Hunting Abroad? Follow These Trophy Shipping Tips and Advice

Helping hunters with issues around importing their hunting trophies is one of the things the Hunter information Service does for SCI members. So, when hunters shipping international trophies for the first time call with questions, they often receive a list of tips provided by SCI Convention exhibitor and Women Go Hunting’s sponsor Coppersmith LLC Hunting Trophy Division.

The first thing to understand about trophy shipments is that all wildlife parts and products imported into any country in the world require inspection by customs and wildlife authorities, as well as those overseeing domestic agriculture and animal husbandry. In the US that’s US Customs and Border Protection, US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the US Department of Agriculture. This applies to hunting trophies, whether they are raw or mounted. Each agency is looking for specific documentation to ensure the shipment meets current regulations. Any missing or conflicting documents can cause unnecessary and costly delays or require the shipment to be returned to the country of origin at the hunter’s expense.

Don’t let that happen to you! Here’s what Coppersmith says you should do when shipping trophies home, wherever that may be for you:

What to Provide Your Hunting Operator and Shipping Agent

• Provide your full legal name for your hunting license and all documentation. Don’t use nick names.
• Select a customs broker to receive your trophies and arrange clearance formalities with all applicable government agencies. Provide the customs broker’s name and contact information to your hunting operator and shipping agent.
• Select a Designated Port of Entry in the closest proximity to the final delivery destination (whether to your taxidermist for unprocessed trophies, or your residence for mounted trophies). Not every international airport has onsite wildlife authorities. Your customs broker can assist you in choosing the right one.
• Put the agent shipping your trophies in touch with the customs broker receiving your shipment so they can correspond and ensure all required documents and logistics are in order.
• Provide all requests in writing and be specific if there are special instructions that need to be transparent to all parties involved. Keep copies of all correspondence.

What Documents Must Accompany Your Shipment and Who is Responsible for Them:

• CITES permits, export permits and other export documentation are usually prepared by the shipping agent. Many taxidermists, however, also prepare CITES and export documentation. Veterinary certificates are usually prepared by the taxidermist, and hunting license copies are provided by the outfitter.
• Items and wildlife parts in the shipment must exactly match the descriptions on the documents.
• Descriptions should clarify the state of trophies (finished skulls; dried skins, tanned skins, fully mounted) to avoid unnecessary delays at inspection.
• Pay attention to documentation and check for incorrect information or typos. Do not assume there are no errors or that another party will be responsible for incorrect information. As the Importer of Record, you are responsible and liable for the documentation and information delivered to any government agency.

For help with your trophy shipment, contact Lisa Gingerich-Olson, Coppersmith’s Chicago branch manager, at 847-437-1500, ext. 246; or send her an email at [email protected]. Be sure to meet with Gingerich-Olson at Coppersmith’s booth (#635) during the SCI Convention this coming February 18-21, 2026, and at the WGH Ladies Mix & Mingle on Saturday, February 21st at the Omni Hotel, right across from the Music City Convention Center. Let her know you heard about her through Women Go Hunting!

Have more questions? Contact Barbara Crown with SCI’s Hunter Information Service at [email protected].