I;ve been emptying my gunsafe and am trying to decide whether to add another drilling or to go hunting. I would love to do another plains game hunt, but the budget is a little trying. The travel and incidentals really cost as much or more than the hunt and trophy fees for this kind of hunt. For me budget is a real concern. In particularly estimating trophy dipping, packing and shipping fees have me in a quandry. When I went about five years ago, it cost me about $500 for dip and pack and $1500 for shipping. I ended up only doing euromounts and tanning the zebra hide. I never did anything with the capes or backskins which were about half of the volume and weight. I was figuring on only shipping maybe a Wildebeast hide and a few skull plates and horns. Anybody do this recently? What is a realistic estimate in todays world. Thanks
Bfly

I would budget up to $150 per animal for dip and pack. $1500-$2000 for shipping and any customs brokerage fees. Just ball park figures,costs vary.

Budget twice what you think. My "best Estimates" were twice that expected because of the economy crap in 08 and it cost me dearly in lost time and in giving up mounts to cover the extra costs.
Frank

I just got a bill for $over $4,000.

I had elephants tusks, sculls of buff & 3 heads of PG and a zebra skin. Not a big shipment.

Been 3 times.
Shipping has been between $2300. & $2500. all 3 times.
1st: 8 PG
2nd: 7PG
3rd: 1 Buff & 5 PG

Depends on where you hunt and where you live. I just got my bill for 2 tusks, 1 front foot, 1 side panel and 2 ears, $1500 from Harare to Atlanta. Something to think about, go on a tuskless, non-trophy bull ele hunt with may be a cow buf. That way you save dip&pack, freight, and tax. You still have memories and pics of a GREAT hunt.

If you're going on a plains game hunt and the budget is tight, do what I do - just bring home pictures. Take some good quality pictures and put them in nice frames for display in your home. By saving the cost of dip&pack, shipping, brokerage fees and taxidermy you'll be well on your way to paying for another hunt with the $$ you saved.

Taxidermist said to budget $3,000. It's going to be probably just a few hundred over that.

I have had a lot of taxidermy done in Africa saving thousands....lose about 2/3's of savings on shippinng these days but still cheaper.
But choose the taxidermist carefully with shop inspection!