Can anyone tell me what the procedure is? I have no idea where they are or what happens next. I am emailing my PH now but he's probably out hunting so I figured I'd ask this question here too just to see how it was handled for others. Other than an editable excel file of a bill that was emailed and our photos, I have nothing to really show that my client and I have trophies at all. Should i have received some kind of notification as to where they were sent?

Sheldon,

You should have some contact with your PH...He has your address and will know who to deliver your raw skins to...You can give him a taxidermist who you know... and they will ship to or you can go thru a brokerage house for your shipments and they will take care of all of the legwork...

Mike

A little late now, but this should have been taken care of BEFORE you left home. Now you are dependent on what the PH does, which will likely be to take them to a taxidermist (from whom he gets a kickback) that will bill you for "dipping". Then this taxidermist will likely take them to a shipper (from whom he gets a kickback) that will bill you. The catch is, do they know where to ship them? You should have had tags that showed the taxidermist that you want them shipped to (along with his address, and your name and address) attached to each cape, skin, and skull. If you didn't, I suggest that you get in touch with your PH ASAP to address the issue. What about your booking agent? You did use one, right? He should be able to help you get things straightened out if he is any quality at all. In the future, you need to get this all lined out ahead of time. You are kind of in a bad position right now, to say it mildly!

The only time I have ever received a notification was if I was actually present at the taxidermist. I was given a piece of paper saying what they received and what they were supposed to do with it.

Ironically, that is the only taxidermist that ever screwed up any instructions.

I have received e-mails or faxes from taxidermist saying "Your stuff is ready to ship, pay me!" But I have never had one e-mail me saying "Hey I got your stuff, just wanted to let you know."

Shipping time can be between 1 month and 1 year.

Others will have stories that differ greatly from my experiences.

Sheldon

Since you hunted north of the vet fence, your trophies will be quarantined.......it took about 8 months for our stuff to make it to the states.......since you hunted earlier in the season, yours may take longer unless Vaughan takes time off from hunting and does the leg work to ship your trophies. When we were there, it was a long drive north from the concession to the place that holds the trophies for quarantine......so Vaughan didn't make many trips up there. Did you supply Vaughan with tags to be attached to the trophies........I'm sure Vaughan will take care of you!

Sheldon, I'm sure Vaughan will do what he can to make sure your trophies are taken care of.

I'll be hunting with Vaughan soon and was wondering about some of the same issues. Does everything have to be shipped to a taxidermist? Mine here in NM told me to have the stuff shipped to me, then take it to her when I was ready to have it mounted. I'm planning on having mostly European mounts and rugs made in Windhoek. How does shipping that stuff differ from shipping raw hides? Can you combine these (like horns and raw hide of a kudu and the finished rug of a zebra)?

I talked to Vaughan about it briefly when we were there and said we wanted to get the capes, backskins, hooves, etc. tanned and skulls (sans the bottom jaw - no cutting) in Namibia to save the hassles of bringing them back raw. He didn't mention them being quarantined just because of the fence. At no time did anyone mention any other procedure to us like getting tags before hand. I know that Vaughan went to get tags, but I never saw them and assumed they were for the animals like we tag animals in NA, except maybe they didn't need to be tagged right away. I was not even aware of this quarentine requirement past the vet fence. Vaughan's concession runs right along the border on the north side so I guess they will be. I'm sure that it should be fine as we are not the first hunters needing to get trophies home.

I have been told that it is much easier to ship and cheaper done this way and then getting the mounts assmbled at home or as budget permits. In the meantime you can ejoy the skulls on the wall and the skins how you like.

Like GonHuntin said most everyone brings laminated tags to attach to all parts of the trophy you are keeping. My tags have my name, the name and address of my taxidermist and the name of the shipping company that will handle the clearing of the trophies in the U.S.

Mike

I have used the laminated tags on two occasions. I will probably use them from now on, makes it a bit easier.

Never had any laminated tags before and never had any problems. Any competent operation has a means of identifying your animals. If you do not have tags, they will put their tag on it and write your name on it. But that is no excuse not to use them.

I notice a lot of safari operators do not mention it. Some do though.

Your milage may vary.

Sheldon: On my first trip to the Eastern Cape I shot seven animals and the capes, backskins, whole hides and all else were prepared and labeled in the skinning shed as they came in (I looked at my stuff, but skinning sheds have all kinds of great things to look at...at the end of the day with a gin and tonic I liked walking to the skinning shed) and at the end of the hunt, we went home and the trophies were sent to a taxidermists near Johannesburg for preparation for shipping.

About two or three months later, I got a cost estimate outlining two basic services from the taxidermist: (1) the capes et.al., could be shipped prepared but raw to a taxidermists of my choice for a certain price, and (2) the taxidermists in RSA would do the taxidermy. I did some math and had the guy in RSA do the work.

Ten months later a big crate arrived in Anchorage. I barely did anything, except wire money. I had no experience what so ever and it worked out fine. Call your PH and he will probably tell you something like my account or the accounts given above. You'll love it when you get the trophies home.

Get a hold of a good customs broker that handles trophies (I can recommend Hunter Intl) and ask them for the names of 3 air freight companies. Then get the crate sizes and weights from whomever is doing your dipping and packing (has to be a taxidermist), or the mounting if you are having the heads mounted over there. With that data, get quotes from each freight outfit with all costs itemized (including local pickup but not customs clearance or local delivery in the USA). YOU pick the one you want to use, and pay them directly using a credit card. That way, if they change the numbers on you, or lose your trophies, you won't have to eat the cost. Best to pick your crates up at the airport yourself, otherwise you'll have to pay yet another outfit.

Note that air freight charges are based on the larger of the actual weight and the imputed volumetric weight. So very large crates will cost you more even if they weigh the same as compact crates.

I don't buy the universal kickback scheme. But human nature is such that your PH will be busy taking care of his current clients and he is not going to shop around for the best deal on your behalf. Nor will the local taxidermy. You need to manage this yourself. Your agent (if you used one) should be able to steer you straight if you get lost.