Shipping Costs to PA

[Tmillz77]

New to the page here came across it while trying to do some research for my upcoming shipping costs. I hunted in SA last year and just got notification from the outfitter that my taxidermy is complete just waiting for the shoulder mount of my giraffe to dry a little more before crating. I just have a few questions with this being my first time hunting there and shipping anything. I was wondering if anyone knew if shipping by sea was still shut down or not. Also was curious if anyone here who lives in PA ever had anything come back via air or sea and what costs you incurred. I’m not sure whether to expect a $2k or $7k shipping bill. Any experience or input would be nice! Thank you!
My mounts coming back are
1 Girafee shoulder mount and back skin
1 Sable shoulder mount and back skin
1 zebra shoulder mount and back skin
1 blesbok shoulder mount and back skin
1 red hartabeest shoulder mount and back skin
1 golden wildebeest shoulder mount and back skin
1 wildebeest skull mount
2 impala skull mounts

 

[Trophyhunter01]

That will be a big crate. I just got an estimate on my shipping but just that at this point. For boil, dip, clean crate and paper work right at $1000 for six animals. Then freight and clearing in Houston so +++, the pain does not stop for a while. Rates have seemed to stabilize since Covid and more flights are in the air. Would be an interesting comparison on what you paid total for taxidermy and fright to just hides a skulls and taxidermy done in the US for the current market.

 

[Tmillz77]

That will be a big crate. I just got an estimate on my shipping but just that at this point. For boil, dip, clean crate and paper work right at $1000 for six animals. Then freight and clearing in Houston so +++, the pain does not stop for a while. Rates have seemed to stabilize since Covid and more flights are in the air. Would be an interesting comparison on what you paid total for taxidermy and fright to just hides a skulls and taxidermy done in the US for the current market.

Yeah I’ve heard the prices have stabilized some, just really curious the difference between air and sea and if sea is currently even an option. Even with shipping the completed mounts I believe I’ll save money having the taxidermy done there. I got really fair pricing on my taxidermy in SA, for example in my current area my giraffe shoulder mount cost about $150 more there than a whitetail deer cost here in PA.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

I just paid 1200.00 for one gemsbuck should mount, 3 euro mount and i jackal hide. Joburg to Chicago last month plus clearing of 800.00 including Coppersmiths. next shipment estimate from Port Elizabeth to Chicago will be shoulder mounts of sable, zebra, kudu 2 warthog skulls and a cape buff euro mount (no shields) estimated cost thru Turkish Airways will be 2200.00 plus Coppersmiths and clearing and hopefully no storage with Turkish Airways. I did read to check Israeli Airlines for shipping so will be doing that.

 

[Tmillz77]

I just paid 1200.00 for one gemsbuck should mount, 3 euro mount and i jackal hide. Joburg to Chicago last month plus clearing of 800.00 including Coppersmiths. next shipment estimate from Port Elizabeth to Chicago will be shoulder mounts of sable, zebra, kudu 2 warthog skulls and a cape buff euro mount (no shields) estimated cost thru Turkish Airways will be 2200.00 plus Coppersmiths and clearing and hopefully no storage with Turkish Airways. I did read to check Israeli Airlines for shipping so will be doing that.

That’s good to know thank you! I’m hoping it won’t be too hateful since I could pick up at Baltimore harbor and airport depending if it comes via sea or air

 

[Inline6]

New to the page here came across it while trying to do some research for my upcoming shipping costs. I hunted in SA last year and just got notification from the outfitter that my taxidermy is complete just waiting for the shoulder mount of my giraffe to dry a little more before crating. I just have a few questions with this being my first time hunting there and shipping anything. I was wondering if anyone knew if shipping by sea was still shut down or not. Also was curious if anyone here who lives in PA ever had anything come back via air or sea and what costs you incurred. I’m not sure whether to expect a $2k or $7k shipping bill. Any experience or input would be nice! Thank you!
My mounts coming back are
1 Girafee shoulder mount and back skin
1 Sable shoulder mount and back skin
1 zebra shoulder mount and back skin
1 blesbok shoulder mount and back skin
1 red hartabeest shoulder mount and back skin
1 golden wildebeest shoulder mount and back skin
1 wildebeest skull mount
2 impala skull mounts

Not PA, I have 2 crates being shipped by sea right now. 15 animals and 3 pedestals. They are roughly 8'×4'x4.5' they were 1300kg each and the cost was 7525 by sea 12830 by air. I'm not sure what the ride to the house is going to cost or if it will be better for me to pick them up myself.

 

[Tmillz77]

Not PA, I have 2 crates being shipped by sea right now. 15 animals and 3 pedestals. They are roughly 8'×4'x4.5' they were 1300kg each and the cost was 7525 by sea 12830 by air. I'm not sure what the ride to the house is going to cost or if it will be better for me to pick them up myself.

Was the cost for each of them or total cost for both crates? And also what shipper did you use? Thanks for the info!

 

[Inline6]

Was the cost for each of them or total cost for both crates? And also what shipper did you use? Thanks for the info!

That was a combined cost, Badger Cargo is the shipper

 

[Tmillz77]

That was a combined cost, Badger Cargo is the shipper

Ok thank you! I’m hopeful all mine will be one crate and pick up should be fairly easy having relatively quick access to Baltimore

 

[Inline6]

Ok thank you! I’m hopeful all mine will be one crate and pick up should be fairly easy having relatively quick access to Baltimore

Mine are heading to Houston. It about 3.5 hour drive for me one way. It just depends on what is going on at the time.

 

[Tmillz77]

Mine are heading to Houston. It about 3.5 hour drive for me one way. It just depends on what is going on at the time.

Well best of luck to you! Hopefully everything goes smooth for you and they come back in great shape! I appreciate your information!

 

[Inline6]

Well best of luck to you! Hopefully everything goes smooth for you and they come back in great shape! I appreciate your information!

Not a problem, they are scheduled to arrive the 20th of this month.

 

[Arctic97]

Attached is an estimate I had worked up last month into Chicago from a shop in Polokwane, Limpopo, RSA. It is a pretty good size crate as you will see, but not Giraffe size... Hope it helps.

 

[Tmillz77]

Not a problem, they are scheduled to arrive the 20th of this month.

Awesome!

Attached is an estimate I had worked up last month into Chicago from a shop in Polokwane, Limpopo, RSA. It is a pretty good size crate as you will see, but not Giraffe size... Hope it helps.

that is great thank you! Seeing the breakdown as you showed is helpful thank you so much!

 

[Arctic97]

Awesome!

that is great thank you! Seeing the breakdown as you showed is helpful thank you so much!

You are welcome. I agree that seeing it broke down helps. I can also tell you I asked this same shipper for a quote to Seattle, as I am in Idaho, and the quote was the same. Not sure what port of entry you are going to try and use, but I can tell you that Coppersmith also gave me a quote of about $1150 to clear it in Chicago and they will just turn it around and ship it to you at you home. They will get you an estimate on that shipping also. Give Laura Durgan a call there at Coppersmith in Chicago. She is great to work with, and has been in the busy a long time. If there is another city that works better for you, she will help set you up with their office there. Good luck.

 

[Tmillz77]

You are welcome. I agree that seeing it broke down helps. I can also tell you I asked this same shipper for a quote to Seattle, as I am in Idaho, and the quote was the same. Not sure what port of entry you are going to try and use, but I can tell you that Coppersmith also gave me a quote of about $1150 to clear it in Chicago and they will just turn it around and ship it to you at you home. They will get you an estimate on that shipping also. Give Laura Durgan a call there at Coppersmith in Chicago. She is great to work with, and has been in the busy a long time. If there is another city that works better for you, she will help set you up with their office there. Good luck.

Thank you so much! I appreciate the information and you taking the time! I’m not sure if it’s going to come via sea or air yet as i haven’t seen a cost between the two yet to decide. But I live in southern PA so I’m assuming Baltimore will probably be my best bet, if so it’ll work out nice as that’s only an hour and a half drive each way for me

 

[cknwax]

Ocean freight is open. I have a shipment on the water right now. Should be in Houston next week.

 

[Tmillz77]

Ocean freight is open. I have a shipment on the water right now. Should be in Houston next week.

That’s good to know thanks! Last I heard was near end of year last year it was shut down. Did you get a quote for sea and air and if so what was the difference if you don’t mind me asking

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I am always a bit amused when someone asks about sea vs air shipping. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but have discussed the topic with various freight forwarders and shipping agents. Some large Africa based taxidermists can and do combine multiple clients crates into a container (20 ft or 40 ft shipping container) and sea ship. Likewise, some large US based operation do the same. For an individual to attempt sea shipping, it's a bit impractical. Total shipping costs increase every time a crate is handled. Load it on a truck, move it from point A to B, you incur shipping and handling cost. If your trophies are in Joburg, it's a long truck ride to Cape Town. The port in RSA and the US might be fairly limited too. Cape Town to Houston, Jacksonville, New York, Baltimore and Philly are listed routes.

My moose antlers and cape were sea shipped from Alaska to Seattle. The freight forwarder/taxidermist in Anchorage consolidates all the shipments into one container and it goes on a barge. From what I gather, there are lots of empty containers on the Anchorage to Seattle route. Once the container was unloaded in Seattle, it was trucked to Montana. There the individual shipments were crated and shipped. Plywood and labor being lower cost in MT vs AK.

Shipping by air, your crate or crates are separate and not consolidated with others. In fact, my last shipment from RSA flew into ATL and then was trucked to IAH, where I picked it up. I was told this was dictated by the size of the crate and the size of the cargo door on the plane.

 

[rookhawk]

New to the page here came across it while trying to do some research for my upcoming shipping costs. I hunted in SA last year and just got notification from the outfitter that my taxidermy is complete just waiting for the shoulder mount of my giraffe to dry a little more before crating. I just have a few questions with this being my first time hunting there and shipping anything. I was wondering if anyone knew if shipping by sea was still shut down or not. Also was curious if anyone here who lives in PA ever had anything come back via air or sea and what costs you incurred. I’m not sure whether to expect a $2k or $7k shipping bill. Any experience or input would be nice! Thank you!
My mounts coming back are
1 Girafee shoulder mount and back skin
1 Sable shoulder mount and back skin
1 zebra shoulder mount and back skin
1 blesbok shoulder mount and back skin
1 red hartabeest shoulder mount and back skin
1 golden wildebeest shoulder mount and back skin
1 wildebeest skull mount
2 impala skull mounts

I think your $7k is short. Since Covid freight has doubled, then tripled. The amount of carriers that will take trophies has greatly reduced creating little competition.

I think ten years ago when I did something similar, minus the giraffe, I was paying about $6000 for customs broker/freight forwarder/international shipper/storage/fees. I think its a lot lot more than that now.