Storage fees fore CITES?

[sniper7]

Good morning forum,
Just got the bill for my friend and I. This is for 2 elephants including panels, trunks, feet, ears, so probably decent sized crates but have yet to see them.

Gallagher transport just sent us the bill and it was $8k a piece with over $7k of that for storage fees. Upon inquiry we were told that was charged by the airline.

Has anyone dealt with this and was this similar to your experience. I find it ridiculous as they haven’t been sitting for that long and the delay was on FWS.

Just hard to fathom that storage fees would be so ridiculous.

 

[375Fox]

I think the issue was your choice of broker. There have been several threads on this the last several years. You need to choose a broker that has their own bonded warehouse next time to avoid storage fees. My lord derby eland sat several weeks waiting on fish and wildlife but it didn’t cost me any storage fees because coppersmith’s has their own approved warehouse where it can wait on inspection. It was picked up from airline immediately.

 

[Manny R]

I totally AGREE. Chose your Broker wisely !!!!

 

[sniper7]

Thank you for the responses.
Who would everyone recommend for Colorado or does it really matter their location?

 

[buck wild]

Yes storage fees started with Covid and have never ceased. Some brokers have their own storage warehouses where they can get stuff housed until clearance but it continues to be a game the airlines have found to be a source of cash.

 

[375Fox]

Thank you for the responses.
Who would everyone recommend for Colorado or does it really matter their location?

The location doesn’t matter but will affect the final shipping from port of entry to your final destination. Any broker you choose I’d ask if they have a bonded warehouse for that location or you could run into this again.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Thank you for the responses.
Who would everyone recommend for Colorado or does it really matter their location?

For my one and only PG trophy shipment from RSA in 2022, I used Coppersmith in DFW. They have their own warehouse there. Then for $400 they shipped my trophies to my home in Colorado Springs.

 

[JimP]

For anything on a CITES list I would recommend Safari Specialty Importers. They have been around the block so to speak and know the ins and outs of trophy importation when it comes to those animals. They have their own bonded warehouses and will deal with the permit process both in Africa and here in the US.

Give Wyatt a call, if he doesn't answer leave a message and he'll get back to you.

I have used them twice on just plains game animals.

 

[Rare Breed]

I think the issue was your choice of broker. There have been several threads on this the last several years. You need to choose a broker that has their own bonded warehouse next time to avoid storage fees. My lord derby eland sat several weeks waiting on fish and wildlife but it didn’t cost me any storage fees because coppersmith’s has their own approved warehouse where it can wait on inspection. It was picked up from airline immediately.

Agree! This is also why I have used Coppersmith and so far on all my shipments the last three years I have avoided high storage fees

 

[sniper7]

Thanks everyone I appreciate the info. Hadn’t run into this before with other shipments from Gallagher. Will reach out to the other ones mentioned for the future shipments.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

This is a great post and I will agree find a broker or a better broker next time.

I use the ladies and D&L and they have been incredible for me over the years. I've sent two buddies to Africa that didn’t listen to my advice about a broker and both of them tried to just do it themselves have it shipped to Denver for them to drive and pick them up one in 2017 and the other in 2021 my friend that went in 2017 was to hard headed to change his ways and spent half of what the hunt cost him in storage but eventual pick them up himself. My other friend broke down called the Ladies at D&L and within a week had things squared away costing him double what it would have cost him to use them the first go round after he paid his storage fee’s. Brokers are key and points of entry I think make some difference as well.