I just got a call from Patti at Coppersmith. The total bill, including their fees, for the horns, skins and skull (2 Gemsboks, 2 Springboks, a Kudu, a Blue Wildebeest and the Lion) from Namibia to my office in Alabama is $1614.86. Does that sound about right? On the plus side, I should have the shipment by Friday

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The total bill, including their fees, for the horns, skins and skulls...from Namibia to my office in Alabama is $1614.86. Does that sound about right?

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Fauna & Flora provides me with a breakdown of charges, and description upon request.

However, based on the previous thread, unless you want to "start something" - you may just want to smile and pay the bill. It does not sound outrageous to me.

My F&F bill from last year (Jan 2004) was $1218:

Breakout Services - $55
Carriers Certificate & Release - $25
Customs Entry Service Fee - $200
Special Messenger Service - $20
Reforwarding Service - $25

Freight Charge Ocean/Air - $739
Inland Freight - $153

I thought this was fair, well worth $325 for me to not have to take a day from work and clear customs myself. If this were much more, then I'd consider it.

Mark: Glad you are finally getting your stuff. My bill from IACS and Hunter Int'l for 300# crate from Windhoek to tannery in Calif. was $1705, so add another $200 for it to be forwarded here to my address in Idaho. It was delivered to taxidermist Aug. 1st, and is here now. Has horns, skulls, 10 capes, 3 tanned rugs, and all tanned rear skins.

My only complaint with the billing was the quotes on the Namibia end was $915 for actual shipping, and IACS went with another carrier and was then charged $1205.

GOOD NEWS MARK ! ! !

The price sounds a bit high for just skins, horns and skulls though. I paid about $1600 for an undoubtedly much larger crate from zimbabwe full of about 10 shoulder mounts. That said....there is a lion in that crate of yours. If I had a lion coming, I would smile a BIG broad grin and pay the bill!

Best,

JohnTheGreek

John,

Good to hear from you! Yep, I told the lady to put it on my card , I hate using the damn thing, and told her to send it on. But you know we could have done another bear hunt and a night out of drinking in Bosie for that kind of money Now that was a fun trip!

Mark, my bill was for $1500 and change for skulls and and 2 skins from Namibia, no full mounts, one zebra skin. Pricy, but seems to be about the going rate. Glad to hear your stuff arrived. Bob

Mark,
Hoorah!
Now after a year and a half in the salt, the quality will depend on how good a skinner you had.

I had one skinner in the Okavango, the mighty Motsoomee, whose work survived the quarantine and warehousing for 15 months. The cape buffalo and red lechwe came through fine for mounting.

I had another skinner in the Tuli Block for plains game, Abraham, about 5 feet tall and 100 pounds, ex-poacher, new trainee skinner. His work was trashed and suitable only for European mounts, and the outfitter switched my two impala for ones with slightly bigger horns.

That your lion was tanned already is a great thing. Hope you had good handling on the rest.

I know of nobody with a real beef against Coppersmith. They have to label the charges with something to make a living. Hard to put a price on the hassle factor for most of us to clear our own trophies.

Vaughan really got his nose rubbed in this one, but seems to be awake at the wheel now!

Good for you Mark...glad you got your stuff.

if my memory serves me right, my last shipment had mounted stuff in it something like 12 or 15 items including a lifesize croc. I had it put on ship just because air was 9000 and ship was 3200. it took about a month to get here, the crates filled about 1/4 of a semi. everything came thru just fine. arnie at westgate handled the broker stuff and I believe he charged me something like 5-600 for his work. As a general rule I've found him quite capable and lots cheaper than coppersmith

Hey Mark,

Wish I was going to be in the country for Bear this year (although I cant say that I miss driving your sorry ass to the airport after only two hours of alcohol impaired sleep ) As a newcomer at my job, I got roped into working summer semester and won't be home until the first week of July. Got a deposit down for a fun hunt in Jan of '06 though. My addiction to Bison rages on!

Best,

JohnTheGreek

Well, one of us was still drunk Because the way I remember it I drove to the airport the next morning while you moaned about being sick. Either way is was a hell of a good time. Lets do it again, soon.


BTW I upgraded the Muskox to include Caribou. So where you going?

You must be right....my memory of that morning (or the whole day for that matter) isn't so great.
The caribou/Musk Ox combo sounds great! Any Arctic Fox or Hare to be had in the area? I booked with Tim Mervyn again for another Wood Bison bull. This time I will either be taking my 50 cal. Hawken or a truly big bore muzzleloader that I am considering.

Best,

JohnTheGreek

Mark,

I saved $500.00 by driving to Atlanta from NC (5 hrs.) to pick up my trophies from Coppersmith. It ain't hard to find and I have more time than money.

Bull1