My trophies have been with the agent in Namibia since the end of November. He keeps telling me "next week", and then nothing. I know the gov't. shut down for a month, and I'm sure that has contributed to the problem, but is this normal, or should I be concerned?

3 Months doesn't sound like a problem to me. I would give him some time.

I agree with Todd, no worries yet. I have never recieved anything from any country I shipped from in under 6 months. Also, if you shot your game above the redline, then there is an extra step with the vet above the redline before it even gets to the shipper.

Todd and Brent - Thank you for the reassurances. I just got an email from the shipping agent saying "next Thursday", so I'll keep my fingers crossed.
I suppose my expectations were unreasonably set when I got an email from the taxidermist in Namibia at the end of November, saying my trophies were ready and she hoped they would reach me by Christmas. Or maybe I didn't understand that she meant by Christmas 2012? 2013?

Mike Massey

By chance is the shipping agent I.F.N.?

I wouldn't worry. Keep in mind Namibia's hunting season ends in November and shipping agents get overwelmed afterwards. In the past, my trophies from Namibia have arrived between February and May.

Cecil, the agent is not IFN.
Jorge, thanks.
Shipping agent just let me know the vet certificate will be in early in the week, and then the crate will go to the airport.
It's been tough knowing that my trophies were sitting in a warehouse in Africa, in the middle of summer.
The taxidermist had the trophies mounted in 4 months and it's going to take almost that long to ship them, when it's all said and done.
I guess one of the things I'm supposed to learn from this experience is patience. It's not near as enjoyable as the other things I learned in and about Africa.

I was told in Namibia that we may have the watch, but Africa has the time, & you just can't rush her.
That's hard on an impatient person like me.

I meant to as earlier what the redline is, and what extra step is required?

The shipping agent told me two weeks ago that he had taken my trophies to the airport, and that it would take three or four days to get them on a plane. He was supposed to let us know when he got an AWB number, but we have heard no more from him.
Was he being overly optimistic in his estimate?
I don't know how long any of this is supposed to take, and base my expectations on what he tells me, but he has yet to do as he said.
My PH (L'Wyk van Vuuren at Leopard Legend) exceeded my expectations.
My taxidermist (Belinda at Retoma) exceeded my expectations.
The shipping agent has yet to do anything when he said he would.

I've had trophies shipped from Namibia twice and each time it took almost 9 months.

Excellent work though, and well worth the wait. I used Trophaendienste.

My concern isn't as much the time, as it is the lack of truthfulness on the part of the shipping agent. All paperwork has been done, now the crate supposedly sits at the airport for two weeks and counting.
Because of the persistent lack of performance, my concern is that my money was used to pay for a prior person's shipment, and now I'm waiting for someone else to pay so they'll have the money to ship mine.

Dear mmassey 338
Just for your info, we take 3-4 weeks to ship trophies out of Windhoek, unless there is a problem with the paperwork. even so, you would have got them early 2012, if we had shipped them.
Pam
International Air Cargo Services

Pam,

Thanks. I'll keep you in mind for my next trip. I'm hoping leopard in 2013.

Hi
I hope you are successful. Please pm me.