Christmas in October - Trophies are at the airport

Now to figure my way through the wrapping paper (documentation).
Got the Air Waybill by email earlier today. Had to wait to deal with it as I was out chasing Mule Deer with the bow. (Wind was not in my favour today)

Checked the carrier and the flight when I got home. Surprise, British Airways! What?? Arriving tonight!! What??
Cargo shipping is fascinating:
Windhoek, Munich (short holiday in Germany), Munich to London Heathrow, then on to the new Home.

Already got the first surprise when I called the Air Cargo Handler. There will be a fee on top of the pre paid shipping costs. ( I was trained in Africa, expect the unexpected)
Evidently, there is a charge for moving the crate from the plane to the cargo hanger that is not included in paying for shipment. Who would have thought that an airport or air carrier would charge more fees.
The staff member at the CBSA was already setting me up for the fun I'll have at the visit to their office. Can't wait.
I asked, calling the airport office: " Where is your office located?" Agent: "At the airport, arrivals level."

This airport is not Windhoek.
So, with this set of directions I'll start the search and go for a long walk inside the airport.

I set off shortly to try and unwrap the paper from my first gift from Africa.

Then taking the crate home to get the real wrapping off.!

Pictures will follow. OMG, I have not even finished the stories yet.

Merry Christmas! Man I can't wait for mine! I prob have 6+ more months to go!

Congrats, my trophies left Atlanta today and should be at LAX now. I used a clearing agent and they said 5-7 business days before they clear. So, I should be headed to L.A. sometime next week. I would hope that paying the clearing agent means I show some paperwork and get my crate. I'm getting antsy to finally have these home!

You guys are lucky. I think mine are still drying.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

Who would have thought that an airport or air carrier would charge more fees.[/I]

What, that still surprises you? Breathable air consumption will probably be billed next...

Originally Posted by timbear

What, that still surprises you? Breathable air consumption will probably be billed next...

LOL, Don't joke...In Australian it will be named the Carbon Tax.

Merry Christmas, sounds like Santa is focusing on the bottom line...

My hunting buddy's heads and hides are ready for shipment from SA, he showed me the bill for shipping and the procedures for taking possession that was provided by the taxidermist. Our conversation went something like this:

"What is this charge?"

"I don't know what that is"

"What the heck does this mean?"

I haven't got a clue."

"That fee seems a bit high..."

"Yup"

I just can't wait to see mine when it gets here.

Ok, on the way to the airport I was imagining being back in Namibia when a strong scent of burning grass entered my mind. Strong imagination and I was there again. Red flashing lights. What?
Well, it turned out that someone had decided to have a grass fire here. Pleasant welcome for the trophies, as if they never left home.

It took a total of 2 hours from home to airport and back including all running around. A gift.
I got the best Customs guy on the planet. I was in and out in under ten minutes all stamps in place.
NO TAX! NO DUTY! NOTHING.
It pays to show up late at night.

The paperwork was an envelope filled with more stuff than I could bother to read.

My extra Fee: Only $55.00 to move my crate off the plane and put it in a warehouse for an hour.


Certainly looks like Christmas morning.


The Warthog Plaque


The Eland Horns - Ready to be turned into a shoulder mount some day.


Front View Gemsbok With shrunken Horns.


Side View - Complete with some kind of rub.
No idea why yet. Those questions are waiting to be asked.


OOP's, somebody dropped me.
The horn base is broken nearly completely through.
It will be fixed.
After E's experience, nothing I did not expect. I was holding my breath.


This morning, an email from the shipping company:
The proof it was an African Christmas.



"...you trophy order should be arriving....today. I sincerely hope they will arrive with you in good order an as per your expectations.

Unfortunately I have to confront you with a rather unpleasant situation in respect of the costs incurred with your trophy box.

...... for which I am oblidged to charge you extra and retrospectively. Please find attached my invoice for the balance amount due for payment being USD 412,50.

It is regretable, that I need to charge you retrospectively, but from the proof documentation prior to shipping, we were somewhere mislead in respect of the true and proper dimensions and weight in respect of your trophy box. "

OK, I forwarded the dimensions the taxidermist provided to obtain a shipping cost estimate.
That was provided.
This company shows up PROVIDES and PACKS the crate and then I get a retroactive bill.

OOPS. Only an additional 52%.

I replied with my damage picture and said I would let him know what the taxidermy costs would be.
I am guessing I will get a warm reply.

The first set are safe(?) and on the wall.

Don't expect much explanation at all for the costs. It is what it is.

I feel for you...for sure! My 2 oryx look beautiful in my house. That rub will never look the same Wayne. They can only fix that by remounting a new skin. Everyone talks about a quick fix....but it isn't the same...never will be. You try to fix it the best you can and live with it. I think the best thing a person can do is find a good honest outfitter that takes care of your trophies, then a excellent dip and pack and send it back to the USA. I should have gone to taxidermy school 2 decades ago. My conclusions there are just to many problems shipping stuff...and the taxidermy quality is not as good as the USA. There are plenty of taxidermist work I could live with in Africa....but then the shipping damages the mounts. And you are left with problems.

I was apparently in error on one point. The taxidermist did the packing not the shipping company.

I still don't get how the shipping agent can get the crate to the airport at Windhoek and on a plane on Sept 29 and not know the weight and dimensions immediately.
I'll figure it out.

I have now asked the taxidermist about his suggestions for rectifying the situation about the damage during shipment after how he packed it.

E, the taxidermy on this mount is just fine. Nothing wrong with that part.
It is the packing that seems to have caused an issue. 16 or 20 hours of vibration and dumping the crate apparently have had some effect.

It will all just become part of the story.

Next time, European Mounts.

Wayne, I agree the taxidermy is fine, so was mine both times. It's the journey and the packing that has me upset!

I guess my college education in chemistry and along with my farm knowledge...always leads me to believe things can be done better and not half ass.

I'm with you.
We'll see if someone wants to take responsibility for the other half of his a** and fix the crack!

Congrats!
I know exactly how you feel, because my trophies arrived yesterday as well!
I just knew they would be delivered this week, and Monday evening I thought I better ask per mail for an exact date&time, since there's nobody home during working hours. Wednesday, at 10 in the morning I get the info: TODAY, till noon!!! 20 minutes later the truck driver calls me, I am at your home!
I never made the way home from work that fast, but then a really big crate resided in my garage! No time to open it, had to get back to work, what a torture!
But, only a few ours more after waiting more than a year... everything was just fine, no damages inside the wooden box, each item thoroughly wrapped and screwed to the walls, the skins all smooth and shiny.
No additional charges, but the transport cost me quite a sum anyway.

Time to enjoy your trophies and relive a wonderful hunt, Brickburn!

Zabi, congratulations. Glad they all made it safe and sound.
I'll keep enjoying it until the next time. You too.

That stuff should not happen! Luckily it is a horn core and not an ear.

Easy fix for that one.

Get yourself a 12" or longer 3/8" drill bit. Position the horn base back in the correct allignment (if it will not bend back all the way see the note below). Drill down into the horn core from the tip and right down into the form (the drilling will get real easy at that point). Place a 3/8" rod in the hole to hold it in position. Drill another hole trying to make sure they are not parallel. Place another 3/8" rod in that hole. Cut both rods off and tap them in flush with the end of the horn core. Viola! a taxidermists fix without a taxidermists bill. If 2 - 3/8" rods will not fit use 1 3/8" and a 1/4 or 2 - 1/4" rods depending on how big the core is.

If you cannot get the core to bend back into its original position then cut it off through the crack (draw allignment lines in 3 places with a marker first) and remove the damaged material (as little as possible) until it will go back to the original position. Rough the 2 cut surfaces up with tons of shallow (1/4" deep holes on both cut surfaces and re-attach with bondo. Then proceed with inserting the threaded rod as above.

You are right it should not happen, but...

Thanks Diamond. I will be getting on that shortly.

Oh, anybody got an idea how to fit the horn sheaths back on properly while I'm at it???

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

You are right it should not happen, but...

Thanks Diamond. I will be getting on that shortly.

Oh, anybody got an idea how to fit the horn sheaths back on properly while I'm at it???

LOL, I assumed that since they were shipping them that way they had breifed you on how to re-attach them.

They are also easy. Ideally you would use a taxidermy epoxy like smooth out for best adhesion and durability but a huge number of taxidermists use Bondo (including myself at times). If the taxidermist bondoed the horns temporarily when mounting (hopefully he did) then grind out enough material that you can from inside the horn sheath. If no filler material is present then place the horns on the cores to be sure that they will mate up with the hairline. If they do then bondo them in place. Do them both at the same time and have someone hold them in position while you ensure that they are not cock-eyed until the bondo kicks.

If the horns do not line up with the hairline, which I suspect looking at the pictures, then take everything to a top notch (Brian Dobson type) taxidermist so they can reattach the horns and sculpt/rehair/camoflage the gap between horn and hair as much as possible. This repair is not only not for an amature it is only for a very advanced taxidermist (if you want it to disapear).

Brief, not likely.

Got it. Thanks.

Off to Walmart for some Bondo!

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

Brief, not likely.

Got it. Thanks.

Off to Walmart for some Bondo!

Forgot to mention 1 small detail. You may get some bondo on the hair/horns etc. Just wait until it kicks (starts to gell up) and it will pop right off. Dont let it harden completely or try to clen it up while runny or you will have a mess!

If you do not have a great sense of humour you are going to cry. So please stop reading here if you are faint of heart, as I do not want to be responsible for your unmitigated anguish and suffering.

The saga continues....
1.Went to the store, I got the Bondo...
2. I take the trophy outside to start work on repairs....
3. Drill my extra hole in the horn base that is broken....
4. Look in the other horn base,as there is a hole drilled in the center right into the skull...
(Probably to remove all material that could rot and reduce drying time.)
5. Well it looks like a chinese fortune cookie.
6. I take a small screw and retrieve the fortune!

There is what my fortune read:



I blurred out the name for now. In hopes that this is a stupid mistake that they can rectify.
If it is not I will give everyone fair warning whom to stay away from.

Now, just in case you might be confused. My name is not Kraft!!!

Oh, I decided I had better measure the horns too, just in case it was just the skull that was wrong.
They ONLY measure three inches shorter than what the PH measured in the field. Someone has a nice Rowland Ward trophy somewhere.

The email has been sent to the taxidermist asking that my Gemsbok be sent to me as soon as possible.
I will also ask shortly where they would like me to PUT this trophy. If I lose my sense I humour I may think of a creative place to put it.
Please refer to Image number 8 in Jeromes post for my first thoughts about placement of this trophy: