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| One of Us |
There is something seriously screwed up when a shipping cost for a trophy box that weighs half my weight and flies in the belly of the plane costs more than twice my flight over to Africa. This dip and pack and shipping cost and clearing is getting to be a joke. Mike | ||
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Agreed! It was like every month, I'd receive an invoice for at least $1,500, for 6 months. All in, my dip/pack/ship/customs was north of $5k. | |||
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It's ridiculous. The add on costs, many of which use to be included in your hunt costs not that many years ago, are causing lots of people to shy away from going on these hunts. I can count at least half a dozen friends who have quit hunting Africa because all of the add on costs have given them a bad taste in their mouths. They can afford it, but they are just saying enough is enough. ______________________________________________ The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who are bereft of that gift. | |||
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The cost is bad, but getting the permits to import is damn near impossible, am still trying to get mine from Tanzania 2012, have done everything everyone has asked, and am now having to apply for a 3rd permit. Do not ask me why because I do not know.......have paid all shipping, all taxidermy fees, all fees asked from everywhere and on time and am still trying, if I did not have 10K tied up in after hunt expenses I would blow it all off...... | |||
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A friend of mine received his d&p from an East London taxidermist this past December He was charged $500 for his wooden crate and office miscellaneous ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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Holy balls. You guys have that right. One day even this Dip&pack/shipping/etc Golden goose will die slow death. Now , outfitters even charge quite a bit for trucking the trophies to shipping/dip&pack guys. I can see charging some, but not what I see lately. One day we may hunt and leave everything behind and it may not be too long the way everything going up and up " Until the day breaks and the nights shadows flee away " Big ivory for my pillow and 2.5% of Neanderthal DNA flowing thru my veins. When I'm ready to go, pack a bag of gunpowder up my ass and strike a fire to my pecker, until I squeal like a boar. Yours truly , Milan The Boarkiller - World according to Milan PS I have big boar on my floor...but it ain't dead, just scared to move... Man should be happy and in good humor until the day he dies... Only fools hope to live forever “ Hávamál” | |||
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Its these tack on charges that really leaves a bad taste. I think shipping is the worst of them after tanzania air charters. There is no way air freight cost this much. This is not overnight service. $2K to ship 50kg is a joke when its one way. Hell you can fly over and bring it as baggage for less!! I have seen it slowly encroaching in everything from road transfers (they suddenly become oneway), rifle rentals ect. Feels like a minibar or crappy wifi at a second tier hotel. And all the risk in this sits with the hunter/client. Anything screws up in this chain the end cost will be borne by the client and all the so called professionals along the way will say this is hunting or this is africa ect. Mike | |||
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I left behind a lion and buffalo last year so I would'nt have to deal with all the fees and hassle. I would rather spend the extra fees on another hunt. DRSS Searcy 470 NE | |||
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There is a very simple solution to the problem and I have used it for years. just don't bring back any trophies.Voila - no charges. Spend the money on more hunts. Worked for me till the last one and I did bring back my tusks from my last Elephant. SCI Life Member NRA Patron Life Member DRSS | |||
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This is one of the reasons I have drastically cut back on taxidermy. Sucks. | |||
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I am not really into taxidermy at all. This irritation and financial expense - irritation far greater than the financial expense is not worth it for me. I will not be bringing back anything going forward. Going thru the hoops for a lion. Then will spend money to have it mounted with very little desire to display it - most likely will sit in my taxidermist showroom. Maybe I just feel bad for shooting a lion and don't want to leave it behind. Maybe full mounting him is the last thing I can do for it. But the very fact you have to pay close to $40 a pound to ship it one way is a joke. It takes clients as fools. Mike | |||
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I agree and then you get shitty work on your trophies, missing pieces... and no one ones to own up to it. I can clean up my skulls better at home then some of these professionals. Actually mine from around here are the only ones that look professionally cleaned. Go figure. Africa, golden goose and her eggs, you name it you pay for it... " Until the day breaks and the nights shadows flee away " Big ivory for my pillow and 2.5% of Neanderthal DNA flowing thru my veins. When I'm ready to go, pack a bag of gunpowder up my ass and strike a fire to my pecker, until I squeal like a boar. Yours truly , Milan The Boarkiller - World according to Milan PS I have big boar on my floor...but it ain't dead, just scared to move... Man should be happy and in good humor until the day he dies... Only fools hope to live forever “ Hávamál” | |||
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Shhhhh, the list of exclusions is getting long enough. I'm just glad that "Usage of a hunting vehicle" is still included!  I have seen some crazy rates for observers, road transfers, and rifle rentals lately. I know it must be tempting to jack up the incidentals, and it is not uncommon for an industry experiencing pressures with margins, but eventualy it will just get to be too much for an already dwindeling market pool, especially given all the other associated costs as being discussed in this thread. | |||
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I am single and hunt alone. But if I was paying $1k plus a day to hunt and my wife/ gf who ever went with me and the outfitter charged $250-300 bucks I would go ballistic. Person sleeps in the same tent, eats proteins that you have paid trophy fees on and cost little more than laundry service and drinks. To charge $250-300 again takes clients for fools. I want to see one outfitter come and explain $250-300 cost for a wife/gf - 30 percent of the daily rate for laundry and drink service. Mike | |||
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I was shocked last week (in a good way) to find my airfreight bill from Zambia to Atlanta on Emirates was under $600. Buffalo, Roan, Hippo, etc. Dip and Pack in Zambia was a little pricy but no complaints on the air. Cheaper than my last two by over 1/2. Don Trust only those who stand to lose as much as you do when things go wrong. | |||
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If there is no push back, the cost will continue to escalate. My last trip I brought home only pictures. Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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| One of Us |
So much of the costs are "permits/inspection/customs/ export docs/ facilitation charges" and not the actual shipping. I am at $1500.00 to get an oribi and reedbuck cape and horns to a US port of entry. 75% of the charges were for the above fees as you have to get permits/ inspections/ clearance from both Mozambique and SA. The shipment is 6kg. Another $ 750.00 to clear US customs in NY, USDA/ USFW inspections....and shipment to my home. Then I still have the taxidermy! Think I am done with trophy shipments. | |||
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Interesting, my last shipment out of SA included 8 skulls and horns, three tanned flatskins and two raw skins. It was $1,700 for the shipping to San Francisco, Custom clearance was $400 but I can't remember what the D&P cost. Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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I have stopped shipping by air. My last two shipments were by sea, much cheaper, and the time does not add anything appreciable to the whole taxidermy schedule. | |||
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Agree with Saeed!  I normally save about 1/3 of the cost in shipping by sea. It only adds 2-3 weeks to the wait. And believe me, I can wait with that type of savings! | |||
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The observer fee in Zim is partially the government's fault. That said, though we are paying an observer fee for Joyce in Zim she will be licensed and can hunt plains game under that fee. We paid zero for her with Andrew in Zambia and you all know she was licensed and hunted there. I discuss these "incidentals" when deciding where and with whom to hunt. If the outfit is too big to discuss it they will not grow bigger with my dollars. Now the dip & pack and shipping issue is different. Seems some countries and outfitters really have a game going. I'm painting with a broad brush but Namibia and RSA are infamous for this. Zambia wasn't cheap but the amount didn't change from what was expected. I have no experience with Moz yet so we will see how that goes. I do know from my research that you better be patient in regards to how long a shipment takes from Moz. Joyce and I have also "cut back" on taxidermy. Some critters you just have to put up but I'm really liking Euro mounts more and more. Cheers Jim ______________________ DRSS ______________________ Hunt Reports 2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112 2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012 DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191 Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771 Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141 Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141 | |||
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| One of Us |
Very interesting Saeed Why is this option never offered ? Shipping via sea or air is irrelevant for all purposes - Taxidermy is a delayed satisfaction activity. This chiseling of clients will anger irritate and drive clients aways - more than the money its the irritation and treating clients (a majority of whom are professionally succesful people) as fools. Mike | |||
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I've saved both headaches and expense by not taking anything home from my last four or five overseas hunts. Freight costs are set by rapists and taxidermy in South Africa or Zimbabwe has, in my experience, has been worked on by the taxidermist's kids. It really simplifies things to end the hunt when the hunt ends. But, this, of course, is just my opinion. Cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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| one of us |
Bingo! And to not only try it with greenhorns but to try and pull it with veteran hunters too. | |||
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| One of Us |
If I had it to do all over again, I would video all my safaris and have far less taxidermy. When I look at what I have spent on taxidermy and what I might get out of it, it surely seem like an idiot move I made. Of course, that isn't a first or a last. All of the costs for getting trophies to the taxidermist has gotten exponentially larger over the years. There is a shocking number of checks to be written. I am having a full croc skin sent to me. It is the only item . It will be interesting to see what this costs. I feel bad about whacking these critters and taking noting. I take the skulls from things I shot and either give them away or hang them at one of my hunting camps. | |||
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100 bucks per animal to dip and pack? Not for me, but I already got stuff on the walls and floors. We're headed for ear tags/price tags and pen raised "trophies" just like whitetail production in the US. Don't feel bad about leaving it all there. They will use the skins and you lose the meat anyhow. Pictures are all you get for a year, so enjoy the trip(s) and do what is important to you, even if it costs money. 2 cents _______________________ | |||
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Just a couple of days ago I finalized air freight shipping arrangements from South Africa to Chicago for shoulder mounts of Kudu, Gemsbok, Bushbuck and Impala along with a Kudu flat skin. Price about $1,840. While I don't regret any of the taxidermy I've had done, in the future I don't plan to have any done unless it's a very unique trophy. I would probably hire a videographer though. I've price sea shipment, by the way, and for me it was only a few hundred dollars less expensive. | |||
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I just received my 2014 trophys, a black wildebeest, eland, blesbuck, and cape buffalo. I took the skull and cape on all these. The dip/pack shipping and customs clearance in Chicago was about $2500 total. NRA Patron member | |||
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Jim If a companion hunts I can see the $200 bucks a day. But if a companion is just tagging along and going out on the truck or hanging around the camp to charge $200 or $300 a day is just fleecing. Good that you stand up for incidental expenses - I think clients in general are too much accommodative when if they're at a similar alternative high priced vacation they would not tolerate these kind of shenanigans. Mike | |||
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I've joined the long list of hunters who only bring home pictures. I hate it when I feel that I'm being ripped off by someone and that's how the entire dip/pack shipping thing makes me feel. I've done three non-exportable bull elephant hunts and two Buffalo hunts. Everything was left in Africa. The PH on my first Buffalo hunt kept telling me what a waste it was to kill a Buff and not get it mounted. I felt that he was more worried about missing out on his cut of the dip/pack etc. than the actual Buff. Take good pictures and save your taxidermy $$ to fund future hunts. Tom Z NRA Life Member | |||
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| one of us |
The dip/pack and air freight was high enough, but understandable. What floored me was the "clearing" charges stateside. ABX of Houston ripped both of my hip pockets off, charging about as much for "clearing" my two boxes of skulls and tanned hides as I had paid for the cleaning, tanning, packing, and shipping. I would never use them again. | |||
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Be grateful you don't ship into London Heathrow where the veterinary inspectors are an absolute bunch of bastards who insist on 24 hours notice of arrival of trophies and if they don't get it, the customer has the option of seeing his trophies incinerated or returned to country of origin and then reshipping all at his cost...... and bear in mind, it's the airline that's responsible for giving the notice and shipping etc not the customer. - Absolutely bloody outrageous! Alternatively, many parts of the EUSSR charge import tax and VAT (23% in Portugal) not only on the price of the trophies and other contents of the crate but also on the cost of the shipping AND the cost of the crating materials etc! | |||
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I know it is not the same but I have joked that I could go online and buy mounts and save thousands over dip & pack, shipping, brokerage, shipping again, let alone on the taxidermy. Jim | |||
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| one of us |
Shot a brown bear a few years ago in Alaska ... to ship it to Alberta cost about $400 ... the paper work another $2,100 !!! As in many places in Africa - totally ridiculous !!! | |||
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NOW! Does anyone wonder why I had to stop hunting Africa soon after I retired? .......................................................................  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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You feel bad? I built a trophy room. Oh it's nice and all but I would much rather have the money spent on that and 2/3's of my taxidermy in a nice index fund. Jeff | |||
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| One of Us |
On my 2013 Zim trip, I was told if I did want to keep any trophies there would be no dip and pack charge and also the 4% levy on trophy fees was reduced to 2%. Only one PH was honest enough to tell me this. Cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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I am on my 3rd trophy room Jeff. | |||
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Taxidermy is from a pure financial perspective the worst use of ones hunting dollars. On a delightful hunt in Alaska one of the packer's mentioned his father buys and sells used taxidermy. His dad had just bought all of taxidermy at a Colorado Cabelas location for $39 a mount - he had to buy 100 plus mounts. He had to go collect all the taxidermy at the store as they were bringing in new stuff. The many truckloads of taxidermy used costs significantly less than all the taxidermy I have done to date (2 buff table mounts, impala and waterbuck shoulders, zebra and wildbeeste rug). I don't even know why I am going thru the pain of mounting the lion. To date only two people have ever asked me to see taxidermy. 99% of non hunters don't care about trophy rooms or taxidermy. For the two people who asked (friend's parents) I told them next time they are in Orlando we will go to Larry Shores house and they can see all the taxidermy they want. Larry was very kind to accommodate. Mike | |||
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| One of Us |
It is expensive. I do all European mounts and I do them all myself here in US and in Europe. In Africa I wish I could as I can do lot better job then most. Stuffing heads, naaah. All I ever did was my leopard. I get hides tanned, throw few on the floor and give rest of them away, especially bears. People like those. Funny thing is, you can do lot of taxidermy cheaper here in US. Is standard of living in Africa higher then here? Interesting. " Until the day breaks and the nights shadows flee away " Big ivory for my pillow and 2.5% of Neanderthal DNA flowing thru my veins. When I'm ready to go, pack a bag of gunpowder up my ass and strike a fire to my pecker, until I squeal like a boar. Yours truly , Milan The Boarkiller - World according to Milan PS I have big boar on my floor...but it ain't dead, just scared to move... Man should be happy and in good humor until the day he dies... Only fools hope to live forever “ Hávamál” | |||
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