Actual Itemized Costs of Dipping, Packing, Shipping and Mounting three Trophies from Zimbabwe 2021

[JHT]

Here are my actual, down to the penny, costs of importing the animals from my 2021 Zimbabwe safari. I'm not interested in any, "you got hosed" responses. I am merely posting in hopes it might help someone budget for their own trip. For what it is worth, my crate size was 103x66x48 centimeters with an actual weight of 50 kilograms and a charged weight of 55 kilograms and contained a bushbuck cape and skull, impala cape and skull and greater kudu cape, skull and backskin.

TCI for dip and pack: $400.00;

Maple Freight for paperwork, permits, and road shipping to Johannesburg: $539.00 (company wasn’t moving fast enough in my opinion so I replaced them with Freight Consultants);

Freight Consultants for road shipping to Harare and airfare from Harare to Doha to Chicago: $1715.50 + $25.00 bank fee + $50.00 bank wire fee;

Foray Insurance for $15,000.00 of US based insurance coverage: $290.50;

Trophy Shippers for storage fee, US Customs exam fee, customs clearance fee and delivery to Kanati Elite Taxidermy Studio: $1,470.75;

Kanati Elite for bushbuck, impala and greater kudu shoulder mounts: $3,985.00;

The only other expense I should have is final delivery from Kanati and I’m estimating that at $500.00.

Total: $8,475.75 (actual) + $500.00 (estimated) = $8,975.75

 

[Philip Glass]

So it flew Qatar freight?

 

[JHT]

So it flew Qatar freight?

Absolutely. QR1456 AND QR0725.

 

[BRICKBURN]

It's sure not cheap. Thanks for posting.

All I have to say is your next trip you have to pack more into that next crate.

 

[TucsonFX4]

Thanks for sharing. I love to understand these details and keep a mental note of them.
Can you add dates or a timeline with each of those steps?

 

[Rare Breed]

Thanks for sharing. Is there anything you would have done differently besides getting rid of Maple shipper? Would it have been less expensive if taxidermy had been done in Zim? I am going in 23. I was happy with two previous work done in SA but not been to Zim before. Again thanks so much for sharing

 

[Kelly G]

"Trophy Shippers for storage fee, US Customs exam fee, customs clearance fee and delivery to Kanati Elite Taxidermy Studio: $1,470.75;"

I also got nailed a year ago for about $1,500 storage fees from Trophy Shippers in Seattle. They said it was from Qatar Airlines. I have never been charged storage fee before on past hunts from other importers.....

You Might want to shop around.

 

[BLJC30]

Is Kinati doing the back skin or did you have it done there?

 

[Philip Glass]

Absolutely. QR1456 AND QR0725.

Good to know. thanks

 

[JHT]

Is Kanati doing the back skin or did you have it done there?

Yes, Kanati is sending the backskin to the tannery with the three capes. Tanning the backskin adds an additional $200.00 to the aforementioned total. I purposefully backed it out as well as the cost of a little replica work the studio is performing that is unrelated to the crate and/or shipping. I will answer all other questions tomorrow after reviewing my file either by posting here or by private message. Thanks.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Wowza, looks like pictures are all I’m bringing home for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the latest costs.

 

[JHT]

Wowza, looks like pictures are all I’m bringing home for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the latest costs.

It might definitely be cheaper to download an app on your phone that would enable scanning the horns and/or skulls in the field and printing on a 3d printer upon return. From there to an artist to paint and then onto the taxidermist with a replacement cape. Luckily; however, I was in a position to import my actual trophies and, when done, I believe they will mean more to me than the alternatives.

 

[IronRanger]

Thanks to the info, back in USA a week today and starting the process of getting trophys home. Using coppersmith as a broker.

Any tips to for a first timer on getting the parts back in country?

 

[Inline6]

Wowza, looks like pictures are all I’m bringing home for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the latest costs.

It's not a bad way to do it. Had we done that we could have damn never went again.

 

[Goose Cracker]

My 2021/22 SA experience was similar (rounded):
Animals: Buff, warthog, bushpig, impala, waterbuck. Hunted in May 2021, shipped in June 2022. All Europeans, completed in SA. Had the buff and waterbuck skins tanned into leather and had several items made by a local artisan. Two pairs of vellies, matching belts, a piece of luggage, and gaiters. Really talented guy, btw.

Crate was 131x92x62cm. Gross weight was 62kg, chargable weight was 125kg. Insured for $7000

• Taxidermy and tanning: ~$1650
• Leather goods: $500
• Shipping from JNB to ATL via Turkish Airlines (Trophy Logistics & Crating: ~$1900
• Clearance in ATL by Coppersmith and crate shipped to N ATL surburbs: ~$1700

All in: $5750.

I also got hit with $529 in storage fees in ATL - Coppersmith said it was the Turkish guys who charged it. I didn't pay any storage fees in 2017 or 2019.

That $5750 is 11 days x $500 daily rates!

 

[JHT]

Thanks for sharing. I love to understand these details and keep a mental note of them.
Can you add dates or a timeline with each of those steps?

Bushbuck was killed June 26, 2021. Impala and kudu were killed June 29, 2021.

TCI dip and pack invoice was dated 8/3/21 and paid 8/6;

10% deposit invoice from Kanati was received 1/5/22 and paid 1/5;

On 1/19, I received word from TCI that crate was packed and handed over to Maple Freight;

Maple Freight invoice was dated 1/20 and paid 1/24;

Received confirmation file had been transferred to Freight Consultants on 4/20;

Freight Consultants invoice was received on 4/26 and paid on 5/3; however, my local bank sent the wire to the wrong country;

Discovered error and bank refunded money on 6/9;

Wire resent to Freight Consultants on 6/10;

Crate trucked from Bulawayo to Harare on 6/23 and by air from Harare on 6/24;

Crate lands in Chicago 6/26;

Phone call from Qatar that my crate was available for inspection 6/27;

Foray Insurance invoice was dated 6/30 and paid 7/5;

Trophy Shippers invoice was dated 7/7 and paid 7/7;

Crate picked up and road shipped from Chicago to Kanati 7/7;

Crate arrived undamaged at Kanati 7/21;

Final delivery of completed trophies from Kanati TBD.

 

[SCLawyer]

Thanks for posting this. My trophies from Sept are still in Harare. This info is very helpful for my budget. Don't listen to the bullshit. You'll have those horns the rest of your life. Worth every penny.

 

[Hunt anything]

My 2021/22 SA experience was similar (rounded):
Animals: Buff, warthog, bushpig, impala, waterbuck. Hunted in May 2021, shipped in June 2022. All Europeans, completed in SA. Had the buff and waterbuck skins tanned into leather and had several items made by a local artisan. Two pairs of vellies, matching belts, a piece of luggage, and gaiters. Really talented guy, btw.

Crate was 131x92x62cm. Gross weight was 62kg, chargable weight was 125kg. Insured for $7000

• Taxidermy and tanning: ~$1650
• Leather goods: $500
• Shipping from JNB to ATL via Turkish Airlines (Trophy Logistics & Crating: ~$1900
• Clearance in ATL by Coppersmith and crate shipped to N ATL surburbs: ~$1700

All in: $5750.

I also got hit with $529 in storage fees in ATL - Coppersmith said it was the Turkish guys who charged it. I didn't pay any storage fees in 2017 or 2019.

That $5750 is 11 days x $500 daily rates!

The 1700 charged by coppersmiths, was that including the storage fees by Turkish airlines? Or has coppersmiths raised their rates that much. I have a crate in Atlanta now waiting on clearance. Had no storage fees on a crate from Turkish airlines last year in Atlanta.

 

[Goose Cracker]

The 1700 charged by coppersmiths, was that including the storage fees by Turkish airlines? Or has coppersmiths raised their rates that much. I have a crate in Atlanta now waiting on clearance. Had no storage fees on a crate from Turkish airlines last year in Atlanta.

That $1700 for Coppersmiths *included* the $529 Turkish storage fee.

 

[Hunt anything]

Did they break it down on a per day rate on the storage fees?