DIY New Zealand import/export trophies

[buzzy]

I’ll be hunting next March for a nice stag, goat, and sheep. I’d like to bring the 3 skulls back for a euro mount and leave the capes behind. I’ll be tacking on 7-10 days after the hunt to tour the island. Would it be possible to have the skulls cleaned up enough and crated so I could bring them back with me? I’m guessing it won’t be enough time to get ready or the crate would be too big to check it on as luggage. Hoping to get a stag in the 350” range so a descent size crate would be needed. Thanks

 

[Tahr]

Here you are. Details for export of trophies from NZ here in this link. Ministry for Primary Industries. No big deal. You will find they want to help.

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/take-or-send-from-nz/taking-home-your-trophy-or-hide-from-nz/

 

[JNDEER]

There can be requirements for USFWS, USDA, CDC, CBP when arriving to the US from traveling internationally.

For Hides, capes and skins that are not on a fully finished taxidermy product they must be either: Chrome-tanned, flint-dried, hard-dried, leather, limed, dehaired and pliable, pickled in a salt solution or tanned.

if they do not fit in that category or are not fully finished in one of the above categories than you will need to provide document evidence that the hides, capes or skins are specifically coming from NZ.

This current information, but is subject to can change.

 

[Mike Islander]

I brought my trophy back on the plane with me.

I killed a tahr, and two young red deer stags. I brought the tahr's skull and horns and cape back. I turned and salted the cape and hung it in the wind a day. It was not dry by any means and I rolled it and kept salt on it for the journey. I had boiled the skull and removed horns.

This was in Nov 2016.

I went to a NZ F&G type place before I hunted and got some type of permit to help with export. I listed basically any animal I might kill (2 tahr, 2 chamois, red deer, etc) because it would cover whatever. It didn't matter if an animal was listed and I didn't export....it mattered if I tried to export something I had not listed.

I remember filling something out for the US end, but it wasn't a big deal. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to get it through customs. I was pulled aside and it was looked at, but no biggie.

Shipping stuff is ridiculously expensive. Sometimes as much or more than the hunt. To date, I've left trophies in Zambia, Australia and Argentina....all great hunts, but decided I liked hunting more than bringing stuff back and am content with the photos.

That's our plan. The hunt is the trophy. If we can carry something back, we'll do that. Otherwise it's grip and grin in high res.

 

[abbrown]

I and this guy are planning a November hunting trip. Yes, he's got a robot foot, but he's a beast and can hike like a goat!

Rokslide.com helped us on a trip to Wyoming to hunt antelope. Zero knowledge of how to even get to NZ, so following.
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Also bear in mind deer have dropped antlers by November so you won't be seeing any timber if that's your desired target. Cham and tahr still a go though fur likely pulling as they transition to summer coats.