The question… At what time does it become the PH / Outfitter’s responsibility to make sure your trophies are successfully shipped to the US?
I went on a Safari to South Africa with a friend and his son in July of 08. The hunt was an SCI auction safari that was won by my friend, and it included two impalas and two warthogs. We negotiated with the outfitter to add a cape buff and nine additional plans game. With numerous emails and phone calls to both the PH and the taxidermist my trophies have not been shipped. The taxidermist was used by my PH as a shipping company (outfitter’s quote). The South African taxidermist made three attempts trying to sell there taxidermy services, we told them that we had already made arrangements with a friend here in the US. This being my first time to Africa I was in the hands of my PH.
Signed overly frustrated!

I got back from Namibia in August of 2008 and I'm still waiting for my trophies, I'm not to concerned yet.

Africa time is not the same as time elsewhere. It is much slower except when you are actually on safari.
Patience is a necessity but I would inquire about the status of the shipment regularly.

375J,

Don't give up hope. After my first (and so far only African hunt - hoping again for 2010), I had completed significant research from the collective minds at AR, had my taxidermist (who himself had hunted Africa), my PH and his taxidermist all pre-talking, Had completed paperwork and shipping papers fully completed by my taxidermist prior to departing the US for the hunt and the paperwork "in" the PH's hands (whether I was successful with that particular species or not), and I was still figuring one year before I would see them in the US. The timing was just about dead on. And then I had the taxidermy in the US.

The way I understand the process and I am sure others will correct any misconceptions is: RSA requires a 3 months quarantine after which there is the taxidermist preparation (among all of his other skins), the hides are sent off for the tanning (which was decent but it turned out would have been better in the US), then shipping prep, local customs, US customs, actual shipping time, and then as previously mentioned they do not move at the same speed as the fast paced american society does.

I am not going to necessarily say you won't have any issues in the long run, but I would suggest you don't have any at this time.

Best regards, Fred

375John,

as others have said, don't lose hope.

As this sounds like you just had them do the primary dip/pack/ship process your trophies should be ready for shipping if not now, then in the next couple of weeks. Your skins DO NOT need to be tanned in RSA, and I recommend to my clients that they be done in the US, or whatever country they live in.

It is in the PHs best interests to help speed things along for you. If you are happy, chances are you'll speak highly of him. If you're not happy, he knows that word gets around, too.

Whether it is his total responsibility is a sticky wicket. It is his responsibility to ensure the trophies are delivered to the dip/pack company and that his end of the paperwork is done. He is then at the mercy of the dip/pac company as much as you are. Squeaky wheels do get greased, and by this time he should be squeaking.

As an aside, if you do not have a shipping agent/customs broker you should think long and hard about getting one. Fauna and Flora and Coppersmith are the one's I've used.

The wait is not fun at all. Of this I know.