this sucks

[Hyde Hunter]

What airport?

Chicago

Coppersmith at DFW moved my crate from the Turkish Airlines warehouse to their own warehouse within 24 hours. I only got hit for 1 day of airline storage.

Which port is your crate coming into?

Chicago

 

[Hyde Hunter]

Do you have any swine or birds in the crate?

no birds or primate just 2 finished euro mount warthogs, she said that was no issue

 

[Doug3006]

I spoke with Laura at Coppersmith last week about my shipment of finished taxidermy coming from South Africa. Mine will also clear customs in Chicago. She said the bush pig was no issue, since it was already finished taxidermy. She did warn me to avoid having the shipment arrive in Chicago on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The fish and wildlife guys only work Monday through Friday so there would be storage fees associated with a weekend stay. Once I get my stuff I’ll update this post with my experience.

 

[Hunt anything]

@Doug3006 , are these the animals from your night hunting last year? I would love to see them!

 

[Doug3006]

The

@Doug3006 , are these the animals from your night hunting last year? I would love to see them!

The only animal I hunted at night was the bush pig.

 

[Doug3006]

Picture didn't seem to post. I’ll try it from home later.

 

[jpr9954]

I attended the seminar at the SCI Convention with representatives from the USDA, CBP, and USFWS. I could feel my blood pressure rising as every minute went by. The vet from the USDA was OK but the rest....

I remember one rep from USFWS discussing importation of something that was on the CITES list. He said something to the effect that the biologist working on clearing it had been promoted so the process was going to have to start all over even though they had the promoted biologist's notes.

Shakespeare was wrong when he said, “The first thing we do is, let’s kill all the lawyers" in Henry VI, Part II. I think he really meant the bureaucrats.

 

[D.M.V]

It's called highway robbery

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I spoke with Laura at Coppersmith last week about my shipment of finished taxidermy coming from South Africa. Mine will also clear customs in Chicago. She said the bush pig was no issue, since it was already finished taxidermy. She did warn me to avoid having the shipment arrive in Chicago on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The fish and wildlife guys only work Monday through Friday so there would be storage fees associated with a weekend stay. Once I get my stuff I’ll update this post with my experience.

My experience up here is Thursday is also not a good day for shipment to arrive. The warehouse jerks at Swiss Air (which also handle Turkish Airlines shipments) just made sure my crate was lost for a day to ensure it would be held over the weekend. Police the shipper on Africa end to ensure your shipment leaves there on Friday or Saturday. That way it should arrive on this side of the pond early enough in the week to avoid being held over the weekend. This shipper/broker/inspection racket has turned into a ridiculous nightmare. It's gotta be hurting the outfitter business over there.

 

[JimP]

This is one point that you need to take up with your importer.

I have used SSI, they have their own warehouses in New York where your shipment will be brought into. They don't charge for storage since it is included in their fee. You pay a little more for what they do but a single day of storage where you have to pay makes up for it.

They are also a USDA certified to accept your shipments rather than having to go to a different USDA certified shop.

 

[Cam300]

You are right, that does suck. No indication why yours was flagged for inspection? I just had a crate arrive a couple of weeks ago and had no issue…

 

[Mountaineer]

How is the shipping cost? I’m hearing it’s a bit of a roller coaster.

 

[TXhunter65]

How is the shipping cost? I’m hearing it’s a bit of a roller coaster.

I had 14 european mounts shipping was $1300
Buddy had 5 shoulder mounts and 6 euros and a rug was $2400
Other buddy has 10 shoulder mounts and 2 euros his is $5500

 

[Sideshow]

I hear ya, I'd never had any issues at all until this year. Everything has always been very easy and way cheaper than hiring a broker to import. This year there was a new supervisor at CBP and he tried numerous times to tell me it was federal law I was required to hire a broker on shipments valued over $2,500. I insisted he was wrong and demanded he show me where the law stated that and after arguing for 30 minutes, he told me he was going to do me a favor this one time and allow me import my own shipment but he did not want to see me in CBP again. Unfortunately for him, he will be seeing me shortly and I am much more educated than I was in January, and I will be talking to his supervisors when I go back to act as my friends agent to clear their shipments in the next few weeks.

Sounds like you need a large top pocket with your phones camera facing forward

 

[Rem280]

Yeah, it's a racket. The witches running the desk at Swiss Air warehouse in Toronto's Pearson were a piece of work! My hat's off to the young lad working the late shift who finally got my stuff moved through health dept inspections. Then it was customs refusing to give the stamped documents to truck driver to take over to warehouse. Of course the beasts at warehouse claimed they had to have original docs. Finally got my MP's office involved and the docs were emailed to warehouse and stuff released to truck driver. The brokers are obviously in on the scam too. One of the truck drivers waiting for service at the warehouse told me how it works ... or rather purposely doesn't work.

Toronto"s Pearson airport is just horrible. Worst airport I have been in. Sorry you had to deal with them.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

How is the shipping cost? I’m hearing it’s a bit of a roller coaster.

3 shoulder mounts 3 euro 1 back skin 3100.00

 

[davidg8480]

My shipment came in January through jfk.
I used ssi as an agent. I'm not sure why but it took nearly 6 weeks for final clearance.
But SSI honored the original quote. They're a little higher to start but had no problems.

Sorry I'm not up on all the abrveations in here. What is " SSI" supposed to stand for?
Thanks David

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Sorry I'm not up on all the abrveations in here. What is " SSI" supposed to stand for?
Thanks David

Sorry ,
Safari specialty importers

 

[thi9elsp]

I haven't been over since 2016 but hope to get back in 2025. I'm seriously considering hiring a videographer instead of doing any mounts and shipping. The costs are just getting ridiculous.

 

[HookMeUpII]

This is one point that you need to take up with your importer.

I have used SSI, they have their own warehouses in New York where your shipment will be brought into. They don't charge for storage since it is included in their fee. You pay a little more for what they do but a single day of storage where you have to pay makes up for it.

They are also a USDA certified to accept your shipments rather than having to go to a different USDA certified shop.

This is the way I am going. Coppersmith seemed like nice enough people but after speaking to Wyatt at SSI, my decision was easy. They have the bonded warehouse and handle things from start to finish.

Like I said, Coppersmith seemed like nice enough people but for only $200 or so more with SSI? Well worth the proposed service. I actually am going this way for the reasons in this post, I have a warthog euro coming. We will see. I should be hopefully hearing about my mounts sometime in November-December of this year...God willing.