Hi DJP, If they are cleary used personal items (ie. used with a few dings and nicks & scratches) then you have to pay no duties. Explain to the customs officer that you now temporarily live in the USA, for how long you have been there, and that you are brining the items here on holiday to be used.
However, dont simply remove from its original packaging ant think they will/must accept that the goods are used personal effects. Some returning tourists try this for instance with expensive watches and jewelry, and you cant fool these people. This is part of their training.
Customs can "sniff" out a person at a distance carrying goods that they should but are not declaring. Something to do with a person's physiological behavior and appearance which gives tell tale signs.
Psycopaths for instance do not show physiological reactions, but they get nabbed with random inspections. If you "had nothing to declare" and tried to evade negotiating and paying any due duties, customs will charge their rates of tax plus levy a fine for tax avoidance.
It is also not possible to really fool customs about the value of an item. They have bundles and bundles (suppose now computerised) of listed and decribed items about by name and manufacturer, and indications of their value in the country where they originate from, and their relative value in South Africa. If they contest you declared value and their manual indicates a conflicting value, Customs determines the value. Best you can do is have a SLIGHTLY reduced (but plausible) proof of purchase and declare that value for duty.
So, if your goods are actualy new and clearly not used, but just removed from packing my advice is:
1. Walk through the green light "nothing to declare" and take your chances.
2. Go up to customs, explain your residence status, declare the bow and reel as gifts - one for your father and one for your brother, have a reasonably realistic receipt/invoice as proof of purchase handy just in case, and in all probability they will waive you through out of appreciation for your sincerity and honesty.
Customs have a crap job and if you acknowledge their dignity and show them a little respect, they will be very reasonable in handling your declaration and enquiry.
I dont know what the duty on the bow is, but on the reel definately only 14% VAT.
Good luck, please let us know how it went,
