CBP Advises Hunters of New Requirements for Game Fowl as Hunting Season Approaches

San Diego – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are advising hunters who may travel to Mexico for dove or quail hunting of new requirements for their game fowl prior to their return to the United States at a port of entry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Veterinary Services has implemented this new requirement in response to the recent confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at commercial poultry production facilities in Mexico. The purpose of these new requirements is to prevent further spread of this virus and to protect U.S. poultry.

Fresh, uncooked, hunter-harvested game bird carcasses brought from Mexico for human consumption are prohibited. If the carcass for human consumption has a fully-cooked appearance, as determined by CBP, it may be allowed. These carcasses are different from hunter-harvested carcasses that are brought as trophies from Mexico.

Hunters wishing to import trophy game fowl taken during a hunting trip in Mexico must have an approved import permit for the birds from USDA’s Office of Veterinary Services. A bulletin advising of the import permit requirement for avian trophies from Mexico can be found at the following link.  

Hunters should declare all game fowl to CBP upon their arrival at a U.S. port of entry and present the USDA Veterinary Services import permit. They are also subject to verification of the import documentation by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer.

For information on Fish and Wildlife Service requirements for bringing game birds from Mexico, please click on the attached link.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

CBP Advises Hunters to Obtain USDA Import Permits for Game Fowl as Hunting Season Approaches

Laredo, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is advising hunters who may travel to Mexico for dove or quail hunting of a new requirement to obtain import permits from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Veterinary Services (USDA-VS) for their game fowl prior to their return to the U.S at a port of entry.

“As the game fowl season in Mexico rapidly approaches, we at CBP together with USDA are reaching out to U.S. hunters to advise of this new requirement so that they avoid delays and possible confiscation of their trophy birds upon their return to the U.S.,” said Jose Uribe, Acting CBP Port Director, Laredo.

Under a new requirement, hunters wishing to import trophy game fowl taken during a hunting trip in Mexico must have an approved import permit for the birds from USDA’s Office of Veterinary Services. A bulletin advising of the import permit requirement for avian trophies from Mexico can be found at the following link.

Hunters should declare all game fowl to CBP upon their arrival at a U.S. port of entry and present the USDA/Veterinary Services import permit. They also will face a verification of the import documentation from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer.

This new requirement has been instituted by USDA in response to the recent confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) at commercial poultry production facilities in Mexico. The purpose of these new requirements is to prevent further spread of this virus and to protect U.S. poultry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

CBP Seizes Live Bird Hopping Onboard Plane from Asia

Los Angeles—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) seized a live song bird that started hopping inside the plane cabin two hours before landing on a 10-hour flight from Taiwan. CBP officials suspect a failed animal smuggling attempt. 

On May 26, CBP agriculture specialists were notified that a passenger reported to airline personnel that an animal was hopping around his area. A member of the flight crew captured the bird and put it in a plastic bag inside a white Styrofoam box.

CBP agriculture specialists met the plane upon arrival. Passengers were instructed to remain in their seats while the bird was removed. The animal was transferred immediately to a cage approved to handle birds and was provided with water and bird food/seeds.

All the passengers, crew members and their carry-on bags were screened and sent to agriculture secondary for x-ray inspections of their belongings. No other birds or any signs (bird droppings, feathers, etc.) were discovered.

“By preventing the introduction of foreign animal diseases, CBP agriculture specialists protect America’s agriculture resources. Animal diseases such as avian influenza (AI) can affect other avian species and be potentially fatal,” said Todd C. Owen, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles.

The bird was identified as the same species as one of the song birds seized by CBP at LAX in the past. On June 8, 2010, a Garden Grove man was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to pay $4,000.00 in restitution after pleading guilty to illegally importing 14 song birds strapped to his legs as he arrived at LAX from Vietnam.

The seized bird was turned over to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinary services.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.