Trophy export permit issues

[CAustin]

I wonder if anyone else is experiencing the same problems I'm having. I completed last years hunt on May the 1st. Capricorn Taxidermy in Polokwane South Africa completed all six trophies the first week of January of this year. I have shared photos of the work on this site and the mounts appear on the Capricorn Facebook page. So I know they are complete and they look great. According to Capricorn owner Mike Smith, South Africa changed the way export permits are applied for. All provinces where a party to the changes But it seems that the individual provinces have changed or added to the requirements. I guess there are more hoops to jump through. So next week marks one year since I left for my dangerous game/plains game safari with African Sky Safaris. I had a great hunt and got everything I went for. By this time last year I already had my trophies from the 2013 hunt on the wall so the current situation has me frustrated. I'm sure Mike at Capricorn is frustrated as well because he would surely like the other fifty percent of his fees for mounting the trophies. The man can't make a living storing trophies for people.
I would appreciate comments from everyone but most especially the outfitters on AH. This problem could hurt your business if it continues. Frankly this should concern us all on the forum but more so the outfitters. If your customers can't get their trophies home in a reasonable time frame business could suffer.
Is anyone aware of a fix in the works to get permits moving again?

 

[JGRaider]

Something is going on in J'Burg for sure. My Namibian trophies have been sitting there for almost 2 weeks waiting for transfer to be cleared in Houston. My US customs broker is on the lookout, but is unable to track them at this time...paperwork issue on the African side.

 

[Scott Slough]

I just received my trophies Monday from a hunt ending July 12th (will share photos and the full story as I had paperwork issues on the US end ... but I have to get the taxes filed first!), but they were delayed over getting a copy of my hunting license from the outfitter. Both the outfitter (Blaauwkrantz) and taxidermist (Relive) are in the Eastern Cape. I think I was 9 months and 1 day!!!!

 

[broncolcj]

Is this possibly a new issue related to trophies mounted in-country? I wrapped up a very successful hunt in KZN and the East Cape last May, had them dipped, packed and shipped but not finished and they got back here to Colorado within 4 months no problems.

 

[Red Leg]

Want to feel better about RSA, try getting trophies out of Mozambique. Once out of that third world basket case, they then go to SA. Sigh - with feeling.

 

[harden]

Want to feel better about RSA, try getting trophies out of Mozambique. Once out of that third world basket case, they then go to SA. Sigh - with feeling.

Real mess there. Most Moz Safari I don't see for 1 1/2 to 2 years..before they ship to the states.

 

[CAustin]

My stuff is in South Africa Dennis and it seems they can't get their act together.

 

[siml]

Dennis, there is a new shipping agent in Mozambique, they doing a great job, we finished our last hunt in November and the trophies are ready to be shipped. In the past it has been a pain in the butt.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Want to feel better about RSA, try getting trophies out of Mozambique. Once out of that third world basket case, they then go to SA. Sigh - with feeling.

I hear you.

 

[Troy McLellan]

Having the same issue gents. Apparently there was a change to the export permit process last October and it has slowed down to the point it is almost stopped. Been following up with shipping and taxidermist weekly and they are doing all they can but it is just a waiting game at this stage.

 

[cw lubbe]

Hi CAustin i am a part owner of taxidermy based in kzn called Spirit of Africa taxidermy, and yes there has been a change with the new permits legislation which is a complete nightmare. a quick run down of what is happening now, we use to apply direct to the province where the trophies was hunted, but that has changed. we are based in kwazulu natal and receive 100's of trophies from all the province here in SA so what needs to happen now is that we will apply through our own province for animals hunted in other provinces, when the trophies are close to completion we start to apply for the export docs we hand in all the hunting info with the application, (hunting registers, hunting licenses, hunting permits, transfer of hunting rights ect.) some applications are more that 30 +pages. once our nature conservation receives the application they need to submit all that documentation to the province the animals were hunted to check that the hunt was legal and to confirm that all documentation is correct, then once they are happy they will correspond back to our department and instruct that the permit can be issued. then the permit moves in the line with other permits waiting to be issued. we use to receive permits with in 12 days from KZN authorities but now it has been delayed by months. due to the back log and the correspondence and waiting answers from other provinces. even the permits that we are waiting for animals that were hunted in kzn has been delayed.
we have a big crating week next week, and we are still waiting for permits where we applied in the first week of march.

 

[Buff-Buster]

Dennis, there is a new shipping agent in Mozambique, they doing a great job, we finished our last hunt in November and the trophies are ready to be shipped. In the past it has been a pain in the butt.

Simon.....Who is the agent you are referring to?

 

[Scott Slough]

Simon.....Who is the agent you are referring to?

He goes by the Oracle of Moz! !

 

[Buff-Buster]

He goes by the Oracle of Moz! !

He must be kin to "The Wizard of OZ".........

 

[CAustin]

Lubbe thank you for the post. Mike Smith had told me exactly what you have written when he last traded email with me.

GOOD NEWS from Polokwane this morning. The Northwest province informs Capricorn that documentation has been forwarded to Limpopo authorizing the issue of permits. Happy days are here. Mike indicates that he will crate next week.

 

[siml]

Buff-Buster, Johann Wannaburg,
Imports Administrator

Email: jeanette@emiac.com

Telephone: +27 11 392 1657

Fax: +27 11 392 2403

Postal Address: P O Box 753 - Kelvin 2054 - Sandton - Republic of South Africa.

Street Address: Isando Business Park, Unit G2b – Gewel Street - Isando – 1601- Gauteng - Republic of South Africa.

GPS: S 26⁰ 07.645 - E 028⁰ 13.235

www.emiac.com

 

[siml]

Even a Wizard needs some sleep....

 

[johnnyblues]

Lubbe thank you for the post. Mike Smith had told me exactly what you have written when he last traded email with me.

GOOD NEWS from Polokwane this morning. The Northwest province informs Capricorn that documentation has been forwarded to Limpopo authorizing the issue of permits. Happy days are here. Mike indicates that he will crate next week.

Good for you charlie! Look forward to seeing some of your trophies.

 

[CAustin]

Thanks Johnny

 

[CAustin]

Crating now and will be delivered to freight company first of next week!