Closed Door Hunts around the World.

[Northern Safari]

The more reading I do, the more restrictions I come across in terms of which hunts are "closed" to international hunters in terms of prohibitions by country, by species, by import etc.

Whether it's a country that has completely closed it's borders to outside hunters (i.e. China) or if it's a country that only limits hunters from specific countries (i.e. USA).

It sounds like places like China and India, among others have completely shut their doors to outside hunters. Others like Afghanistan or Iran seem to fall into more of a grey area.

Places like Azerbaijan have reportedly shut down the Tur hunt since the pandemic and have yet to reopen. I've also read that Kyrgyzstan halted Ibex hunting/export a few years ago? I'm assuming this has since been resolved.

There was also the issue a few years back where Argali species could not be imported into the US. Where does this stand today?

What other exceptions are there abroad that limit hunters from hunting in specific regions or hunting specific game?

When it comes to the complications around importing trophies, is that mostly a US Fish and Wildlife problem or were the same prohibitions on Marco Polo/Ibex etc. also enforced in other Western countries?

 

[Sevens]

I’m just bummed I’ll probably never get a takin due to China’s closure.

 

[Northern Safari]

I’m just bummed I’ll probably never get a takin due to China’s closure.

Had to google that one, such a interesting looking animal.

China does seem to contain a plethora of mountain game. Any idea how long it's been closed?

 

[Tjdeerslayer37]

Had to google that one, such a interesting looking animal.

China does seem to contain a plethora of mountain game. Any idea how long it's been closed?

found a random website that said hunting has been closed since 2006. no idea on accuracy

 

[Cynoscion]

China does/did have a super abundance of mountain game with several unique species and lots of country unexplored by modern westerners. I’ve hunted pretty close to the Chinese border. The mountains are incredible and vast to say the least.
To answer the question posed, USFWS is a big part of what keeps some species from being imported. The US is a CITES participant but USFWS can and does impose regulations above and beyond CITES.

 

[Northern Safari]

China does/did have a super abundance of mountain game with several unique species and lots of country unexplored by modern westerners. I’ve hunted pretty close to the Chinese border. The mountains are incredible and vast to say the least.
To answer the question posed, USFWS is a big part of what keeps some species from being imported. The US is a CITES participant but USFWS can and does impose regulations above and beyond CITES.

I’ve read that China acts as a replenishing resource to all the surrounding countries for mountain game. Lots of Argali and Ibex crossing those borders.

 

[cfounta1]

I’m just bummed I’ll probably never get a takin due to China’s closure.

I had to look that one up too

 

[Northern Safari]

I had to look that one up too

The Hunting Consortium claims hunting was suspended there in 2006 so it's been almost 2 decades.

https://huntingconsortium.com/asia/china/

Here's the list of huntable big game available there.

Species List (when hunting was previously open)​

• Tian Shan Argali
• Sair Argali
• Littledale Argali
• Marco Polo Argali
• Gansu Argali
• Gobi Argali
• Altai Argali
• Chinese Blue Sheep
• Helan mountain Blue Sheep
• Himalayan Blue Sheep
• Dwarf Blue Sheep
• Golden Takin
• Sichuan Takin
• Yarkand Goitered Gazelle
• Hillier Goitered Gazelle
• Tibetan Gazelle
• Mid Asian Ibex
• Gobi Ibex
• Tien Shan Wapiti
• Manchurian Wapiti
• Manchurian Sika Deer
• Gansu Red Deer
• White-Lipped Deer
• Chinese Sambar
• West Chinese Tufted Deer
• Chinese Muntjac
• Chinese Roe Deer
• Wild Boar

Special Permit Species:​

• Wild Yak
• Tibetan Antelope
• Serow
• Goral

 

[buffybr]

...To answer the question posed, USFWS is a big part of what keeps some species from being imported. The US is a CITES participant but USFWS can and does impose regulations above and beyond CITES.

 

[Cynoscion]

Keep in mind that just bc that was their species list does not mean that they were all importable into the USA as hunting trophies. Not only does the source country have to issue the export permit but our USFWS has to be willing to issue the import permit.
The example that most everyone will be familiar with is polar bear. You can buy a polar bear hunt and kill a bear but you will most likely never get it home bc of USFWS regulations.

 

[Sevens]

Keep in mind that just bc that was their species list does not mean that they were all importable into the USA as hunting trophies. Not only does the source country have to issue the export permit but our USFWS has to be willing to issue the import permit.
The example that most everyone will be familiar with is polar bear. You can buy a polar bear hunt and kill a bear but you will most likely never get it home bc of USFWS regulations.

Kanati Taxidermy has you covered. They have realistic polar bear replicas, shoot your polar bear than give the bird to the USFWS.

 

[Northern Safari]

Keep in mind that just bc that was their species list does not mean that they were all importable into the USA as hunting trophies. Not only does the source country have to issue the export permit but our USFWS has to be willing to issue the import permit.
The example that most everyone will be familiar with is polar bear. You can buy a polar bear hunt and kill a bear but you will most likely never get it home bc of USFWS regulations.

I’m Canadian, that must be one of the few advantages we have here. Not that I could afford a polar bear hunt.

 

[Northern Safari]

Aside from the obvious species in banned countries (ie China) do we have a current list of species that can't be exported/imported into North America right now?

I'm in Canada so we may have different exclusions than the States but I'd like to know if any trophies wouldn't be allowed to be brought back before booking one of these exotic hunts.

Any of the European Ibex, Chamois or Mouflon?

Any of the Asian Ibex or Tahr?

Any specific plains game or dangerous game?