Trophy shipping costs

I have a crate being shipped the next week or so from SBS. 6 shoulder and one full body (duiker) They have been EXTREMELY easy to work with. 52" x 39" x 51" 104 kgs --- Don't have full total yet, but yes it adds significant cost to the trip.
That’s close to what I’m having shipped in a few month how much was your quote, haha so I don’t get sticker shock
 
I have a crate being shipped the next week or so from SBS. 6 shoulder and one full body (duiker) They have been EXTREMELY easy to work with. 52" x 39" x 51" 104 kgs --- Don't have full total yet, but yes it adds significant cost to the trip.
lets see how close on the shipping cost will be, I say 1400 to Chicago
 
I have a newbie question here. You have to pay to ship your trophies and then pay an agent to get those trophies through customs? And this includes finished taxidermy?
I am not sure your question was answered clearly. There will be three separate charges for your animals, a taxidermy bill, a separate export freight bill, and an importation bill. Taxidermy bill amount will depend on how you have your mounts down, export cost will be different if you use ocean transport or fly them, and import cost can be impacted by storage fees before you have them delivered or pick them up. Hope this helps.
 
I am not sure your question was answered clearly. There will be three separate charges for your animals, a taxidermy bill, a separate export freight bill, and an importation bill. Taxidermy bill amount will depend on how you have your mounts down, export cost will be different if you use ocean transport or fly them, and import cost can be impacted by storage fees before you have them delivered or pick them up. Hope this helps.
So what does an import agent do? Make sure he's there with the correct paperwork when the trophies arrive so that he can pick them up ASAP with minimal airline storage fees?
 
So what does an import agent do? Make sure he's there with the correct paperwork when the trophies arrive so that he can pick them up ASAP with minimal airline storage fees?

Pretty much, plus depending on the agent he'll take care of everything to get the trophies to you.

My agent takes care of everything from the time that the animal hits the skinning shed until they are either sitting at my taxidermist of choice or in the case of my last safari sitting on my front door step.

As for paperwork, you would be surprised at how many operators in South Africa and Africa in general make a simple mistake on the paperwork that will throw a monkey wrench into your shipment. A qualified agent will catch this and get it taken care of to eliminate any delay.

Right now I am waiting on a crate with three shoulder mounts, one that includes a warthog. My agent has a USDA certified warehouse where it will be inspected and then shipped to me without having to go to another point here in the US to be inspected. They also wait until they have a number of crates and then work with the shipping agents to lower cost for us on the receiving end.

They cost a little bit more than others do but in my mind they do so much more.
 
Dims: 247 x 125 x 139 Scale: 293 Kg Vol: 715 kg
Dims: 247 x 126 x 131 Scale: 296 Kg Vol: 679 kg

1- Buff with pedestal
1- Eland with pedestal
1- Sable with pedestalsl
1- Waterbuck
1- Black Impala
1- Common Impala
1- Kudu
1- Black WB
1- Blue WB
1- Red hartebeest
1-Gemsbok
1- Springbok
1- Blesbok
1- Warthog
1- Zebra Flat skin

Quote on shipping:

Air $12,820.26
Sea $7,523.61

It is coming by sea... hopefully we are on the downhill side of things.
 
My im
Pretty much, plus depending on the agent he'll take care of everything to get the trophies to you.

My agent takes care of everything from the time that the animal hits the skinning shed until they are either sitting at my taxidermist of choice or in the case of my last safari sitting on my front door step.

As for paperwork, you would be surprised at how many operators in South Africa and Africa in general make a simple mistake on the paperwork that will throw a monkey wrench into your shipment. A qualified agent will catch this and get it taken care of to eliminate any delay.

Right now I am waiting on a crate with three shoulder mounts, one that includes a warthog. My agent has a USDA certified warehouse where it will be inspected and then shipped to me without having to go to another point here in the US to be inspected. They also wait until they have a number of crates and then work with the shipping agents to lower cost for us on the receiving end.

They cost a little bit more than others do but in my mind they do so much more
 
My import agent actually found a slight error in my name on the paperwork done by the taxidermist. Something that I may have thought nothing of, but potentially could have caused big issues upon arrival.
Probably saved me a bunch of money and headaches!
 
Dims: 247 x 125 x 139 Scale: 293 Kg Vol: 715 kg
Dims: 247 x 126 x 131 Scale: 296 Kg Vol: 679 kg

1- Buff with pedestal
1- Eland with pedestal
1- Sable with pedestalsl
1- Waterbuck
1- Black Impala
1- Common Impala
1- Kudu
1- Black WB
1- Blue WB
1- Red hartebeest
1-Gemsbok
1- Springbok
1- Blesbok
1- Warthog
1- Zebra Flat skin

Quote on shipping:

Air $12,820.26
Sea $7,523.61

It is coming by sea... hopefully we are on the downhill side of things.

That's a better rate than I had in March '22, or what others have posted since then. Hopefully it is indeed on the downside of things.
 
Any help or improvements to this article would be welcome. The purpose being to help first time US hunters understand issues with shipping trophies back home

 
Any help or improvements to this article would be welcome. The purpose being to help first time US hunters understand issues with shipping trophies back home

It’s a well written article, one thing you could possibly add is about USDA approved taxidermy or tannery in US for primates and swine. If a client has a dip and pack warthog skin or baboon skin it needs sent to one of these. Most taxidermies are not USDA approved but they can use a tannery that is so customs broker can send your trophies to the tannery first. I’d also personally avoid putting in specific costs because there are just too many variables by the day, especially clearing costs in US. I’d put an estimate range so no one holds you accountable.
 
Any help or improvements to this article would be welcome. The purpose being to help first time US hunters understand issues with shipping trophies back home

Nick good info there, but for anyone having to ship big 5 by Turkish Airlines landing in Chicago you have only 24 hours free storage while you wait on agriculture to clear. I am getting nailed for 4 days at 348.00 per day for a crate that has a vol of 448kg
 
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It’s a well written article, one thing you could possibly add is about USDA approved taxidermy or tannery in US for primates and swine. If a client has a dip and pack warthog skin or baboon skin it needs sent to one of these. Most taxidermies are not USDA approved but they can use a tannery that is so customs broker can send your trophies to the tannery first. I’d also personally avoid putting in specific costs because there are just too many variables by the day, especially clearing costs in US. I’d put an estimate range so no one holds you accountable.
Many thanks will insert a paragraph on Monday on that
 

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HI all, here is a Short update on our America trip, I currently in Houston and have 2 more meetings here before movings North toward Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa, and from there I will head to Colorado and Idaho,I have been met with great hospitality and friendship, and have met several new and old clients and we are going to book the rest of 2025 season quick and have several dates booked for 2026!
That's a wrap, on our first hunt of this years season.

Hunting conditions are a bit tougher in South Africa during the month of February, but can be just as rewarding if done right.
James Friedrichs wrote on Dangerous Dave's profile.
can you send some pics of the 2.5-10 zeiss. I can't click on the pics to see the details. You noted some scratches. thx.
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