CITES, trophies & bringing firearms
How to export your trophy from Serbia and bring your own firearm without stress — what CITES is, who arranges the papers, and what's left for you.
Two things worry visiting hunters most: how to export the trophy and how to bring a firearm in. Both are solvable, and the ground/taxidermist usually handles them.
Trophy & CITES
CITES is the international convention regulating trade in protected species. For most common game (boar, roe, red deer) CITES is usually not required, but:
- For protected species and certain trophies a CITES/export document is needed.
- The trophy is usually sent for taxidermy, and the taxidermist/ground ships it to you with full documentation (origin, veterinary/export papers).
- You receive the trophy at home legally — without chasing the paperwork yourself.
Bringing a firearm
- You declare and temporarily import your firearm at the border (declaration + your home-country firearm documents).
- The simpler option: rent a firearm from the ground — no border paperwork.
- Always arrange ammunition and conditions with the ground in advance.
What to do
When you book, ask the ground: (1) whether the species you target requires CITES, (2) whether they arrange taxidermy and export, and (3) whether you bring or rent a firearm. It’s all settled by message before you arrive.
This guide is general; for a specific species and your import country, confirm the exact requirements with the ground and the relevant authorities.