I may be done with africa, at least for a while

[Green Chile]

Every time I walk into my office I run my hands across my elephant tusks. There is something very special about ivory.

100%. Mine arrived last week and are sitting in my office chair until I figure out a floor mount for them.

 

[62flint]

If your importer is no longer going through NY you might think about finding a different one who does. Flora & Fauna and Safari Specialty come to mind as ones who do

Any reason I should or should go through new york?
Lang international doesnt, But I hear of long times there also

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Any reason I should or should go through new york?
Lang international doesnt, But I hear of long times there also

You original post mentioned your importer not taking stuff through there anymore and that causing you headache making you not want to go back to Africa.

If you want to be headache free I suggest Safari Specialty Importers. Wyatt is great, he handles everything from when it finishes the D&P or Taxidermy process to it landing at your Taxidermist or House. He coordinated everything, puts it on a single invoice so you’re just wiring money one time to one person instead of a multitude of other people.

 

[dlmac]

As many have already said use Coppersmith. They took care of everything at a reasonable price.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I've done five crates/shipments and by far Baltimore was the easiest. Just had the shipper designate them as the POE. The main thing with doing this yourself is the taxidermist's paperwork and if necessary,
the correct CITES documents. The process requires a free USF&W account and log-in, Fill out the e-form and file it with USF&W for all your animals. Have your crate shipped to a POE with USF&W enforcement, like BWI or ATL My last shipment, had it shipped from RSA to BWI via ATL. I got the paperwork at the BWI cargo warehouse, went to the USF&W office on the airport for their clearance, then to customs in the airport, then back to the warehouse. Forklift guy loaded it on my pickup and I was on my way.
Is it time consuming? Yes, but I've saved enough to make another hunt.

 

[TOBY458]

I’m right there with the OP. Once I hunt my bull elephant next year, that will probably be the last thing I have shipped back. Unless I do hunt another Bull elephant in the future.
So far I’ve taken four buffalo and a bunch of PG and all I’ve ever done was get the skulls shipped back. But even that is getting very expensive. So from now on, it’s probably just going to be pictures. And I also plan to start hunting some animals in the USA that I have yet to hunt. Kind of strange that I’ve killed a boat load of African animals, but never an Elk, moose, brown bear, etc in the states. I plan to change that.

 

[375Fox]

With how often you’ve been you might think about combining D&P Shipments from multiple years. I’ve got a shipment getting ready to leave with stuff from 4 different hunts.

@62flint who’s you’re import agent? There are a bunch of them. I’ve used a couple now but have been using Wyatt with Safari Specialty Importers.

If I was hunting in the same country I’d do that and have before, but I’m not sure if I can or what the logics would be of combining shipments from multiple countries. Have you combined shipments from different countries?

 

[375Fox]

I’m right there with the OP. Once I hunt my bull elephant next year, that will probably be the last thing I have shipped back. Unless I do hunt another Bull elephant in the future.
So far I’ve taken four buffalo and a bunch of PG and all I’ve ever done was get the skulls shipped back. But even that is getting very expensive. So from now on, it’s probably just going to be pictures. And I also plan to start hunting some animals in the USA that I have yet to hunt. Kind of strange that I’ve killed a boat load of African animals, but never an Elk, moose, brown bear, etc in the states. I plan to change that.

I have not hunted nearly as much North American game as I have African or European game, partly because cost in North America is so high and you are locked into your booked dates with little opportunity to reschedule. You might consider hunting in Europe. Prices on stags and other deer are very reasonable and you can put on plane with you on way back if skulls are cleaned. The ability to reschedule during a long season is also valuable to me.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

If I was hunting in the same country I’d do that and have before, but I’m not sure if I can or what the logics would be of combining shipments from multiple countries. Have you combined shipments from different countries?

I’m working on potentially combining some stuff from Zim and RSA right now. It’s possible, you’ll incur some internal African shipping charges and likely have 2 crates coming together but for bigger shipments you sometimes already have 2+ crates. It’ll save you some clearing/customs fees on the backside.

If you’re considering it, talk with your preferred customs broker. I’d also suggest only doing it with countries in close proximity to eachother. Zim, RSA, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique are all countries I’d consider lumping into one shipment out of RSA since that’s where the cheapest rates are typically found.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Don’t leave it here.

I saw a mention of someone thinking of leaving his his rifle with his PH somewhere in Africa, keep in mind permanent import fee is $2,000.00 + $40%. A free rifle is going to cost the PH import fee + tax. As a result his free rifle is going to cost about $2,800. Of course he could he could keep it illegally. Beware.

Then saw that USA will be making.

Lon changes, bette check

 

[BGHNTR416]

I hunted Africa about 25 years ago and the litany of additional charges and increases in charges since then makes my eventual return less and less likely. I, like others, have little desire to hunt with a rifle that is not my own and then leave my trophies there. I still hope to do it, but doubt has been creeping into my thoughts...

 

[uplander01]

Coppersmiths, I've had alright luck with them, and my outfitters seem to have staff that helps stay on top of it as well which I think is important. It's all gotten stupidly expensive.

I like others am getting older, have no desire to hunt with a strange gun, (prefer to use the collection I've amassed) and can't imagine leaving trophies there. Cull hunts don't bother me but after a couple 2-3 days of that the shine would wear off and I'm not flying that far to jump out of a truck for 3 days whacking animals, unless it was for buffalo LOL.

If Comrade Kamala gets elected, I can pretty much say with certainty that importing anything from Africa will be over. They are going allow us to have guns, but the regulations, tariffs, and limitations are going to ruin it for sure. We had a pretty good run fellas, I don't have a crystal ball but I feel things are going to change......

 

[Hunt anything]

Yes importing trophies is a hassle, I’ve used Coppersmiths 3 times into Atlanta with no troubles at all and can minimize this hassle.
Your quote of $2800+ to Baltimore doesn’t seem to bad in today’s world and with a 231kg volumetric weight it seems like a pretty good sized crate.
To me going to Africa and not bringing back a few trophies wouldn’t work. In future hunts my plan is to mount any exceptional animals and euro the rest of course that will probably change when something decent hits the ground. Just my opinion of course.

 

[deewayne2003]

Coppersmiths, I've had alright luck with them, and my outfitters seem to have staff that helps stay on top of it as well which I think is important. It's all gotten stupidly expensive.

I like others am getting older, have no desire to hunt with a strange gun, (prefer to use the collection I've amassed) and can't imagine leaving trophies there. Cull hunts don't bother me but after a couple 2-3 days of that the shine would wear off and I'm not flying that far to jump out of a truck for 3 days whacking animals, unless it was for buffalo LOL.

If Comrade Kamala gets elected, I can pretty much say with certainty that importing anything from Africa will be over. They are going allow us to have guns, but the regulations, tariffs, and limitations are going to ruin it for sure. We had a pretty good run fellas, I don't have a crystal ball but I feel things are going to change......

@uplander01 You're comments about shipping costs, regulations and guns were all factors I weighed in my mind before deciding the pull the trigger and go on my first Africa hunt in July with D&Y in Zimbabwe for Tuskless...... and glad I did.

I wanted to experience what I could now, instead of waiting for "someday" that may never come.

I brought my own guns, but left the trophies there.

 

[CEO]

Its not just Africa... Trophy shipments, Cites permits, importer fees - its beyond crazy.. I am headed to Tajikistan in Dec for Marco Polo and Ibex. The cites permits are a disaster, guys are shipping trophy to a Canadian taxidermist and hoping for a cites permit into the US.. I may not even bother bringing them home - and THAT is sad!!!

I have a very nice buff and roan in Namibia - still have not decided if I will ship them when they are ready...

And once they get home - another 5k-10k plus to mount them!!

I wont stop hunting but I think the trophies are going to be in picture frames... And I'm gonna hunt more here in the US, where I can drive, bring home the meat and NO DAMN GUN PERMITS!!

Oh Man. I'd hire a cartel to smuggle it from Tajikistan over the southern border before I'd leave a Marco Polo behind.

 

[Seavas]

I've done five crates/shipments and by far Baltimore was the easiest. Just had the shipper designate them as the POE. The main thing with doing this yourself is the taxidermist's paperwork and if necessary,
the correct CITES documents. The process requires a free USF&W account and log-in, Fill out the e-form and file it with USF&W for all your animals. Have your crate shipped to a POE with USF&W enforcement, like BWI or ATL My last shipment, had it shipped from RSA to BWI via ATL. I got the paperwork at the BWI cargo warehouse, went to the USF&W office on the airport for their clearance, then to customs in the airport, then back to the warehouse. Forklift guy loaded it on my pickup and I was on my way.
Is it time consuming? Yes, but I've saved enough to make another hunt.

This 100%. I have done it twice and was surprised how easy it was. And I have not had to pay any inspection or storage fees.

When I can't import them myself or get them home at a reasonable cost, I will stop going. I can't imaging going halfway around the world on a hunt and bringing nothing back.

 

[62flint]

I’m right there with the OP. Once I hunt my bull elephant next year, that will probably be the last thing I have shipped back. Unless I do hunt another Bull elephant in the future.
So far I’ve taken four buffalo and a bunch of PG and all I’ve ever done was get the skulls shipped back. But even that is getting very expensive. So from now on, it’s probably just going to be pictures. And I also plan to start hunting some animals in the USA that I have yet to hunt. Kind of strange that I’ve killed a boat load of African animals, but never an Elk, moose, brown bear, etc in the states. I plan to change that.

Thats just it, With the cost of plane tickets, importing trophies and the desire to see some things in North america. Like a elk way back in the rockies, alaska, prong horn antelope. its a list.
Hunting here isnt getting any easier either with drawing tags and point creep. I will see africa again, just not as soon as I would like.
For now, I think I will find out what a 300gr tsx out of my 375HH will do to a 90 pound doe this fall.

 

[Green Chile]

As many have already said use Coppersmith. They took care of everything at a reasonable price.

I used Coppersmith and they found the ivory after it went missing 3 days when it hit the US port of entry. That was weird.

 

[WAB]

I used Coppersmith and they found the ivory after it went missing 3 days when it hit the US port of entry. That was weird.

They found a shipment of mine that was lost for days as well. They will definition above and beyond to protect your shipment.

 

[TwentyTwo250]

I've already told my ph that we are only shooting culls in 2025.
I'm also recommending to friends and family to consider only cull hunting.

Can you or someone else explain the cull vs trophy hunts in Africa? I may be mistaken but i thought that you could still have the opportunity to bring those home if they met the minimum. Are you only shooting femailes?