Obscene Trophy Shipping Costs

[375Fox]

not true. no vat on trophies hunted by international clients. wether they take trophies or not is irrelevant

I’m happy if I’m incorrect on VAT, but question why are so many outfitters still listing VAT on trophies wounded and lost? Many list trophy fees as VAT exempt if exported, some specify VAT on non-exported trophies in the search I just did. Is it a bit of a grey area or a recent change? I’ve really never considered leaving my trophies there so I haven’t asked outfitters I’ve hunted with the question.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I’m happy if I’m incorrect on VAT, but question why are so many outfitters still listing VAT on trophies wounded and lost? Many list trophy fees as VAT exempt if exported, some specify VAT on non-exported trophies in the search I just did. Is it a bit of a grey area or a recent change? I’ve really never considered leaving my trophies there so I haven’t asked outfitters I’ve hunted with the question.

Maybe to penalize those that did not do the necessary prep work at the range.

 

[375Fox]

Maybe to penalize those that did not do the necessary prep work at the range.

Maybe, but it still seems pretty common on a lot of price lists and appears related to non-export, calling it VAT when it’s a wounding penalty is really dishonest marketing to me if that’s the case. We can only guess. I’d like to hear Tally-ho’s clarification.

 

[Chago]

Thank you. I’m grateful for your input. Maybe a photo safari is within our grasp right now, and the hunting trip can be the long term goal. Either way I can dream and watch for everyone’s reports.

I meant to go hunting and take pics of your animals that you have taken. The memories will live just as long.

 

[Chago]

Maybe, but it still seems pretty common on a lot of price lists and appears related to non-export, calling it VAT when it’s a wounding penalty is really dishonest marketing to me if that’s the case. We can only guess. I’d like to hear Tally-ho’s clarification.

You are right. They should just be honest and call it SHT. Shitty hunter tax.

 

[Sika98k]

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is if you choose to leave your trophies there to avoid shipping/dip and pack/taxidermy you are going to have to pay an additional 15% VAT on each trophy fee since it’s not being exported. You might as well pay a little more and get them home rather than pay 15% to leave them there if you shot more than a few animals.

If you choose to leave your trophies there, wherever that may be, go on a meat/cull hunt and save yourself a lot of $$’s

 

[fourfive8]

Yep, I've done exactly that and had an excellent PG safari that saved enough money to allow me to plan for and offer a deposit for the next trip! I had worked out a deal with the PH and outfitter where I would commit to taking one trophy and all the rest would be cull or meat animals. I took one trophy fee animal for something like $800 extra. I took "trophy" pictures of the animals if opportunity afforded. Hunted everything the outfitter had on the list for meat/cull- zebra, wildebeest, impala, eland and any broken horned PG. I used the PH's rifles for nothing more than re-supply of ammo plus a box extra. I also hunted sand grouse, doves, guineas and francolins for the replacement cost of the shotshells. Fished during those "let's just go fishing" days for no extra cost as the PH had all the fishing equip and the outfitter loaned a boat for re-fill of gas. I didn't bring anything home. I didn't have to deal with rifles. I didn't have to deal with dip and pack or shipping or customs brokerage or taxidermy. I did a lot of hunting, fishing, sighteeing and picture taking and the only extra cost was the one $800 fee. I tipped as if on full trophy safari. Everyone seemed happy with the hunt arrangement at the end of my trip. Some outfitters/PHs will offer such opportunities and some won't. Just have to ask about the possibilities before making commitment. Kind of depends on how much they need meat and/or cull animals removed. Perfectly understandable from their viewpoint. I really don't know how the VAT thing works country to country or region to region?? Every time I've gone it seemed different and, IIRC, the VAT details are usually listed on the pre-trip estimated invoice as provided by the booking agent or the outfitter. VAT is what it is.

 

[Ike85123]

I would use the 3 months to make some calls!
By sea tales a month, but would cost you 1/5 of the shipping fees. Even alittle extra ground shipping to your house would save a considerable amount !

 

[Surgeon1]

A half mount of an Aoudad shipped from Atlanta GA to Wyoming cost me over $900! That was half the
taxidermy costs. A 72" moose from AK shoulder mount cost $1100 the same year! Weight of the moose mount was 5X the Aoudad Mt and at least 3X the volume and was in a wooden crate! The Aoudad was shipped with in a cargo trailer with too many other heads in it with little protection, most not in great shape and I had to help unload and reload the trailer as the driver was a little weak!
Moose was in a heavy wood crate shipped thru Canada common freight, then delivered via local trucking company with a lift gate truck!
Leaving for Africa June 1 and already plan dip and pack with a previously recommended company,
a friend has used several times.

 

[Spearhead]

Definitely researching this. Thanks

Yes, I feel your pain. I just received my shipment from a hunt I did in August 2019 with Pawprint and Dries Visser Safaris. First off it got locked down at the J-burg airport for 8-9 months. When it did ship my bill was right around $3,000 which seemed kind of high. After looking at past amounts though it might not have been terrible. My crate was 3 1/2' x 4' and weighed about 450 pounds. I had 12 animals, including giraffe (very heavy), cape buffalo, sable, etc.

My first trip in 2008 my crate was slightly larger but not as heavy. I had a full body Nyala and shoulder mounts of Kudu, impala and blesbuck. The shipping price on that was around $2,500. So if you compare one to the other and consider that was 12 years ago maybe not as bad as I initially thought. As a side note I would not do my taxidermy there for most of the reasons already mentioned.

In 2009 and 2011 I had small crates, maybe 2'x3' and they were about $900 both times. Eight animals. Skulls and hides.

Just to cheer you up some more wait until your shipment gets a hold placed on it and they make you ship it to a certified USDA taxidermist. You'll enjoy that. I have always cleared my own trophies and it eventually worked out but was just another irritant to deal with. Checks out my thread USDA clearing issues. Anyway, have a great day!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Maybe, but it still seems pretty common on a lot of price lists and appears related to non-export, calling it VAT when it’s a wounding penalty is really dishonest marketing to me if that’s the case. We can only guess. I’d like to hear Tally-ho’s clarification.

Don't think that you were ever answered here. Reason is simple. It's law. There are not VAT applied to trophies since they are being exported. Once an animal has been wounded, it's not being exported now, is it. Therefore, VAT is then payable on the wounded animal.