I'll share this again even though I seem to get jumped on every time.
I carry my trophies home as checked luggage. I understand regulations in foreign countries have changed since the mid-2000's. I've personally carried trophies home from foreign countries six different times. One of the times my trophies were confiscated in Denver, which was wrong, and I did receive an apology, but I did have to pay for air shipment from Denver along with a fee from a receiving company. In all still far cheaper.
You'll need a list of all the trophies from a local government office documenting each animal. I have returned home with CITIES 3 animals without issue.
If I were to go again I would hand carry back european mounts and have my taxidermist purchase capes if I wanted life mounts.
You'll want to book your arrival so you have extra time to go through customs but in all my trips it only took about an extra 20 minutes. One time when entering Dalles the agent was taken back and I asked them to contact their manager who came out and said my shipment was acceptable. He also asked me if I had enough time to use my trophies for training. It was fun to watch him train his people.
I extend my trip after my hunt to allow my trophies to dry - still far cheaper than shipping them.
Where the previous countries you brought stuff home from in Africa? I am willing to bet hard money you won't get vet, nature conservation, and customs export certificates done now in less than 2-3 weeks. Bribes will only help just so much. If you don't prior contact with USFWS and USDA inspectors to meet your plane on your arrival, again you are screwed. Good luck on bringing raw stuff from Africa as your personal luggage.
Returned from Namibia three times, once from RSA, once from Kyrgystan, and once from Canada. Had others I hunted with also return with trophies. One doesn't need to make prior contact with USFWS or USDA. I spent time with the USFWS agent when I enter Dalles with a wolf and two Siberian Ibex. He said my paper work was perfectly in order and what I was doing was perfectly legal. I did research the regulations prior to my entry and made certain all forms and trophies were properly completed. One CAN NOT import "raw stuff". Trophies must be without any raw meat. My capes did have trace amounts of dried meat and that was deemed acceptable.
You would loose any bets with me. I was present when the Namibian vet certificates were issued and they were provided during our visit. A fee was charged although it was low enough the PH didn't pass along the expense. I don't recall the RSA experience other than the PH said it was easy and his first time sending trophies (euro mounts in this case) home with the hunter. Kyrgyzstan was a little more difficult for my hunt manager but I wasn't charged extra. Canada was more time consuming because the inspector was a big time hunter and wanted to swap stories about goat hunting and he told me right off I was free to go but he wanted to talk - really nice guy.
Namibia mandated dipping of trophies since my travels. There wasn't a US mandate requiring imported trophies to be dipped prior to entry and I don't know if there is one in place at this time.
It's all about knowing the regulations. Clearly I understood the regulations better than the Denver custom's agent and that didn't keep my trophies from being confiscated but I did receive them back shortly and for far less than shipping them from Namibia.
BTW, it your Chicken Little type reply that set me off. Making statements about something you have no experience or expertise doesn't help anyone and only fuels fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
