My shipments are

crate 1 from RSA
blesbuck shoulder
bushbuck lifesize
shipping from SA-jonas bros, colorado


crate 2 from Moz.
Impala
Kudu
Buffalo
hippo full shoulder
shipping from Mozambique-jonas bros, colorado
so far I have a $2700 airfrieght bill and there telling me I will have pack and dip fee as well any ideas how much this will be? then will there be any more fees when it gets to JNB?

Does anyone have a rough estimate or experience with shippments that are similar in size and weight and from a recent trip that could give me a close idea what to expect?

Since they are coming from separate countries, I will assume we are talking about two crates. The crates are weighed, but the real issue, as I understand it, is volume. As a result, all of my shipments, from a few skins and horns to twenty or more skins and horns always cost about $1500 to $2000 to Atlanta and another $300 to $500 inside the USA.

I received a bill from Zim the other day and it was $1850 from HRE to ATL.

Of course, you will have charges for the services of a clearing agent if you use one.

Bottom line, I would budget $5000 to get two crates across the pond, cleared, and shipped to Jonas Bros.

I'd agree with Will's estimate; it's getting very expensive. It makes you want to not bring anything home, just hunt, shoot, take a few nice pics, & go back next year - forget the trophies.

Just the shipping for my zebra rug, a steenbok shoulder mount, Kudu, Gemsbok and Springbok Euro mounts and a Wartie snout and tusks on a plaque (49 Lbs) from Windhoek to San Francisco was $480.

getting my Buff skull and two hide halves from Harare to my front door ran just over two-grand.
The taxidermy bill will be about fifteen-hundred more. I may just shoot and take pictures next trip.

Rich
DRSS

Just sent payment to Fauna & Flora in NY. Shipping cost for one crate Bulawayo to MI (tannery) over $2,700! Two of us combined trophies:
2-Leopard w/skulls
3-Warthog: 2 shoulder capes, 3 skulls
2-Baboon skulls
2-Genet w/skulls
1-Wild Cat w/skull
1-Duiker w/skull
1-Bushbuck w/skull
2-Impala w/skulls
2-Klipspringers l/s w/skulls
Shipping via ocean to NY was $1,160.00
Insurance was over $450 and charged when it arrived in port/NY (BS on that one). The rest was fees and ground shipping to MI. It's getting out of control and probably no end it sight. It's not like we get our trophies in 30-60 days either. 13 months on this shipment and it was at the shipper within 3 months.
LDK

from Moz., it will probably have to go to RSA first then on to US. the infrastructure in Moz to ship direct to the US as i understand it is poor to non-existent. in JAN i paid $800 total for dipping, packing, shipping, and export permits to get a 14 ft. croc hide and skull, sable cape and skull, bushpig cape and skull, and full mount skins and skulls of a red duiker and suni to Joburg. it was then a total of $1400 more to ship to the tannery in Texas via Houston( this included the customs clearance fee). the items were at the tannery 6-7 months after i shot them.

I concur with JDOLLAR. I paid my PH $385 for transport to nearest town by truck, initially invoiced for $1400 for dip, pack, docs..but negoitated down to $750 (for one croc 14'1"skin and skull, hippo teeth and one foot, one bushbuck skull horns and skin) I had to leave second croc as it would have consumed a second crate...and yes you are charged on weight and volume...so the second croc would have doubled the air freight. The Air from Mozi-JNB-Seattle was only $600 of the total $1450 charged by the Forwarder, Worldwide Logistics in Joberg...more docs, fumigation, fees galore...no amount of negotiating or threatening would help...even suggesting abandonment of trophies...I was serious too!! You will also pay $4-500 for customs clearance by a forwarder/importer once at your airport of entrance...you can do that yourself for $30 ( yes a new fee) or $90 (included in the $4-500) if your Forwarder does it...in all the cost from camp to home was 2/3's the cost of the 10 day safari...that's where we are going today with all of the middle-men hangars on!! If only our PH's would dip and pack and doc and take the trophies to the airport-Airline (not via taxidermist-Forwarder-Airline, they all get paid) like the good old days...we would all be happy...and YES, I do believe that if you use a booking agent, they are responsible to you to guide, direct and negotiate and follow for you until trophies are in your hands!!
We could all assist in changing this by directly asking PH's, before booking, to do all of the work, hands on...or we will chose another who will!! Some of the better ones still do, too!!

If you contact Lifeform Taxidermy at www.lifeformtaxidermy.com they should be able to give you a quote for whatever you need whether it's just dip, pack and ship or full taxidermy and ship.

because of the escalating shipping charges, i will probably only keep the tusks from the hippo/croc hunt i leave for in Moz in one week. i certainly don't need another 14 foot croc rug and the available plains game is all stuff i already have on the wall. pictures, pictures, pictures!!! the packers, dippers,shippers, customs folks are rapidly pricing themselves out of a job. why should it cost as much to clear an item through customs( i have done it myself for a CITES animal at SFO-took about an hour) as it does to ship it 7000 miles???

I just received a shipment from Moz through SA, via Worldwide Logistics, that ran $3800 and change. The original quoted price was $800-$1200. I was probably a fool to believe that, anyway. But I won't be fooled twice. There was also the obligatory $500 brokerage fee through Coppersmith at DFW.

My shipment included a croc skin, buff shoulder mount,waterbuck shoulder, bushbuck,sable, and reedbuck shoulders. Was also SUPPOSED to include backskins from the above, but they happened to be no-shows. We'll see if they are ever replaced.

man, you got screwed bigtime!!. Worldwide logistics also handled mine(see above post) and took care of the customs clearance for the fee stated above. they also took care of the forward shipping to the tannery from Houston. total cost-$1800 plus the original $800 from hunting camp to RSA. my suggestion-forget Coppersmith if their service adds $1200 to the cost. my shipment was at the tannery 8 months after harvest. i seriously doubt Coppersmith could have done it any faster.

Aggie-I think the big difference in the WL pricing is skins and horns vs mounts...again, you pay BIGTIME for the Cubic measuremant and much higher air rate for mounts because of value!! Regardless of what African taxidermists tell you...yes, it is cheaper for them to do it over there...but by the time yu get it home...you're screwed...much more expensive and I have friends from same Mozi camp in 07 that DON'T have their mounts from South Africa YET!!
By the Way, the "taxidermist" doing the dip/pack/doc in Miombo, Mozi is none other than James Wessels who sold Taxidermy enterprises in Bulawayo. Now his finger is into Mozi as Trophy Exports...the one that tried to charge me $1450 for 4 animals...
It is VERY important when hunting Mozi to make sure your Outfitter has a REASONABLE way to get trophies out...mine stated $500 for Dip/pack/doc out of Mozi on his price sheet...then he changed to "simplify" the process...or better speed it up, it was taking him 6 months previously....FRANKLY, I would rather wait that pay 3X what his fee schedule promised...then the Forwarders take over...on and on...+$385 to get it to the agent!!
This is definately something to check on with references BEFORE you commit!!...that is if you want your trophies...

Trophy Exports are the folks that handled mine- 5 animals including a large croc hide with skull. $800 absolute total from camp to Worldwide logistics terminal in Joburg. Johan at Bahati Adventures has a seamless process all worked out in advance with them.

$800 still seems HIGH to me for putting 5 prepared/salted hides and horns into pre-made cardboard boxes, spraying fumigant and docs!!
Well, maybe my pounding on them in 08 helped getting the prices down by 50%,,,there was quite a bit of feedback from others once I let the cat out of the bag!!

I've got a bill sitting on my desk for $2,117.26 sitting on my desk from Fauna and Flora as we speak. This was for 7 raw trophies.

When I asked coppersmith and flora and fauna for price quotes they both refered me to their websites. Maria Felix at Hunter International gave me a price quote and seemed very helpful. Her prices were lower and since I used the other two in the past I am using her this year.

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY:
$800 still seems HIGH to me for putting 5 prepared/salted hides and horns into pre-made cardboard boxes, spraying fumigant and docs!!
Well, maybe my pounding on them in 08 helped getting the prices down by 50%,,,there was quite a bit of feedback from others once I let the cat out of the bag!!

the $800 also inclded the shipping from Moz to RSA. as well as the import permit fees into RSA.- in other words,$800 from hunting camp onto the plane in Joburg

NO SIR- I paid PH $385 from hunting camp to Miombo for crated/salted hides, horns, teeth, ttc.., $800 dip/pack/doc and transport to airport, The bill from WorldWide Logistics in JNB at $1450 included the air from Mozi to Jnb only about $100, and $600 for air to Seattle from JNB...the rest was fees, fees, fees, and more fees...including another fumigation..then there would have been $500 at SEA for clearance but I did it myself...

I just got a invoice for $2695.00 for airfreight only to the USA for these trophies. Mochaba developments is handling the paper work. they also say i will get a invoice for pack and dip and currier service to maputo then to RSA to ship to the US

the crate weighs 225k 331k vol/weight

impala skull and cape
kudu skull and cape
buffalo skull, cape, and backskin? suppose to be just the scrotum
hippo skull and cape

does $2695.00 + pack and dip? seem high or normal these days? I will still have $750 in fees just to get the crate cleared with customs/usfg/jonas bros receiving fee

any comments on fees and prior experiences would be appreciated.

My crate, made of cardboard with little wood backing on the bottom weighed in at 60KG, I don't remember the cube...so that is $10/kg for air from JNB to Seattle, WA. I can easily remember when it was $2.75/KG only a few years ago...I guess you can say it is in line...at least with mine but is clearly a rip.
If I were you, I would insist that the pack and dip people in Maputo take out the back skin and reduce the size of box...this will reduce the shipment by probably 100KG!! If it is already in JNB...they are going to get you for a big bill too, note mine of about $700 in addition to airfreight...all fees for three animals: Hippo teeth only and foot, Croc full skin and skull and bushbuck skull horns, cape and backskin. Another rip by Worldwide Logistics and NOT Negotiable.
Your Ourfitter should have already charged you for his dip and pack unless he has someone doing it for him (Maputo??). In my case, I was charged $380 by outfitter to transport to Miombo, then Trophy Exports, now owned by James Wessels after selling his Taxidermy Enterprises in Bulawayo, tried to charge me $1450 for processing 4 animals, including a second croc. They couldn't get both crocs and other stuff in one crate and would have had to ship two...doubling the airfrieght and doc fees...I left one croc for the outfitter's lodge very unique at that, and got that price down to $700....all this was a big hassle and took 4 months to resolve before I would authorize shipment...and PREPAY the air frieght by Credit Card...very important so you don't get every tom,dick and harry freight forwarder adding fees along the route!!
You should then do your own clearance at airport of entry that you specify near your home or have your taxidermist do it...$35/90 for USF&W, customs no charge...you don't need to pay an International Forwarder/clearance agent $2-500 for this, it takes 30 minutes..then you haul it away in your truck...no transport fees. Make sure you advise your JNB Forwarding agent to put your name in as receiving party/consignee, "NO BROKERS". If you don't the docs will get conveniently handed about to various clearance agents...and you will get a big bill from them and they will never see your freight!
Hope this is helpful. Feel free to PM me if you would like to discussfurther/details.

Some of you guys that are reporting excessive fees for trophies out of Moz and long waits must be dealing with the wrong people?? We hunted Moz (3 of us) in Sept. 09 and our trophies have been ready to ship since Jan. 15. My CITES permit for the Leopard held things up until now, but things are ready to go. Shipping from Moz to RSA $293.00 USD, Shipping from RSA to Dallas $1,055 USD for a total of $1,348.00 USD. We will have an additional $200.00 if we ship trophies from Dallas to Albuquerque, or we may have an arrangement for a friend to bring them on over.

Our crate weighs 122KG and contains 2 Buff skulls and capes, 2 Sable horns and capes, 1 Leopard fullskin and skull, 2 sets of Hippo teeth, 1 croc skull and fullskin. I don't find this excessive at all, actually quite reasonable. Had it not been for the wait on my CITES permit, our trophies would have shipped 4 months after our return from the hunt.

Some PH/outfitters have all this figured out better than others I guess??

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Larry;
Different areas different people, yup!! I hunted way up in the North West part of the country where Zim, Zambia and Moze all come together...to get out yu cannot go through either adjoining country...it is 18 hours by 4WD truck to Miombo...where Trophy Exports takes on the Pckaing and Docs...this is where the "skinning" begins, then off to South Africa where they don't scalp, they rape...
It is all a scam to take advantage of deep American pockets!!...unfortunately many just pay and don't squak or negoitate and it just gets WORSE!!

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY:
...it is 18 hours by 4WD truck to Miombo...where Trophy Exports takes on the Pckaing and Docs...this is where the "skinning" begins, then off to South Africa

OK, but the outfitter is transporting all of his clients trophies at the end of the season along with any other camp supplies that will fit in the truck, right? I hope you are not getting gouged for this portion of the transport.

Yes, correct, just trophies to Trophy Exports, his "agent"...and my share was $385 for 4 trophies, Hippo teeth and foot, 2 Croc hides w skulls, and bushbuck skull/horns cape and backskin...Yes, I think this is a rip but it is a commercial supply truck that would carry store goods back...
Earlier, his full Dip/pack and doc was $500 but people were waiting 1-2 years and losing trophies and some going bad!!

If it were me I guess I would be looking for someone else to hunt and deal with? Were these expenses brought up prior to your booking the hunt or were they totally after the fact shock? Our PH/Outfitter was spot on with his estimate of all this prior to booking the hunt. Actually a little less than he had estimated which is always nice.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY:
Yes, correct, just trophies to Trophy Exports, his "agent"...and my share was $385 for 4 trophies, Hippo teeth and foot, 2 Croc hides w skulls, and bushbuck skull/horns cape and backskin...Yes, I think this is a rip but it is a commercial supply truck that would carry store goods back...
Earlier, his full Dip/pack and doc was $500 but people were waiting 1-2 years and losing trophies and some going bad!!

I think I just figured out who's getting rich from safari hunting. I knew somebody was.

Well let me throw my 2 cents in.

On my recent safari in namibia, my friend and I shot a total of 23-24 animals...have all skulls/capes except for a few full rugs on oryx, wildebeest, and a zebra...

4 oryx
1 kudu
4 blesbuck
1 zebra
1 waterbuck
3 warthogs
1 hartebeest
4 wildbeest
1 impala
1 steenbok
plus a few more,

We had shipping charges/clearing from Fauna and flora of $2600 from windhoek to Dallas. I couldn't believe it, for 2 boxes, roughly 300Kgs, and delivered on time, in exactly 6 weeks via ocean transport. Couldn't be happier!

Sable Trails has it right-who's getting rich??!!...I call them Hangers On...and they are destroying our sport by greed and intercepting shipments, adding costs that are completely unnecessary!!
My costs were Surprize After The Fact costs, not discussed by outfitter...and he acted as if it was the first time anyone was upset..."everyone was happy last year"...he even claimed to have spent $18,000 setting up the new process...to make it right! HA!!
Oryx-your costs are competitive today with Air shipments...so you got a bunch of fees thrown in too...that made up the difference from Sea Freight to Air!!
It seems that many outfitters/PH's have gotten lazy or have been sold a bill of goods by the dip and pack people (taxidermists-sorry) to handle all of thier trophies to take the load off...at a huge cost to clients...then the Freight forwarders woo the Taxidermists...who don't know the difference, get in the game...add similar fees, Airlines have kicked up their fees...mostly fuel/insurance related on all freight, then the International Clearance Brokers take over on this side...and it adds up to triple what the old freight only days used to be...
Now, Outfitters and PH's can do their own dip and pack and Documentation and deliver directly to the Airlines, just like the good old days....I have been harping on this with everyone that will listen for years...they don't understand that eventually hunters will rebell and just say NO...costs too much...or even worse, go hunting, take pictures and leave the trophies...that's a tragedy...but that what greed is doing.
Let's get together and demand that Outfitters and PH's get back to the good old days and do it themselves and take it to the airport...ie handling cradle to grave...we will all be happier!!...and have better control too!!
Over the last 10 years I have assisted many friends with trophy shipments. In Namibia I have seen "attempted" fees for dip and pack to be equal to what their local full mounts cost...Yes, for dip and pack...once called on it, they wake up and go from $200/head to $40-50...which I still think is high if the outfitter delivers nicely salted and folded hides, boiled skulls, etc...if not, shame on them, they should.
This whole issue needs lots of work by the outfitters associations and individual outfitters/PH's to make it uniform and cost effective!!
IT IS OUT OF CONTROL RIGHT NOW!!

470Eddy,
I kinda have to disagree with you concerning the pricing on shipping via ocean vs air.

2 yrs ago, I paid just under $2000 to have 1 box with 10 capes/skulls shipped via air, through cleared through coppersmith.

This year we paid a total of 2600, for 2 boxes total weight 300kgs, including all clearing and land delivery to Dallas. So it saved roughly $1400. The airfare for the boxes with no clearing was roughly $2600.

Using Fauna and Flora was great, they did exactly what they said they would and for cheap compared to Coppersmith.

Coppersmith and Flora and Fauna are the fellows on this side doing the import docs and clearance, and yes, you may pay them because they got the docs and nobody prepaid.
All I can say is that you paid too much if your outfitter didn't do his dip and pack and docs and deliver it to the airline and YOU pre-pay the airline so nobody else gets involved...that's the way it used to be...and we all should strive to get back there...we would all be happier...and have enough to eeeither mount our trophies here or go on another safari!! It all adds up unless you have a bottomless checkbook.
All these guys are in it for the buck and act real nice to you in soliciting yur business...you don't need them unless you just don't know who or wish to do it yourself...
Trust me, I have been threatened by these guys (including one Taxidermist and later the involved PH from Namibia when I suggested I would expose them)...and I'll bet I get some hate mail from this thread too...they will be lurking out there!!

I just got the pack and dip fee for $250 for the animals in mozambique so hopfully thats it 2700 + 250 I can handle that now that I am taking 470eddy's advice and recieving the shipment myself instead of letting jonas brothers recieve it and charge me $750 in fees. Keep in mind that jonas waves the fees if you have them do the taxidermy, but they wont be doing mine.

this crate contains

Hippo Skull, Teeth, and full shoulder cape
Buffalo skull, cape pedestal length, scrotum, and or backskin
kudu skull, cape pedestal length
Imapala skull, cape

about 225k 335k vol/weight

from some replies it sound like this isnt to bad for the weight

thanks for all the info

If you need help to do the import Maria Felix is the only one I trust. I have close personal friends who have been ripped by both Coppersmith and Flora and Fauna. As such I will never use them. Maria at Hunter International is also the lowest prices compared to these others. She will also give you a straight up quote with no bullshit about "check our website". I use her because it is convenient especially when doing a bunch of Cites animals. I can and have cleared my own trophies but it just isnt a productive use of my time when I can use her for such reasonable rates. Plus she is on top of things and continually sending me email updates every step of the way.

Now that I have praised Maria I have some issues with the outfitters who get a kickback from the taxidermists they send you to in Africa. They better start being carefull what they do as I have decided to start exposing all the shennanigans that go on and who all gets a piece of the action. Second dip pack rates are getting stupid and I will call it as such. There is no reason that dip pack should be more than $50.00 per animal unless it is an ele or a hippo. Then it goes to the shipping agent who will throw you a quote but not have a breakdown. Demand an invoice with a complete breakdown of the pricing and fees. Also ask about the insurance they sell. What does it cover and for how long? What is the rate? How much value is being covered and what are the specifics of the contract. Who is the insurer? I hate to say it but I dont trust insurance companies based in Africa versus wherever your homes are. Look into getting a quote from your home country and that it covers the time it is sitting in Africa, the time in transit, and the time at the taxidermist and shipping agent at home. Basicaly make sure it is covered until it is in your hot little hands and then get a rider on your homeowners or take a policy through SCI to cover your trophies. I would cover them for replacement value. That means the cost of transportation,the hunt, trophy fees,dip/pack, export permits and fees, actuall shipping back to your taxidernmist at home. Then again the rider to protect while at the taxidermist and in shipping one last time to your home.
I think we really need to push our phs to do there own dip pack and delivery for shipping service. There is no reason the current prices are as high as they are. It isnt rocket science to salt and or brine a skin as well as disinfect it. Let it dry and fold for shipping. The "taxidermist" then turns the shipment over to the shipping agent like IFN or one of the others. Point is you can eliminate one level of possible problems and probably cut your cost by a grand. Also one less step for something to go wrong.

I talked to USF&G at Denver International Airport. She told me I cant clear my own trophies in Denver because the skins are salted not tanned and have to go to a approved taxidermist even though I am picking them up from the taxidermist raw. She said I can clear the shipment at the designated port of entry like atlanta or ny and do all the paper work and mail it to them, then when it gets to Denver I just load it on my truck and go this is about a $800 savings, but I dont know how long it will take. Any one ever cleared trophies over the phone, and electronic or mail?

Also she said my hippo is CITES is there any paper work extra on a hippo or does it just need a cites from mozambique?

I have figured out what I am doing and would recommend the same to anyone in colorado. Iam haveing CONCEPT FUR DRESSERS receive the shipment there charge to receive a crate is $0 wether they tan the skins or just give you the raw skins to take home, but I have seen there facility and work and it is as good as it gets, Synthetic tan (no alum crap) so hides should last a long long time. so I will leave my skins for him to tan, and take the skulls home. Using Concept F. D. there will be a broker involved and there fees are $300+ the norm for brokers at denver international. total savings from jonas bros is $600 for two crates, still wish I could do it myself and save another $600 in broker fees

here is concept fur dressors contact info, and he uses gallegher transport intl. inc. for his broker.

Alaska Trophy Hunts
Tom shankster
master guide #148
20100 E 32nd pkwy #195
Aurora co 80011
303-307-4374

This is the best deal I found for denver but if you live near a designated port (nyc, Atl, dallas, houston ect. you would be foolish not to recieve the shipment yourself I dont care how much your time is worth, its so easy at designated ports, I conidered driving to dallas and back to do it myself but thats 1800 miles round trip and 2 crates seperate times so two trips not quite worth it but almost just to cut these broker fees out completely and fish and game fees to minimum levels. paying these fees are just feeding the sharks!

TOTAL CHARGES SO FAR

BUFF/SHOULDER
HIPPO/SHOULDER/SKULL
KUDU/SHOULDER
IMPALA/SHOULDER

520lbs 335k

$800 skinning salting and transport to maputo 8hour 2 track road, so I can kind of understand the high price

$250 pack and dip charges in maputo

$2695 Airfrieght from maputo to the US, I hope there is no forewarding fees in JNB

crate is in mozambique still awaiting paper work to ship to JNB

Arival in U.S.

$300 + for broker fees
$139 USFW non designated port fee
$56 USFW cites fee

maybe a few more fees from the airline when picked up should be under $50

I know everyones fees are different but before I left i searched this site a lot for any info at all on shipping and there just wasnt much, maybe most people just write checks and dont care but at these prices it is one of the biggest cost in the safari so hope this helps guys like me on a first time trip by myself and didnt really no anyone that had been on a similar hunt.

If iam hit with any substantial fees I will post that cost as well

quote:

Originally posted by BIJOUCREEK:
I talked to USF&G at Denver International Airport. She told me I cant clear my own trophies in Denver because the skins are salted not tanned and have to go to a approved taxidermist even though I am picking them up from the taxidermist raw. She said I can clear the shipment at the designated port of entry like atlanta or ny and do all the paper work and mail it to them, then when it gets to Denver I just load it on my truck and go this is about a $800 savings, but I dont know how long it will take. Any one ever cleared trophies over the phone, and electronic or mail?

Also she said my hippo is CITES is there any paper work extra on a hippo or does it just need a cites from mozambique?

since when is a hippo CITES? i have one in transit from Moz and this is news to me.

Hippopotamus is listed in CITES Appendix II. If hand carried as personal effects no permit is necessary but if shipped separately then a permit is required.

My shipping fees from Zimbabwe to Seattle were $1855.00 for seven trophy heads with three full body skins and one cape.

Just had two shipments come in...One from Moz. and one from RSA. I am going to get my exact figures, but I think both crates ran me a hair over $5000 total for getting them to my taxidermist.

Crate from Moz. included a Cape Buffalo hide, skull and horns. A Bushbuck hide, skull, horns and back skin. A reedbuck hide, skull and horns.

The crate from RSA included a Waterbuck hide, skull and horns. Two Blesbok hide, skull and horns. A Wildebeest backskin. A Nyala hide, skull, horns and backskin. And a Zebra hide.

If I remember correctly, both crates were around $2500 each. (including dip and pack)