I did a PG hunt this past June in Namibia. What would be a reasonable and customary amount of time to expect prior to recieving my trophies in the US? Included would be a Mountain Zebra and a warthog. Would these prolong delivery? All input is appreciated.

Strapman,

I'm not expert, but I was in Namibia in June as well and shot a Burchell's zebra and warthog along with several others and I just received a call last week that my trophies were shipping.

Not sure if this is about the usual time-frame but this depicts my experience.

Hope this helps a little.

Chris

I also hunted Namibia in May/June and I just got an email saying my stuff would ship out next week. Quicker than I expected. Including Mountain Zebra and 6 other animals.

Lots of variation here. Are these mounts or dip and pack? (mounts/tanned skins etc.. take longer than dip and pack)

Here are a couple of general observations regarding dip and pack trophies:

There are exceptions but in my experience the best you can hope for is 5 months from the hunt.

Many times 8 months is not out of the question.

If it is over a year there is most likely a screw up somewhere.

Sometimes the guys that hunt later like August/September get their stuff with a shorter wait than the guys that hunt May/June. If this is happening it would indicate that the safari operator waits until the end of the season and delivers all of the trophies to the taxidermist at once.

When you have been notified that the shipping company has your trophies and they are ready to ship (they are ready to get paid). Things start moving pretty fast then.

The Mt. Zebra and warthog should not create an additional delay.

Hang in there Strapman it has not been long enough to worry yet!

My father and I hunted Namibia in April/May. Our 8 animals including two tanned zebra hides are stateside now and should clear USF&W/Customs sometime in the next week or so according to Coppersmith.

It will depend on a number of factors. I hunted there in 2007 and it was over a year for my shipment to be ready to go. I just got back in March (same outfitter) and everything has been shipped as of this week.

hunted in the last two weeks in may....9 skulls and 10 hides......still waiting

strapman,

I've hunted Namibia twice in June and once in November. Each time my trophies were ready to ship in late January/February. I suspect some outfitters work on shipping them all at the end of the season or when things start to tail off. If they were shot above the veterinary fence and/or require quarantine, I can see where the outfitter would want to have them done all at the same time and that would likely be at the end of the season (after November). Also, if you are having any hides tanned, this would also cause a delay.

Personally, I would not begin to worry about where your trophies are until early next spring.

FWIW.........Can only relate to my experiences, but what Grafton stated is about the norm. I waited 7 1/2 months for my stuff from Zim to be shipped.

Remember there are 2 time zones, yours and Africa's..................

Don't sweat it yet, just prepare for your return!!!

Thanks guys. I feel better already. My trophies were shot the beginning of June so timing should be about normal with what you folks are saying.

I took mine to the taxidermist in Namibia in August of 2008 and it took almost a year to the day to get them.

who is doing your shipping and taxidermy?

My shipment from Namibia took about 18 mos, but that was due to clerical error at Nyati. Downpayment money was there, they just didn't match it up to my account.

I have all my taxidermy done ib Africa and experienced no delays onct they arrived in ATL and Coppersmiths handled for me. I had a friend who killed a bush pig and two others who killed wart hogs and all three got sheit and delays from US AG ....be that as it may, my Leopard, for a variety of reasons, was not ready to leave Joburg until two days prior to expiration of CITES permit, I did not allow it to be shipped....it took anti hunting FWS three months to re issue permit....luckily, I knew forarding shipper on first name basis and I was not charged for "warehousing"....by the way , she is still trying to find out where the heck my 45" Buffalo Euro mount along with 2nd Buff and skins are.....five years later.....they disapeeared in their own crate in SAA handling....thank God it was the Buff and not the Leopard or Lion crate that disappeard!
Best advice, after stuff from Zambia, TAN , ZIM and RSA, is don't wory about it...African time is not our time....six months from dead til almost two years on receiving...enjoy your pics in mean time!

quote:

Originally posted by cable68:
My shipment from Namibia took about 18 mos, but that was due to clerical error at Nyati. Downpayment money was there, they just didn't match it up to my account.

I had major problems with them and Pam. Never again.

In my 2 experiences with stuff from Namibia, expect 6-9 months.

Not to hijack, but everyone that ships from windhoek, how many here have used Reiser Taxidermy? My PH swears by them, just wondering if anyone else has had expeirence?

My daughter an I killed 12 head in August will be here Dec 13. Four Hartman zeber rugs done there.Total ship and dip and the four rugs to DFW $7100. Half a buffalo's price. Oh well paper for skins. Good trade.Reiser and Rainer did it.

quote:

Originally posted by strapman:
I did a PG hunt this past June in Namibia. What would be a reasonable and customary amount of time to expect prior to recieving my trophies in the US? Included would be a Mountain Zebra and a warthog. Would these prolong delivery? All input is appreciated.

Your thinking like an American, driven by a service culture that does not exist in Africa. Relax, they will come.

quote:

Not to hijack, but everyone that ships from windhoek, how many here have used Reiser Taxidermy? My PH swears by them, just wondering if anyone else has had expeirence?

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I can not recall having any problems with a dip and pack shipment from Reisers. There are a lot of hunters who use them.