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mobow213

Smuggling hides

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On 1/20/2021 at 7:26 AM, AZbowhntr said:

Brian, I was with you when the government was on strike.  Made me mad that I didn't bring the cape across. How did you guys do this year? Anything big?

It was a good year. I think we had 4 deer under a 100" (one of the broke ones I shot would have been over), and 6 deer from 100"-110". Michael shot the 110. 

I'll send you some pictures. 

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On 1/19/2021 at 11:03 PM, briant_az said:

I see why people try to smuggle them. Sometimes it seems impossible to get them across the border. We crossed today with 9 capes. Ended up getting to keep 3. Kind of sucks spending days going through capes only to get them seized at the border. 

It can be frustrating for sure!  We had probably one of the easier crossing experiences coming home this year but in years past we've had hides and heads taken due to a certain border agent who seemed to take pride in it.  Thankfully we found out that he has been moved to Texas.....which might be why guys are trying to smuggle them home over there now 

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We have not had any issues brining hides across and all 7 this year had no issues. Spend the time cleaning and doing what is required and you won’t have any issues.  
There was a group crossing at same time this year as us and there hides looked like they rolled them in dirt to hide the live ticks I think.  And they still tried to arque, idiots.  Apparently this year a lot of guys are bringing hides to border with live ticks still which everyone knows is a no go.

Do whats is needed and required and you will be good to go!   
 

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1 hour ago, coueswt said:

We have not had any issues brining hides across and all 7 this year had no issues. Spend the time cleaning and doing what is required and you won’t have any issues.  
There was a group crossing at same time this year as us and there hides looked like they rolled them in dirt to hide the live ticks I think.  And they still tried to arque, idiots.  Apparently this year a lot of guys are bringing hides to border with live ticks still which everyone knows is a no go.

Do whats is needed and required and you will be good to go!   
 

What are you doing to get the ticks off of your hides? Trust me we are spending way more time than we want to picking ticks from the hides. We have the ranch hands do it during the day and then we go through them at night. Last day is usually spent picking ticks also.  

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Soaking capes in a bucket full of salt water 12-24 hours then taking a comb to the cape usually helps out a lot .

Some  of the outfitters like El Chaparral and Wade Lemon have started having their clients capes tanned and shipping the cape to you later 

 

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4 hours ago, briant_az said:

What are you doing to get the ticks off of your hides? Trust me we are spending way more time than we want to picking ticks from the hides. We have the ranch hands do it during the day and then we go through them at night. Last day is usually spent picking ticks also.  

I use ether(starting fluid) put hide in trash bag and spray quite a bit in bag and tie off. In 30 minutes you should be good to go. If you by chance see a live one I will re-gas again.  I had to this a couple times this year and was a first, thinking the cans I bought didn’t have a high ether content. We bring in a camp helper to help with hides, boiling and anything else we can think of. We each give him $100 and best money ever spent. 
We double check(1-3 hours)and freeze until day before we leave. 
The gentleman that Basser15 mentioned would give us a hard time about the ether smell but he would get over it. Glad to hear he is gone. 
i also think having them in a big zip lock bag all cleaned up and looking like we cared for them helps. If you would have seen the mess the others hunters dumped out was an embarrassment to all of us that go down. 

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14 hours ago, LOCOdocoileus_Sonorensis said:

Pluck all ticks from hide, freeze, transport frozen across border, paperwork.

They have to be thawed out to cross the border.  How can they check a frozen hide at the border?

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