the species.
■consistent with country harvest limits and have no detrimental effects on wild populations.
The Service has determined that the limited hunting of male bontebok through controlled hunts on ranches that participate in South Africa’s management program will enhance the survival of the bontebok, provided that trophies are imported by the person who hunted them and are for his or her own personal use. The Republic of South Africa registers private game ranches to ensure they maintain pure-bred bontebok herds.
How does the Service know which game ranches are registered?
The Republic of South Africa periodically sends the Service a list of game ranches that are part of their bontebok management program. If you apply for an import permit for an animal taken from a ranch that does not appear on the list, and South Africa cannot confirm the ranch is registered, your permit request cannot be approved.
How long will it take to get an import permit?
Apply for a permit at least 90 days before your departure. Under the ESA, the receipt of applications must be published in the Federal Register to allow the public 30 days to comment on the proposed import.
What should I know before I go hunting?
■ Confirm that the game ranch on which you propose to hunt is registered with South Africa’s bontebok management program.
■ Obtain a letter from the landowner giving you permission to hunt a male bontebok on his/her property. Send a copy with your import permit application.
■ Understand and be aware of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s requirement that to import your bontebok into the US, an import permit for a bontebok trophy may only be issued for your own personal use.
■ If you are considering buying wildlife souvenirs, check with the DMA to determine if you will be allowed to import them.
What steps should I take?
■ Obtain an import permit from DMA by submitting application form 3-200-22 (
www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-22.pdf). The permit does not need to be issued before you go on your hunt. However, if it has, you may want to take a copy of your permit when you leave on safari to provide to your outfitter.
■ Leave the original permit at home as you will need to present it at the time the trophy is imported into the United States.
■ Comply with all foreign laws during your hunt.
■ Obtain a CITES export permit from the Management Authority of South Africa prior to importing the trophy.
■ Check expiration dates on your import and export permits before having the trophy shipped to you.
You could lose your trophy if it enters the United States after your permits have expired. Import permits are for six months, as required by CITES. If the import permit expires before the trophy is imported, you need to apply for a new permit. Return the original unused permit, a renewal application form (3-200-52;
www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-52.pdf) and the processing fee. Allow at least 30 days for processing.
■ Import through a United States port designated for wildlife (
www.fws.gov/ le/ImpExp/Contact_Info_Ports.htm). Please be aware that there may be inspection fees at the time of import.
■ Speak with the Service wildlife inspector at the port of entry to arrange for inspection at least 72
hours prior to import. At the time of import, you will need to present the original import and export permits, as well as a completed Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife (Form 3-177), obtained at the port directly or by visiting the following website:
www.fws.gov/le/ImpExp/Info_Importers_Exporters.htm.
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service International Affairs - Oct. 2012
