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

[JHT]

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

Yes, find a relentless ally in Africa who is unscared of raising hell on your behalf. For me, it was my PH's wife, Kim.

 

[buck wild]

Doss anyone have a list of dip and packers and shippers for around Harare Zimbabwe?

I used Andy Hunter 263 77 243 0726

I know others have used Colletts as they will pick up in Harare but are based out of Bulawayo http://collettswildlifeartistry.com/

 

[Hunt anything]

Sorry, fat fingers hit a wrong key or two. Taxidermy cost was $4180.00. Missed the $500.00 wooden pedestal for the roan.
Full body klipspringer $950.00
bushbuck $480.00
roan $850.00
springbok and blesbok $400.00 each
gemsbok $600.00
On their price sheet the prices were a little higher but we negotiated a little and everyone was happy.

 

[SCLawyer]

Friends- since this thread started, I just got my invoice back from Afropride in Harare (this is who CMS connected me with). Doesn't seem unreasonable to me...but I'm a first timer. This includes buff skull, cape, backskin, impala skull/cape/backskin, warthog skull/cape, duiker skull, klippy skull/cape, Grysbok skull/cape, and baboon skull.

 

[SCLawyer]

I have Matt Mayers at Genus Logistics handling stateside to be delivered to Michael Pepi with Jonas Bros in NY to handle taxidermy. Then shipping to SC.

 

[SCLawyer]

To be clear, that's air frieght HRE to JFK on Qatar.

 

[Huntforever]

Can someone explain all the charges minus the airfare of $1814.

Did they provide any explanation or cost breakdown on how they came up with the $1814. I wonder how much is actual the airlines cost and how much they add to it. Could someone request the invoice from Quatar to verify the amount and the weight that was charged ?

 

[JHT]

I'm getting a few questions about "US based insurance." Moderators, please feel free to move this to a new thread. Basically, I insured my crate in the event of a place crash or lost shipment. I had an estimate from a licensed, bonded and insured artist. His estimate was to rebuild the horns of my 3 animals with synthetic materials based on their scoresheets and photographs. The $15k coverage also included the cost of 3 replacement capes. The artist is the same who rebuilt the Brian Andrews whitetail after it was stolen from the hunter's Iowa home (please see below for synthetic recreation). He also fabricated the 52" cape buffalo that is attached from synthetics. Now, before you get too excited, I must warn that he is not cheap but he is absolutely the best in the world.

 

[Bill DeHaan]

Inflation has hit the US taxidermy industry. Two of us went on safari in May of 2021, collecting 14 exceptional plains game trophies. (thank you Marius and KMG Hunting Safaris) Our hides and horns were received at our US taxidermist in June of 2022. I recently received a quote from my taxidermist that I'll summarize below;

Head/Shoulder, $1100
Head/Sholder wall pedestal, $1560 - $1790
Floor Pedestal, $2400 - $2500

I originally planned to do the safari in May of 2020 - and we all know, that didn't happen. It looks like my taxidermist implemented on average a 12% increase for 2022. I think this is very understandable ..... though never welcomed.

We were very fortunate, lucky, and blessed during our 2021 safari. We are not likely to plan another in hopes of improving on any of the prior animals.

 

[tx_troubador]

Looking for some guidance. I recently went to RSA for my first hunt in January of this year. I spent the following:
- $1680 for one wildebeest shoulder mount, one impala wall pedestal mount, spirngbok euro mount, and some odds & ends hides/goods/etc w/Bullseye Taxidermy
- $1773 for shipment from RSA to Dallas (inclusive of air freight, permit & documentation, crating & packaging for export, cartage & inland transport, facility & handling fees, & liability protection) w/African Legacy Logistics
- $3622.53 for customs clearance and delivery. The itemized charges are:

• $2.22 for duties and disbursement charges
• $450 for customs clearance
• $236.8 for destination terminal charge
• $2400 for storage fees
• $533.33 for delivery charge

I don't have any complaints about the taxidermy or shipment pricing, but feel I'm 100% getting hosed on storage fees. I'm not naming the organization I've utilized since I've asked for an explanation of that charge and I haven't paid yet. Does that seem crazy high to anyone else, and do I have any avenues for disputing that? I'd be all in at $7075.53 if it holds.

 

[Hunt anything]

How long was your crate in storage? 2400 does sound outrageous. My export company didn’t charge me any storage fees when they held my crate for almost 2 months waiting for shipping prices to come down earlier this year and that saved me almost 1000.00. The only storage fee was about 200.00 from Turkish airlines in Atlanta for 2 1/2 days storage.

 

[tx_troubador]

How long was your crate in storage? 2400 does sound outrageous. My export company didn’t charge me any storage fees when they held my crate for almost 2 months waiting for shipping prices to come down earlier this year and that saved me almost 1000.00. The only storage fee was about 200.00 from Turkish airlines in Atlanta for 2 1/2 days storage.

Trophies were delivery to the shipping company on 14 July. It departed RSA on 21 Aug and arrived at DFW on 26 Aug. Looks like it was in Turkey for about 1.5 days in between. It was released from Customs on 6 September. Delivery to my house is scheduled for tomorrow, 13 September. Total time from start to finish was about 2 months.

 

[Hunt anything]

They do owe you an explanation for 2400 in storage fees, hope you get an explanation. It’s like Christmas when you open a crate even after multiple safaris. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Huntforever]

Question.

The $2400 storage fees was that incurred in SA or DFW?

Why the long hold in SA at the shippers?

 

[375Fox]

Looking for some guidance. I recently went to RSA for my first hunt in January of this year. I spent the following:
- $1680 for one wildebeest shoulder mount, one impala wall pedestal mount, spirngbok euro mount, and some odds & ends hides/goods/etc w/Bullseye Taxidermy
- $1773 for shipment from RSA to Dallas (inclusive of air freight, permit & documentation, crating & packaging for export, cartage & inland transport, facility & handling fees, & liability protection) w/African Legacy Logistics
- $3622.53 for customs clearance and delivery. The itemized charges are:

• $2.22 for duties and disbursement charges
• $450 for customs clearance
• $236.8 for destination terminal charge
• $2400 for storage fees
• $533.33 for delivery charge

I don't have any complaints about the taxidermy or shipment pricing, but feel I'm 100% getting hosed on storage fees. I'm not naming the organization I've utilized since I've asked for an explanation of that charge and I haven't paid yet. Does that seem crazy high to anyone else, and do I have any avenues for disputing that? I'd be all in at $7075.53 if it holds.

Was the customs broker you used based in Dallas? I’ve noticed some other posts using a customs broker not located in city shipment is being cleared. Could lead to additional costs over a better represented broker.

 

[tx_troubador]

Was the customs broker you used based in Dallas? I’ve noticed some other posts using a customs broker not located in city shipment is being cleared. Could lead to additional costs over a better represented broker.

I was led to believe that they were, but it seems they are actually headquartered in the midwest.

Small update: I asked for some clarity on how the $2400 was calculated, and got a pretty prompt response that stated that they'd look into that but also re-iterated I should expect delivery on Tuesday or Wednesday this week with a time to be determined based on a phone call I'd receive from the driver on the day of.

It's wednesday afternoon and i've heard nothing. I emailed them letting them know that if it wasn't delivered today, I needed to schedule it for next week as no one will be home tomorrow or friday (I wasn't consulted on the original delivery date). I was emailed back this afternoon. All that was included was another copy of the invoice and a list of payment options. No explanation for the charges. No acknowledgement of delivery concerns.

 

[Hunt anything]

Hopefully when you get your crate you can give us a heads up on all of the involved parties so to compare experiences.

 

[shootist~]

It's unlikely they will clear for delivery unless full payment(s) have been received first.
Sorry you are having such issues.

Best thing to do (IMO) is talk to your contact on the phone.

 

[tx_troubador]

Hopefully when you get your crate you can give us a heads up on all of the involved parties so to compare experiences.

I'll definitely name drop them once this is resolved.

It's unlikely they will clear for delivery unless full payment(s) have been received first.
Sorry you are having such issues.

Best thing to do (IMO) is talk to your contact on the phone.

I'd agree. I was surprised when they doubled down on the delivery date when they told me they'd look into the charges. I'd like to call them, but the only phone number shown for any of them people I've spoken to is a corporate number associated with the parent company. I'm not quite at the level of exasperation needed to brave call trees and "you are caller number 35. Please remain on the line. Your estimate remaining wait is...3 hours" yet.

 

[TucsonFX4]

It may be best to call before you get to that point so you aren’t frustrated and also so a resolution can be agreed to while both sides are happy to discuss options.