First timer hunting mexico

[loco4coues]

I'm heading down to Mexico next monday(the 21st). In regards to bringing the antlers and cape back into the US: I've been reading that the skull has to be boiled out and the cape has to be completely frozen...However, a friend who went down last year, said that he simply boiled and dried the skull, then scraped and used salt to dry the inner side of the cape, but that it was not frozen and he got over with no problems. Has anyone else done this? did he just get lucky? would it be safer to freeze the cape?

[CouesWhitetail]

I think the issue with the cape is that they are worried about ticks and perhaps other pests crossing the border on the cape. I consider that there are three ways to get a cape across the border.

 

1 The standard recommendation is to freeze the cape for 24hrs before crossing. They say the cape must be frozen solid.

 

2. However, you can also get across the border with a green, unsalted, unfrozen cape if you take the cape directly to a USDA approved taxidermist. That taxidermist has a form to give you before you enter Mexico so that you can get through the entry port on the way back. The taxidermist then treats the cape to eliminate ticks. If you know which taxidermist you will be using, ask them if they have a form and that may make it real easy for you to cross.

 

3. You can have an approved person in mexico treat the cape with a pesticide and then he signs a certification form to show it's been treated. I have done this before through the outfitter I was hunting with. He had the contact and got the cape treated.

 

Not sure what to say about your friend who got through with just a salted cape. Maybe that's a 4th method that is ok? Again, the issue is with ticks. If they search the cape and find a tick, then you don't get to keep it.

 

Amanda

[loco4coues]

I think the issue with the cape is that they are worried about ticks and perhaps other pests crossing the border on the cape. I consider that there are three ways to get a cape across the border.

 

1 The standard recommendation is to freeze the cape for 24hrs before crossing. They say the cape must be frozen solid.

 

2. However, you can also get across the border with a green, unsalted, unfrozen cape if you take the cape directly to a USDA approved taxidermist. That taxidermist has a form to give you before you enter Mexico so that you can get through the entry port on the way back. The taxidermist then treats the cape to eliminate ticks. If you know which taxidermist you will be using, ask them if they have a form and that may make it real easy for you to cross.

 

3. You can have an approved person in mexico treat the cape with a pesticide and then he signs a certification form to show it's been treated. I have done this before through the outfitter I was hunting with. He had the contact and got the cape treated.

 

Not sure what to say about your friend who got through with just a salted cape. Maybe that's a 4th method that is ok? Again, the issue is with ticks. If they search the cape and find a tick, then you don't get to keep it.

 

Amanda

I checked with my friend, and i had misunderstood him, he did have his capes frozen when he crossed. Thank you for the info, it was very helpful.