Recent shipping prices

[Hooknbullet2]

I received this quote yesterday. The shipment is originating at JNB.


The shipment comprises of 1 x wooden case with the following logistics:

Chargeable mass: 155 kg

Actual mass: 98 kg

Dimensions (in cm)

Crate	Length	Width	Height
1	143	93	70

Cost:

Estimate 104514 – Air freight, to the amount of US $ 1932.52, which terminates at Houston (IAH) Airport, which excludes clearance and delivery charges.

 

[Hunt anything]

What airline?

 

[wildfowler.250]

Did you have finished taxidermy sent back for the swine and primates?

I imagine some of the hangup comes from people having swine and primate sent to the states and not realizing unfinished swine and primates need to be sent to a USDA approved taxidermist.

And I'm sure some people use an import company that doesn't have an approved warehouse for that stuff and it gets stuck at the airport holding instead, racking up charges.

So I'd guess some people think the shipment can just go to their local taxidermist and use any importer. Then it gets here and they get held at the airport for extortion level rates and told it needs to be sent to somewhere like Wildlife Gallery to be cleared before it can go to their local taxidermist. I imagine those extra hurdles, and fees that they weren't expecting make people very upset and against warthog shipments in the future.

To be fair, when you are over there the PH and taxidermist and shipping people don't say much about how it can possibly end up with a bunch more hurdles and fees if you don't do your research.

When you say unfinished, would a euro mount count as finished? Or is it just dip and pack that causes the issues?

Hopefully will have some stuff coming back to the UK after my first trip this year. I’ve had a rough shipping quote a while back but not sure about clearance fees. I’ve heard cites can cause quite a delay and fee at the airports?

 

[davidg8480]

@Hooknbullet2​

I'm kind of curious, and I hope you don't mind. may I ask what is being shipping back for $1,900 plus in that size creat?

 

[Hooknbullet2]

@Hooknbullet2​

I'm kind of curious, and I hope you don't mind. may I ask what is being shipping back for $1,900 plus in that size creat?

It’s 7 European mounts of plans game species and all of their tanned hides.

 

[Sabre]

It’s 7 European mounts of plans game species and all of their tanned hides.

My recent crate was $2280 and had 17 skulls and horns and all hides dip and pack.

I made a more detailed post about it here:

S

Post in thread 'Recent shipping and import costs South Africa to US - January 2025'

Jan 30, 2025

What shipping company and airline?

Rex Shipping and Delta Airlines

• Sabre

• 

 

[Sabre]

When you say unfinished, would a euro mount count as finished? Or is it just dip and pack that causes the issues?

Hopefully will have some stuff coming back to the UK after my first trip this year. I’ve had a rough shipping quote a while back but not sure about clearance fees. I’ve heard cites can cause quite a delay and fee at the airports?

I can't speak to the UK rules on import. But for the US, Finished taxidermy includes a cleaned and whitened Euro mount, however it seemed they wanted to be sure it was attached to a wood plaque to signify that it was for sure finished. I wouldn't have thought the mounting to a plaque was a requirement, but the taxidermists in Africa stated it was and there was no additional charge for it anyway.

It also includes tanned hides, and mounts.

For instance, I wanted to shoulder mount a warthog back in the states, to have it considered finished for import, I had to have the hide tanned over in South Africa so that it was a tanned hide coming back so it didn't need to go to USDA facility/taxidermist.

Alternatively, I could have had the shipment sent to a USDA taxidermist/facility.

Again, that is for the US.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I received this quote yesterday. The shipment is originating at JNB.


The shipment comprises of 1 x wooden case with the following logistics:

Chargeable mass: 155 kg

Actual mass: 98 kg

Dimensions (in cm)

Crate	Length	Width	Height
1	143	93	70

Cost:

Estimate 104514 – Air freight, to the amount of US $ 1932.52, which terminates at Houston (IAH) Airport, which excludes clearance and delivery charges.

This seems pretty steep. Did you go with their freight forwarder or did you get some quotes?

I’ve got a D&P with 16 animals (skulls, horns, & skins for all) coming, not 100% sure on crate size but air freight in mid Feb was $1450. With insurance, clearance, and delivery charges it’s around $3.5k

 

[Fryeguy]

I would like to know who you guys used on the Africa side to ship stuff? I had 6 shoulder mounts, 4-euro mounts, and 3 flat skins. Crate 228x125x104cm. Weight 207kg. It was packed extremely well and they utilized every portion of that crate they could, I was very impressed! I used express trophy services. I will probably not have a shipment this large ever again. For what I paid for shipping, I could have gone on another safari for plains game! But it also had a trophy for each kid and my wife in it, so it was a must. I know the living room looks amazing now and I am glad we did it. I can think of a few more mounts I would like to get someday, but it’ll probably be 1/2 at a time, maybe even just euro mounts. I’d just rather go back more often and have the experience and photos!

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I would like to know who you guys used on the Africa side to ship stuff? I had 6 shoulder mounts, 4-euro mounts, and 3 flat skins. Crate 228x125x104cm. Weight 207kg. It was packed extremely well and they utilized every portion of that crate they could, I was very impressed! I used express trophy services. I will probably not have a shipment this large ever again. For what I paid for shipping, I could have gone on another safari for plains game! But it also had a trophy for each kid and my wife in it, so it was a must. I know the living room looks amazing now and I am glad we did it. I can think of a few more mounts I would like to get someday, but it’ll probably be 1/2 at a time, maybe even just euro mounts. I’d just rather go back more often and have the experience and photos!

You need to get multiple quotes. I’ve used a couple different African shippers. I give them the crate dimensions, weight, and contents list then ask for a quote and the airline. Some will often try to pad a bunch of extra insurance onto it, others will jack their prices up. Once you’re able to compare apples to apple on the same airline you can make an informed decision, but also play them against one another for better pricing.

There are some customs brokers who do this for you, they’re moving so many shipments they know roughly what prices should be, and also have relationships with the shippers. A shipper isn’t going to try to jack around on price with them since they know if caught it could cost them a dozen or more shipments per week that they’re currently getting. I know Safari Specialty Importers does this and has relationships with several of the shippers.