Dip and pack finally complete, shipping question

dailordasailor

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hunted with Comre last April and Spitting Image finished their work this week. Got the Dims and was suprised was in 3 crates. First time I’ve hunted africa so maybe it’s normal? It’s now with the exporters.

Any ballpark thoughts on cost I’ll be looking at? Sending info over to coppersmith Monday. Will bring into DFW

Thanks
Dale

IMG_3086.jpeg
 
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I'm waiting on my first shipment from Africa but mine's in one crate. I've never heard of getting more than one unless you've got big stuff to ship, dip and pack shouldn't be huge. I'm no expert so hopefully someone with more experience chimes in. I'm using Zingela for the over seas part and Coppersmiths in NYC for the rest.
 
Yikes! I’ve never had more than one crate, and that’s expensive enough. How many trophies you looking at?
 
hunted with Comre last April and Spitting Image finished their work this week. Got the Dims and was suprised was in 3 crates. First time I’ve hunted africa so maybe it’s normal? It’s now with the exporters.

Any ballpark thoughts on cost I’ll be looking at? Sending info over to coppersmith Monday. Will bring into DFW

Thanks
Dale
Ouch!!
 
247 x 125 x 139 cm

247 x 126 x 131 cm

Were the two I just had shipped 7800ish by sea 12800 by air.

Splitting Image did the taxidermy and Badger handle shipping. It's in Houston waiting to clear. Not sure what the final damage will be (shipped by sea).
 
I did message the broker on their side with question on the crates. I don’t like the idea on 3 crates and don’t understand it.

Had two kudu(one cull) and rest small planes games. 11 skulls. Also thought wife and I could be in same box since were married but…
 
At least they are small crates - compared to @Inline6 's 8 footers, anyway! Hopefully no big deal.
 
Any swine such as warthogs or brush pigs and primates?

My first shipment was just dip and pack that had 6 capes and horns in a box around 3 foot square and 12 inches tall
 
At least they are small crates - compared to @Inline6 's 8 footers, anyway! Hopefully no big deal.

Yeah, after this experience I know why most say take good pictures and leave them. It turned out to be more expensive than expected. First safari no regrets, will be very picky from now on.
 
My 41LX25WX38H 123lb. crate arrived a couple of days ago to my home. Exporter from SA was Rex Freight: $1700. Importer was Coppersmith in DFW: $900. Delivery charge to my home: $400. No hiccups and FANTASTIC service from both REX Freight and Coppersmith. With the shipping costs and $3400 in taxidermy done in SA, the one kudu shoulder mount and six skull mounts cost as much as my PG Safari itself. I doubt I’ll ever bring anything back again from a hunt. I could’ve bought a couple of nice rifles or went on another African hunt for the cost of the trophies. Now I’ll have to wait to do either.
 
Ouch is right! These costs will work until they don't. That means the economics of the system will adjust and average hunters be slowly pushed out thus eroding the grass roots support of the system, both political and economic, in the long run. The costs, time and hassle are the reasons I did a cull and only took pictures last time there including only using PH's rifles. Then Covid cost me a bunch of $ and a cancelled 7th trip, so yes, basic economic principles will adjust and then in turn adjust the system... but not in favor of hunters with more average budgets. I think the average for 5 trips, where I brought trophies back, one crate each, no swine, no CITES or special items including: dip, pack and transport in Africa, shipping to US, customs broker at DIA on this end and US inspection... ranged from about 900-1600 total each trip. Sixth trip, my last trip- no trophies, no rifle... no hassles, no cost.
 
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I did message the broker on their side with question on the crates. I don’t like the idea on 3 crates and don’t understand it.

Had two kudu(one cull) and rest small planes games. 11 skulls. Also thought wife and I could be in same box since were married but…
They can be in the same box now but that was not always the case. It should be fine as it is priced per cubic foot. I also do not understand why they didn't put yours in one crate but maybe I am missing something here.
The whole dip & pack/ shipping/ clearance is horribly expensive I am sorry to say. For me it seems lately that a big crate of finished taxidermy is costing around $5000 total to get home.
 
Oops forgot the most expensive of all my trips all in costs: dip and pack, transport in Africa, shipping to US, customs clearance and US inspection.. that crate total was 2750. It included buffalo and assorted kudu, waterbuck, etc, with a couple of capes. So my total costs have ranged from 900 to 2750. Taxidermy cost has been minimal because I do my own skull mounts save one kudu shoulder mount.

Bottom line effects of geometric cost increases remains- erosion of grassroots economic and political support for sport hunting system.
 
Oops forgot the most expensive of all my trips all in costs: dip and pack, transport in Africa, shipping to US, customs clearance and US inspection.. that crate total was 2750. It included buffalo and assorted kudu, waterbuck, etc, with a couple of capes. So my total costs have ranged from 900 to 2750. Taxidermy cost has been minimal because I do my own skull mounts save one kudu shoulder mount.

Bottom line effects of geometric cost increases remains- erosion of grassroots economic and political support for sport hunting system.
My recently arrived crate was from my only PG hunt and contained finish taxidermy. I don't know, but I'm thinking with the current shipping, airport, inspection fees/costs, it may be more cost effective to have the taxidermy done in SA, versus the dip/pack costs to here and then have the taxidermy done here? I know you do your own taxidermy, but most of us don't/can't do that.
 
Have two warthog skulls, one warthog skin. There’s a breaking point where it’s not “worth” bringing the animals back if cost more then the original hunt. Rather eat the 3k already spent than spend another 8k. Hoping that’s not the case though
 
The warthogs are the reason for a second crate. They usually just place it into the other crate, but it needs it's own box.

Another reason for a extra crate is that the warthogs need to go to a USDA certified receiver, either a taxidermist or tannery
 
It does get expensive for sure. I bought stuff home from all my trips but if I go again, it will be pics only.
 
The warthogs are the reason for a second crate. They usually just place it into the other crate, but it needs it's own box.

Another reason for a extra crate is that the warthogs need to go to a USDA certified receiver, either a taxidermist or tannery
Yeah, it seems like the USDA/USFW rules keep changing adding costs to the entire process. Wasn’t it not too long ago that taxidermied warthogs and primates didn’t have to go through a separate USDA receiver as opposed to a dip and pack shipment?
 
I believe that even taxidermy needed to go to a USDA shop but it was overlooked as long as it was a finished product.

Then a couple of years ago they started to require all swine to go to a USDA shop, there were a few on here that ran into that snag in 2020 and 2021. Even when I talked to two different import brokers about it they said that it was a fact that all swine needed to go to a USDA certified location, That is one reason that I chose SSI for my broker since they have a USDA certified warehouse where my warthog mount would go through before being shipped to me here in the US.

Last I that I heard they have gone back to the old system of allowing finished products to go directly to the customer.

But it is the US Government, wait for a while and all the regulations will change again
 

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