Guests

I know we have 2/3 separate taxidermy threads going at this time BUT maybe some kind (AR guest) or local USA person from the ( Houston region ) might kindly CONSIDER a follow up phone call and let all the AR guests and future Africa hunters know if there is any merit in considering the services of Hellmanns, the general overview is outlined below !!

PS: I came across this information on a HSC webpage, and dont know how current or when the info was posted and if it is useful to consider further

Regards, Peter
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Taxidermy:

Over the years, we’ve heard complaints by clients about these issues, airfreight charges, dipping and packaging fees, customs clearances, and the excessive time to get trophies back home. The same gripes arise over and over, year after year.

From our experiences, both on safari and as taxidermists, there is little advantage to having taxidermy work done overseas. Crating and packaging expenses generally exceed any savings anticipated. Moreover, resolving issues about damage or unsatisfactor taxidermy work is very difficult on an international basis.

All (outfitters and professional hunters) have contracts to send your trophies home as salted and sterilized hides and horns. However, the current conditions result in months of delays and increased processing charges. Some paperwork procedures and costs are necessary, mandated by the respective governments for tax and health reasons, but this does not justify prolonged inaction and a whole slew of bewildering fees.

A solution may be in sight .... John Rulon, of Hellmann Transport Services (in Houston), has formed an associated company with offices in South Africa to handle the entire process. Under his new plan, trophies will be picked up at the outfitter’s base camp after the safari. They will be sterilized and packed quickly. Local government requirements will be fulfilled and the hides and horns shipped to the U.S. within six to eight weeks. There will be no outside commissions or unnecessary handling charges.

A four-part legal routing order can be supplied by taxidermists statewide to hunters departing for Africa. The original form is given to the PH/outfitter, and one is kept by the client: the remaining two are mailed to Hellmann in Houston prior to depart for Africa. Questions and requests may be directed to John Rulon at (281) 590-0281. In addition to the reduced time, it is anticipated there will be overall cash savings realized by using this system. Both as safari clients and professional artisans we encourage you to discuss this new opportunity with your taxidermist.

Will they be able to handle trophies out of just SA, or can they get trophies out of Zim and Namibia?

We have used the same taxidermist for years and always use the people they recommend. In 1999 it was Hellman's, but since then it is always ABX Logistics. I don't really know why the change, but I do know that Lynette at ABX is great to work with.

I have used Witbank Taxidermy in RSA and NOVOTRANS for shipping for my clients for a few years now. My dip and pack clients have rarely waited more than 6-8 weeks for their trophies to arrive at their nearest point of entry. They even make sure pigs and monkeys are packed in a separate but attached crate so the whole shipment does not need quarantined. As for the mounting he has done for me and my clients in the past, he has surpassed most everyone's work I have had done anywhere.
I'm not trying to hijack the post for him, but not everyone has those problems with waiting. I have not waited longer than 8 months for mounted trophies, and a crate weighing 346kg with six mounts cost me around 1500 to Miami and was at my door eleven days after it left Jan's shop.

Has anyone had a chance to FOLLOW UP with that contact in Houston at all ???

I am (itchy to know) if (their aforementioned service and logistics provided) has any (monetory benefit to a client) as I see that taxidermy costs are driving a number of hunters to drink and wild women, with some even threatining to ditch getting trophies sent back home after the hunt.

Someone also mentioned in a recent taxi thread about an [ ITEMISED QUOTE ] for all the miscellaneous bits and pieces ADD ON costs being charged (at the USA side) of the POND ..

Questions and requests may be directed to John Rulon at Hellmanns HOUSTON on (281)590-0281.

Peter

We have an HSC mtg tomorrow night and I'll try to remember to ask around. I know the Simpsons will be there and I will ask why they changed.

Peter,

I will try to touch base with him within the next day or so and report back.

Thanks Bwana/H

From my personal knowledge and talking with many hunters over recent months it has become abundantly clear to me that there is tooooo big a differential in some prices, especially FREIGHT and the other (local miscellaneous fees) that seem to sneak into the final price @ times ...

I do understand that often a hunt will take place and the trophies then might only arrive anywhere from 9-12 months later, so freight costs from the airlines & others involved can change, that is understood, but having said that these areas are where I see the main complaints and issues /

ALL of the (Africa Taxidermists) MUST surely be able to get their client a CONFIRMED (freight cost) just prior to shipping, as the trophies are normally held by the taxidermist until he has all the local paper work/red tape permits finalised, then he sends the consignment to the FREIGHT COMPANY for shipping to destination, so he can get a cost at that time and advise the client.

At the clients end the costs should also be able to be clearly itemised and (pre-costed) for most items. Where there seems to be problems IMHO is in the storage costs which seem to arise if the process is not done properly.

The standard requirements are that the AFRICA Taxidermist / and or their freight company MUST immediately advise the client or his taxidermist/clearing agent of the WAYBILL # which is raised just prior to freighting, and the actual freight departure date and airline etc, then armed with that information the (receiving end) can await the arrival with open arms and action the required enty clearance asap, thus avoiding the unecessary storage costs and other that keep creeping into the final clients bill.

Also the clients home taxi can/should have arranged an (exemption permit) or whatever they call it in the industry, whereby a consignement can hastily shoot through the main USA wildlife entry port to final destination without some ( light fingered official ) or other inquisitive person meddling into the crate and incurring additional fees and delays. These EXEMPT PERMITS allow the consignement free passage to destination which can save a sh.t lot of time money and hassles.

Regards, Peter