Booked for first trip to Africa (Namibia) this June. I've been doing some inquiring regarding shipping hides/horns back. Has anyone used these guys and/or have experience to report? I'm new to this , so if there's anything in particular I should ask or be aware of please let me know. I'll only be shipping hides and Euro mounts back so plan on having taxedermy done there but open for suggestions/opinions in that regard as well. Thanks in advance for any advice.

I used these guys back in 2006...service was fantastic. Very responsive, and they have a pretty good network over in Africa too.

I have not used Fauna & Flora, I use Coppersmiths, But I have never heard anything bad about F&F.

Used them several times with no problems

Ask me again in a week or two. I contracted with them on January 24th at the Reno SCI convention. Talked to them last week and they are supposed to get a hold of me and let me know shortly.

Rich
Buff Killer

I highly recommend their services.

I've used F&F numerous times for shipments from SA, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and most recently (a few months ago) from Cameroon. Always good service.

My taxidermist has a working relationship with them, however, in your case with mounted trophies, you would likely have them shipped on to your location and the assumption is that NYC is closer then where some of the other brokerage houses are located. I have picked up large shipments at F&F already via a UHaul, and possibly this is an option.

The taxidermist in Namibia should be familiar with F&F, and I would confirm this prior. Also, I would directly communicate with F&F so they are aware of your pending shipment. In the recent past, they advised me of the shipment and sent a "Client Instruction Sheet" for completion. F&F paid the freight and I paid them along with their processing and handling fees (which I have thought thus far to be reasonable).

You likely already have this, but here is the contact info for the people I have worked with recently:

Matthew M Mayers
Sr Import Agent
mmayers@faunaandflora.com

Paul Nevadomski
Import Agent
pnevadomski@faunaandflora.com

I have used F&F, John Meehan, a number of times and have been very happy with his services.

I have used them 7 times with total satisfaction.

I used F&F a while back for their consolidated surface container shipment from RSA to NYC. Worked out very well, and cost considerably less than the air freight rates I had been paying (particularly out of Namibia). However, I was shipping fully taxidermied mounts as opposed to "pack and dip" material (which I always have airfreighted). Since I live on the West Coast I use Hunter Int'l Brokerage Services out of San Francisco for air freight.

Several posters have commented on high fees for taxidermy. If you have taxidermy work done in Namibia, you may want to find out what the broker is going to charge you for airfreight. I had some animals taxidermied in Windhoek and was charged 3x the Air Namibia standard air freight rate by the broker.

I bitched about it to the Air Namibia rep at the past SCI, telling him that if the broker wanted to screw the client, the broker was really screwing the taxidermist who would get no further work from me aside from pack and dip, which also meant that Air Namibia would see less revenue as well. He had heard similar complaints.

BTW, the taxidermist did terrific work which does lend some credence to those who believe that it takes an in-country taxidermist to get the "right" look. This is not to take anything away from top-notch US taxidermists, but there is a significant difference in costs.

I used them once- didn't care for them. They called me at 5:30 am PST (they are based in NY area, and the guy was sort of a hammerhead. Also they shipped my stuff to the wrong, old address. I informed them in writing at the time of payment of the shipment address and they even calculated the shipping to the correct address but shipped to the old, bad address, charging me more-

I didn't think they were adequately on the ball and I did not find the guy I dealt with to be particularly responsive. ...but I may have just got a guy who didn't like his work...

I used a different clearing agent for my other 7 or so taxidermy shipments and they were GREAT- It was Hunters International -- they are terrific....

I used F&F twice (2003 & 2005) to handle mounted trophies from South Africa (Bow Hunter). I was extremely pleased with their service both times. They were responsive to questions and absolutely everything they told me turned out to be accurate.

I just cleared a shipment with them 3 weeks ago. Great service, everything they said they did on time. I plan to use them again.

Excellent service. I recommend them without reservation.

They are the best in my opinion. if you talk to John Meehan he will try to help you save on costs such as using ocean (from some locations), etc.

Thanks all. I've communicated with both individuals at F&F mentioned by Bill C. Quite helpful and informative. They're sending packet of info. my way. hopefully that'll answer any further questions I've got and another "to do" will be checked off the list.

F&F have done me well on consoladated sea shipments, much cheaper

I used them twice with no problems.

My taxidermist arranged that they forward the shipment directly to the tannery. All went off without a hitch.

I've used them many times and they make it easy. I tried clearing stuff myself one time and never will again. John and Matt are the best, but don't be in a hurry. They work with all the required government agencies and you know our government. Nuff said. They even met me at the gate one time, hand carried trophy.

I used them in 2005 from SA. They saved me a good buck but I had not been to Africa before and didn't know the drill. I would highly recommend them. They are informative, fairly priced and very helpful and always respond to e-mails promptly.

quote:

Originally posted by 404WJJeffery:
I used them once- didn't care for them. They called me at 5:30 am PST (they are based in NY area, and the guy was sort of a hammerhead. Also they shipped my stuff to the wrong, old address. I informed them in writing at the time of payment of the shipment address and they even calculated the shipping to the correct address but shipped to the old, bad address, charging me more-

I didn't think they were adequately on the ball and I did not find the guy I dealt with to be particularly responsive. ...but I may have just got a guy who didn't like his work...

I used a different clearing agent for my other 7 or so taxidermy shipments and they were GREAT- It was Hunters International -- they are terrific....

I must have had the same guy you had. I wouldn't use them again.

They are good to use if you are east of the mississippi. Since I'm west of the river and don't like to pay alot of freight I use 2 brokage firms that are Both in Seatac Wa. . 1) is coppersmith and 2) is JJ Boyle - which is a little cheaper but both are great to deal with.


www.african-montana-taxidermy.com

I give them high marks. John and Matt can navigate the many problems we typically encounter. No magic, just hard work and John personally has traveled the world to meet and contract with foreign shippers. He knows as much about current USF&W, USDA, CITES and International regs and law as any man I know. My clients and myself have used them numerous times without issue.
LDK
PS: as oakman states, east of the MS river. West wouldn't be cost effective unless you shipped directly to an eastern tannery/taxidermist