Did you go through a booking Agent, if so then I would be talking to him. He will have more clout than one client..If I had booked a client and that happened the PH and the taxidermist would be hunt'en a hole..

I would execpt a refund from the PH, You could take action but that would cost more than your loss, If he refuses to refund then you would be better off to just chalk it up to lesson learned, Use another Safari Company. I would contact the Professional Hunters Assn. for what good that might do, if any.

Sounds like he is a personal friend, so that adds complications to the exercise, so that part is entirely up to you and in reality, as usual, on the internet we only get one side of the story and don't know the terms of your contract and on and on..Hope this has been helpful. Your always better off to deal direct with your sourse as to seeking advise from others in such cases.

I have been faced with "HOSTAGE" attempts several times in last 10 years...not with Wells, but MOZI dip and pack agent, later Freight Forwarder in South Africa on same shipment. I got to the point of stating I am abandoning the trophies with BOTH, and again on shipment from South Africa on different hunt.
This seems to be a BIGGER and BIGGER problem and will eventually kill safari hunting if Outfitters and PH's don't get involved with deliveries to clients....
After threat to abandon, I received major price concessions and shipments received, one SA FF actually sent a cash refund and African carved mask as an apology/Olive Branch in the shipment!! I clear all of my own trophy shipments in US.
FYI, Richard Lendrum, publisher of African Hunting Gazette has just started up a dip and pack, shipping company...AHG Trophy Shipments.
Hang in there, be tough, threaten to abandon, they will come around....if they don't carry through and use the $4500 on your next safari!!

Cheers,

I left big Kudu, waterbuck, impala, and Eland in Zim after my 2016 hunt because I wasn't willing to pay $3000 dip pack and ship. I did this all after discussion with the PH and before anything was delivered out of camp. I think most PHs would be happy if you told them you were going to shoot 1 or more animals as opposed to spending it on shipping.

Steve,

I think you make a good point. If the hunt is really what's important why not shoot more and ship nothing? It keeps coming up how expensive safari is and not shipping trophies home plus doing no taxidermy takes a huge bite out of the total cost.

Mark