Shipping Question

[Idahoeyes]

Has anyone ever had their mounted trophies shipped from Africa via ocean freight.  The freight forwarder is trying to push us to air freight (he actually hasn't even given us an ocean quote), and I'm trying to figure out if there is really no cost difference and the hassel factor makes air freight best, or is he just trying to increase his commission.

[Glorfindel]

I have lived in Africa for a total of 8yrs. My experience is that air shipping is more expensive but it is guranteed quicker, safer and with less hassel. Ocean shipping is better for price but it takes longer and is more dangerous in regards to damage. We have not shipped trophies, but we have shipped furniture, ect.

The best deal would be to find some one who has extra space in a container to share for a fee. It might be cheaper that way.

Are you sending them from SA? If in SA, Botswana, Nambia and Swaziland you could try land shipping, it would take about 3 months (at the most) for the packages to get to Boise..

[Idahoeyes]

I'm shipping from Namibia.  I think we decided in air shipment for the risk issues you stated.  Thanks for your imput.

[hunt it]

Idahoeyes,

In Africa everybody gets a cut. The taxidermist will use the freight forwarder that pays him the best commision. The more the bill the more his cut is. I have always used air shipping from Africa to New Metheod Tanning in San Francisco. My last crate containing a cape buffalo cape and skull along with a hippo skull and a few baboon skulls was around $4000.00 US from Zim. Many of my friends use Fauna Flora out of New York they specialize in trophy shipping by boat and they all claim it is much cheaper. Be advised that taxidemy in Africa is sub rate compared to good North American outfits and they are famouse for hijaking clients from overseas. One of my Safari Club guys is currently fighting to get his stuff as they have requested an additional $5000.00 to ship this is over and above what he has already paid in full and was told/written no further costs. Another friend of mine lost his elephant ivory and hide in similar deal. It will cost more here but you will be much happier in the end result. New Metheod is best tannery in Noerth America as far as African hides are considered. There are many good reputable taxidermy outfits in USA that handle African game. The old saying "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR" really applies in this case. If you need names of big taxidermists in US just shout and I can give you three or four to talk to.

[Windknot]

I have no idea what taxidermists are like in North America, but I have yet to have a good experience with a South African operator. And I am South African, so that says a lot.

Ship air, get 'em done near you. And if you need a lawyer in SA, call me.

[Idahoeyes]

Just a note for future adventurers: I ended up shipping by air. Two of us combined our shipments and it cost $3400 from Namibia to Boise for 6 shoulder mounts and 5 back hides.

[Jack Shanks]

I got a call today from the taxidermist shop here in Michigan that my crate from South Africa arrived. The cost of shipping two sets of Impala horns with skulls & capes, one set of Kudu horns with skull & cape and one Impala back skin was $746.34 to the Customs Brokerage firm in Chicago. I haven't gotten the bill from them and the cost of shipping to my Michigan taxidermist. The outfitter I used owned the dipping and packaging company in Africa and that cost was included in my hunt. It probably wouldn't have cost a whole lot more if I were able to add a few more of the species that were on my list in my shipment . But then that does give me an excuse to go back now so I'm not complaining.

[Jack Shanks]

I received a fax from the taxidermist with my final bill from the customs broker and shipping from Chicago $512. So I have a grand total of $1258.34 getting my trophies from South Africa to my taxidermist here in Michigan.

[Don Thomas]

This is one of the great "hidden costs" of an African hunt. Nobody wants to deal with it. Definitely ship by air. The cost differentil isn't that great and I have friends who shipped by ground/sea in the old days who received badly damaged hides. If you are hunting in a group, "batch" your shipment and send it to one location stateside, then sort it out later. There is definitely economy in scale.It is always more expesnive to ship two pakcges with three specimens each than one with six. As much as I respect my many friends in Africa, I would defintely have the taxidermy done here. While there are no doubt exceptions, overall the quality of the work is vastly superior here at home. Cheers, Don

[Biggie Hoffman]

We just got our stuff back from August 2004 trip.
Airfreight was $340, we used a customs broker in Atlanta that was another $360. Storage fees $125, and then the txaidermist picked them up in Atlanta and disinfected everything plus freight from Atlanta to Macon $300. That was my share.

They combined 5 shipments onto one airbill. Cheaper but a pain logistically.
Hey guys.....Don't listen to Dave Ramsey ,borrow the money if you hafta....what a great experience....

[dirtyleg]

just got mine back from SA 2k drive out for 5 animals. seems steep but they have you by the short hairs

[Rick McGowan]

A friend of mine had his stuff mounted in Zim., since they GUARANTEED in writing that the maximum airfreight bill would be $1,600, so the total would have been cheaper. A year later when his stuff was ready the told him it would be over $3,200! More than double. He said "what about the
guaranteed maximum? They said," that was just an estimate". He had two choices, pay it or not get his stuff. He's not going back to Africa anytime soon. Me, I'll keep going to Australia, until they decide to quit screwing Americans in Africa.