Sealskin sporran

[Calico]

I'm off to a wedding in California in July

Ooh, is that an invitation to the Kilted Kalifornia rabble?

Where's it gonna be? Would a dozen rowdy rabble showing up unexpectedly liven things up?

[KiltedGirl]

We were detained at customs in Michigan - re-entering the US after driving through Ontario without stopping - because I had dog food that was not in original commercial packaging. It was JULY and they tried to force me to park in the sun with three dogs in my car. Arguing with someone holding a rifle is not a comfortable endeavor, but I wasn't going to allow my dogs to die. It took about two hours to get everything straightened out.

If you have the slightest thought that what you have is not legal here, do not bring it. Odds are, you won't be asked, but if you are, are you prepared to leave it behind? If it was found in your luggage, you could be accused of trying to "smuggle" it, and not only lose it, but possibly spend some time in cuffs.

I wouldn't chance it. No way.

[Singlemalt]

I am not truly an expert on these matters but I have a bit of experience in the wild fur business and I would reccomend you don't bother to try and take your seal skin sporrans into the USA. It may be legal but it is just questionable enough you may be setting yourself up for a big hassle and potentially losing the sporrans.

With very noble intentions the USA enacted the Marine Mammals Protection Act many years ago to try and protect endangered species and subspecies of whales, seals and polar bears. Unfortunately, this legislation is a bit like a sledgehammer when a flyswatter might have been more appropriate. It resulted in the end of trade or even personal transportation of the products of some species which are really quite abundant. It also treats Canada like some sort of Banana Republic incapable of managing its own wildlife. The result is many many marine animal products perfectly legal to harvest and trade in Canada can not be exported to the USA.

It may not be right but I would suggest you not set yourself up for a confrontation at the border.

[chrisupyonder]

There is also a ban in the EU.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...lands-12864583

[tripleblessed]

I've always been a little uncomfortable going through customs even though I don't have need or use for illegal stuff. I have long hair and a beard, and I've known many over-zealous and officious enforcement guys who joke about what they've pulled on people to prove a point or as a joke. Going through customs in Moscow was probably the worst for me, but no problems and pleasant enough officers in and out. Australia was tough as I didn't know until the dogs were sniffing that they would not not allow my South African Eagle Owl feather. I knew if I said anything it was gone, so I didn't, and I'll know not to take it there again. Having this conversation with people from all over the world, they all fear US customs above all others. On my way in from South Africa, I was held at the gate in Atlanta while the ivory guy was summoned. I kept saying the elephant amulet was carved from bone, and therefore legal, but no go. From thirty feet away I heard a voice
asking why they were detaining me, he could see that far away it wasn't ivory, and he began apologizing. No worries, friend, they're just making sure,
and why don't you show them how to tell the difference, since we're all here anyway. No matter the law, individual agents can be mistaken or malicious,
and the result is a nightmare of paperwork to get it back. Much simpler to
let Jeff be a good neighbor.

[Downunder Kilt]

Australia was tough as I didn't know until the dogs were sniffing that they would not not allow my South African Eagle Owl feather. I knew if I said anything it was gone, so I didn't, and I'll know not to take it there again.

Australia does get a little touchy when people bring in animal parts from overseas. It possibly wasn't Customs with the dog, it may have been Quarantine Service. As we are an island we are very fortunate not to have many exotic diseases and a feather can carry quite a lot, thus quarantine like to inspect them to ensure that they are properly cleaned and haven't basically been just plucked from the bird. If one reads the customs and quarantine statements that you have to fill in, usually on the plane, it tells you what you have to declare.

[tripleblessed]

Downunder, I had no problem with their position, it makes perfect sense to bar body parts that could cause problems, I just didn't know, and had no way to prove that I had had it long enough for there to be no trouble. I had been told not to go to the Outback w/o a hat, and the feather lives in the hatband (biiig straw Stetson). Next time the feather stays home, but I have a serious jones
going to get back to your beautiful country.

[Downunder Kilt]

Not a problem tripleblessed, I worked as a customs officer for a number of years and can assure you that far more people were pinged for quarantine offences that customs offences at the border. Hope you do make it back to the great land downunder one day and if you make it to Melbourne there will be a dram here for you. Cheers.

[thescot]

Along with Jeff, I would advise against it, just to be on the safe side. It only takes one grumpy customs official who got up on the wrong side of the bed to make your experience misreable, even if it turns out well in the end. Why risk it?

I, too, would gladly ship a lonaer to you, either a rabbit fur sporran or a black leather with silver (i.e., "shiny", not sterling) cantle. You could wear it, have fun at the wedding, and send it back when it's all said and done. And your seal skin would be safe at home. Our overly zealous PC crowd have taken a lot of the fun out of life, and this is only one more.

[Zardoz]

OK, Those who have been though it help me out.

I have been crossed in and out of Canada (B.C.) a couple times, both times by motorcycle. the first time, which was back in the early 80's on a ride to Alaska, I was basically waved through both ways. The officer on the US asked how long I'd been up there, how was the 'Oil Can' highway, and said welcome back.
The second time was a several years ago, post 9-11, and I had only been up there for a couple hours, having passed through Glacier Nat. Park. The return crossing was very busy, but we and a few other bikers were actually waved over to a faster moving lane, met a sniffer dog, and again basically waived through. I thought that was funny at the time, because I'd been warned that they were "really bad" and to leave my "personal protection items" at the hotel. (which I would have anyway, knowing where we were going) Maybe I just hit a good day?

So my real questions are, how much search do they put you though now? And are they really looking for seal sporrans? Are they really going to quiz you about one? Q- "what's this made out of ?" A- "Leather, I guess".
I'm really wondering about this, I just think of all the wacky crap I'm sure folks try to bring into the country, I just wouldn't think sporrans, sealskin or otherwise, are high on the checklist of stuff they have to worry about.