Exporting a WT Deer to Europe?

Has anyone on this forum ever exported a yearling doe to another country via airplane?



Can you recommend a qualified and highly-experienced shipping agent?

If anyone has hand any such experience, will you please advise?

thank you.

WTD were imported into the Former Yugoslavia in 1972 and again in 1974 or '75 from VA and PA. The Pres. Tito was an avid hunter and his desire was to create a diverse deer population that would attract hunters to the country. They imported in total about 30 North American White Tails and today there are herds of about 600-800 approximately. They are there, and there are other "successful" imports from the US and CA throughout the eastern European countries (i.e., Hungary).



It is legal, once cleared with the Department of Wildlife Resources (part of the Dept. of the Interior here in the US). My question does NOT relate to import legality or quarantine issues- I should've been more precise.



I am wondering whether a yearling Doe would survive such a journey and whether she will likely have to be sedated for a good part of it. In this case, keeping her in a recumbant (sp?) position would be difficult if she is in the cargo hold of a large plane.

Thanks guys, for your replies. Sharkey, please ask around your fellow farmers if they have had any experience with export via plane, and how they were able to maintain the health of the deer while in transit.

Hope today is a great day for all!

Sharkey, you are just a mass of information. Sorry to correct you though. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia have absolutely nothing in common geographically, nor culturally.

Serbia has the largest WTD population because Tito's hunting grounds were located in that former-Yugoslav republic (now it's own country).



Hunting in Serbia: http://www.serbia.travel/activities/fauna-of-serbia/hunting/



Our doe will not be hunted, god-willing, she will be a pet on a gorgeous location, if all of the legal stuff and health concerns are not a major hurdle.



Again Sharkey, thank you for all of this useful information- I am so impressed that you guys spend your valuable time responding to me. I am grateful.

Wow, I had NO idea- this is not something that is widely known in the countries of the Former Yugoslavia. I am hearing it now for the first time.



Most importantly- I had no idea how serious you Australians were about genetics...

You rock! I will be going to the region this summer- let me know if I can be of any help (I speak the language fluently).



@Gary from GO WT's

Thank you so much for the useful information. I will look into quarantine times immediately.

In case anyone was wondering... In order to ship ONE 9-month old fawn to Europe from the Midwest US, it will cost about $2K, a special livestock cargo plane will likely be used b/c most commercial planes will not take a box (cage) higher than 35" tall. The deer is measured while standing, adding 2-3" to the top of her/his ears. Most times it's not a problem finding a large enough cargo hold in transoceanic flights, it's the smaller planes used for intra-European travel that limit your ability to place the crate/cage in a cargo hold area (they are mostly NOT high enough). I am still gathering info from freight forwarders who know livestock procedures. There is NO quarantine at the Chicago port, the Dept of Wildlife Services just shows up and clears the deer (or not) at the port of exit. I will look into their procedures in more detail today- but the people who work at the US DWS are really super nice, and to get a permit for the export it will usually take 30-60 days and about $200-300 in fees to DWS. As I learn more, I will post more.

Hope you all have a great, happy and productive day!