Shipping salted capes and horns to USA

Hi everyone! My name is Nathan and I am going to be hunting in RSA for ten days in July 2010 and going for Southern Kudu, Gemsbuck, Impala, Nyala, Bushbuck, Cape Elanda and Red Hartebeast. I plan on caping them for shoulder mounts and am just trying to get some info on shipping and brokerage charges for crated trophies leaving RSA and being shipped to Portland, OR as a US port of entry. I just want to have an idea on pricing will be from folks who have done this before. I am really glad to have found this web site! What a wealth of information!!

You can look a lot of this information up under taxidermy in South Africa...on the home page. But I give you a ballpark figure for dipping and packing. It will cost around $1000 to dip and pack and crate the animals and at least a $1000 to get it back to the States. You could save by ocean freighting it...possibly. I know a good taxidermist over there that could mount the animals for less than $5000 and ship it by oceanliner for $1500 to $2000. It all depends on the option you want to use.

You really want to get the broker info BEFORE you go over. At this studio I supply the clients with a detailed pac which includes some of the following -- laminated shipping tags with the hunters name on one side and all the shipping info on the other side, broker shipping tags, power of attorney papers, tips,etc...... So after you take a critter you can give your ph the tags for the capes and horns/skull. etc.. Then after you are home awhile and they ship your trophies over they will go to the port you want them to go to and then shipped to your USDA tannery/taxidermist out west and not to new york and have to pay all that shipping to you. Most prices are around 1800.00 for that size for air shipping, brokers, customs, USDA, freight shipment, etc.... Have a great hunt.....

nkjonas: I'd echo what oak22 said - if you are planning to have the mounts done at home, hook up with a taxidermist who has a lot of experience with African game. Not only can they map the whole process for you, an experienced shop will have working arrangements with the dip-pack companies and customs brokers. This reduces the chances for errors and might result in some discounts.

I did it this way and the shop owner equipped me with tags for hides and horns plus instruction letters for each company that handled the trophies. He's now corresponding with each party to track status of the process.

If you are inclined to have the mounts done in the RSA, talk to enysse. He's got insight into the do's and dont's of going that route and can probably direct you to the folks to work with.

Good advise but I would add you should have 3 laminated tags for each animal...Skull, Cape, and backskin...

I usually figure a ball park figure of $100 per animal for salted hides and horns, but it is very hard to say as the airlines are constantly changing rates to mee thier needs. Taxidermy is extra. I advise all taxidermy be done in the USA because if you have problems then you don't have to fly to Africa to sort it out and many have had to do in the past. Most Safari Companies will encourage you to do so, as in some cases they get a commission if you do..Many US hunters will tell you that they had their stuff done in Africa and had no problems and this is also true, but if they keep doing so they will sooner or later get bit in the butt...

I have been in this business for many years and I have seen some real trajadies take place with taxidermist over seas, and more than my share in the USA, and I hear these horror stories from a lot of folks..

My advise, for whatever anyone thinks its worth.

This is a question asked a lot and you will get a wide range of half answers.

laminated tags are good to keep track of your trophies but from experience most tags will not make it through the whole process. Tags placed on hides are fine but, the ones on skulls/ horns are toast when they go through the boil.

Dip & Pack / shipping/ brokers - I have compiled invoices from customer for years. The prices I'm posting are from RSA to Dallas to My shop in Corpus Christi,TX
D&P (salted hides & skulls) - 125.00 per trophy
air freight to Port of Entry - $650.00 to $ 850.00
broker - $450.00 - $600.00
shipping to shop $150.00 -$200.00

You may find cheaper quotes but I'll bet they will be closer to what I have posted by the time you get the bill.