I just got charged $387 for Insurance and Placement by my clearing agent. This was one of the line items.

Is this in-line ?

These continuous costs and payments after a safari ends - dip and pack and shipping and clearing and freight at least for me have reached a point where I am done. More than the $ amount its the irritation factor.

Thanks,

Mike

mine was 150 dollars for nine items from Well Worldwide Energy Logistics, called it customs entry fee,, then terminal handling fee 125.00,,, then bonded warehouse 150.00 then messenger fee 10.00. then 305.00 to have it all shipped to me,,, then several small line items I have no idea what they are for,,,, I always say next time I'm just taking pictures then that Zebra rug has to come home etc.....

I've cleared my own trophies for several years, really easy to do and much less expensive...$50.00 handling fee at Delta Air Cargo. DFW airport is only about 55 miles from my house, so it's no big deal and even driving from Mexia it would be a whole lot less expensive. Several of my friends now clear their own trophies, too.

Forgot to add this hassle and extra cost to my ever growing list of "why returning to Africa" is not a pressing issue anymore. Thanks for the reminder.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

I don't think anyone bought insurance anywhere near what I was charged.

A $1 mil. house annual insurance is $3-$4K annually. $50K truck or car is insured for $1-$2K a year and involves much more risk.

This was for trophies that if damaged would not be replaced as a replacement hunt or have any emotional value tack on. They would be at market rates which is not much.

So massive insurance line item for a few weeks when value insured is not much.

My cousin imports containers worth of stuff from China and Philippine and pays nowhere near this in insurance.

So you get a bill with all these line items and costs but some are just egregious and buried in cost lines that were never incurred.

This whole after hunt cost is hitting a nerve with me. Its not disclosed up front and there is some captive aggressive pricing.

Hunter has paid for hunt, trophy fees, airfare, tips, charters - then after you are $20K and up into a hunt - these tack on comes - dip and pack, shipping agent, clearing agent.


Do you walk away from $20K for a insurance tack on ? These service providers know you are captive and price accordingly.

At least for me this has reduced bringing back any trophies. I will say up front I am not really into taxidermy so this is not a big loss.

But I think this irritation factor is real to other high dollar hunters I have spoken to.

Outfitters who think they have passed this or hidden this safari expense to other service providers. This may come back to bite.

If hunters are hunting for pictures only - do we really pay a premium for a larger trophy?

Mike