Hi Phil,
We get this question often so thank you for the opportunity to share some information....
Hunters spend so much money on a hunt and cut themselves short on the most IMPORTANT PART--Shipping!!!
Deciding between Ocean or Air
1) Airfreight is simple with less things to go wrong and can arrive into a port closer to home.
2) Ocean Freight is more risky:
a) Though crated, sea exposes the hides to salty air and will get tossed around by the waves.
b) The clearing the process is longer and has to go through other processes you pay for, that do not occur with airfreight: (X-ray, Vaccis, and stripping on top of normal clearing charges)
If you are thinking of clearing yourself, keep a few things in mind: a) when you pick up your trophies at the terminal, the transpotation insurance ceases....any damage to the trophies is your responsibility, b) inland transportation rates are less than what it would cost you to take a day off from work, round trip gas and c) you still have to pay the fees to the government agencies.
Last but not least, we have recently learned that the cost for ocean shipping is comparable to airfreight.....PM me for a quote.
***Fun Fact/Tip of the Day--the reason ocean freight was very popular many years ago, is because the planes then were smaller than today and ocean was the only way to go.
Hope this helps......
Thanks,
Robert