Best and Worst Shipping Agents to Use in RSA

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Sabre

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I frequently see posts about taxidermists, import agents, and outfitters. But, African shipping agents are sort of, mostly, just mentioned in passing.

Who have you used for shipping agents?
How did they do?
How did you feel they were on cost?
How were they with communication?
Did they meet deadlines they promised?
Or anything else you want to say in regards to your experience.
 
My most recent African shipping agent was AHG. They offered a "Door to Door" option for mounts that were completed in Africa. The carrier was actually FedEx. I didn't have to use a third party i.e. Cooper-Smith or similar and there were no unexpected fees for warehousing etc. like I've had in the past. In short, I'm quite happy with their service. The folks at the Afton House in Joburg were instrumental in setting this up.
 
Shootist43 said:
My most recent African shipping agent was AHG. They offered a "Door to Door" option for mounts that were completed in Africa. The carrier was actually FedEx. I didn't have to use a third party i.e. Cooper-Smith or similar and there were no unexpected fees for warehousing etc. like I've had in the past. In short, I'm quite happy with their service. The folks at the Afton House in Joburg were instrumental in setting this up.
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I just used AHG Trophy Shipping as well and very pleased with their service and shipping costs were better than three previous shippers I had used. I’m curious though about your comment using FedEx. Are you saying that because they were finished taxidermy that AHG shipped directly to you and bypassed any customs or USFW clearance? Or did you do the customs clearance yourself instead of using a service like Coppersmith?
 
Shootist43 said:
My most recent African shipping agent was AHG. They offered a "Door to Door" option for mounts that were completed in Africa. The carrier was actually FedEx. I didn't have to use a third party i.e. Cooper-Smith or similar and there were no unexpected fees for warehousing etc. like I've had in the past. In short, I'm quite happy with their service. The folks at the Afton House in Joburg were instrumental in setting this up.
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Like @MontanaPat I am also interested in hearing more about the door to door service.
 
Badger Cargo for shipping and DNL for import into US. Zero issues, responsive, and cost effective. At least that has been my experience
 
I am in the process of working with Zingela now. They recently took possession of my mounts from the taxidermist. Current waiting on permits. I’ll report back once we get farther along with the process.
 
@Shootist43 , @MontanaPat , if y’all had AHG do finished taxidermy how was the quality ?
I had them do my 2018 safari but back then they only did the shipping and not the taxidermy part.

I thought I kept all of my paperwork from my 4 shipments but can’t find it. I definitely remember AHG and the company I used out of Mozambique was EMIAC, I’ve had zero problems with any of the shippers.
 
I would also like to know the quality of taxidermy from AHG. The taxidermy rates they provided me were really good. If the work is as well it would be a nice one stop shop.
 
Sabre said:
I frequently see posts about taxidermists, import agents, and outfitters. But, African shipping agents are sort of, mostly, just mentioned in passing.

Who have you used for shipping agents?
How did they do?
How did you feel they were on cost?
How were they with communication?
Did they meet deadlines they promised?
Or anything else you want to say in regards to your experience.







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I’ve used a few African shipping agents over the years, and my experience has been a mix of good and not-so-good. The ones I liked best were responsive and kept me updated throughout the process, while others could be slow and required frequent follow-ups. Costs varied a lot-some were reasonable if you booked in advance, while others had unexpected fees that popped up later. Deadlines were generally met, but delays sometimes happened due to busy seasons or customs. Overall, I found that choosing agents with solid references from local outfitters or lodges made a big difference. Transparency and reliability are key, and doing your homework beforehand really pays off.
 
Klamaers said:
I’ve used a few African shipping agents over the years, and my experience has been a mix of good and not-so-good. The ones I liked best were responsive and kept me updated throughout the process, while others could be slow and required frequent follow-ups. Costs varied a lot-some were reasonable if you booked in advance, while others had unexpected fees that popped up later. Deadlines were generally met, but delays sometimes happened due to busy seasons or customs. Overall, I found that choosing agents with solid references from local outfitters or lodges made a big difference. Transparency and reliability are key, and doing your homework beforehand really pays off.
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Who were the good shipping agents you used and who were the ones you had to keep on top of and missed deadlines?
 
Sabre said:
I frequently see posts about taxidermists, import agents, and outfitters. But, African shipping agents are sort of, mostly, just mentioned in passing.

Who have you used for shipping agents?
How did they do?
How did you feel they were on cost?
How were they with communication?
Did they meet deadlines they promised?
Or anything else you want to say in regards to your experience.


Ich war letzte Woche einfach nur ausgebrannt und konnte nicht abschalten. Auf der Suche nach einer einfachen Ablenkung fand ich einen Tipp zu spinmama in einem Forum. Die Seite ist schlicht und funktional, genau das Richtige für einen müden Kopf. Ich habe ein paar Runden gespielt und gemerkt, wie ich gedanklich zur Ruhe kam. Für Spieler aus Deutschland ist alles sehr benutzerfreundlich und sicher umgesetzt. Manchmal braucht es wirklich nicht mehr als so eine unkomplizierte Tätigkeit, um sich zu erden.
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You're right, shipping is usually an afterthought until it goes wrong. I’ve used Safari Cargo Systems twice now and can’t recommend them enough. Their communication is top-notch usually replying within 24 hours and they are very upfront about costs. No "hidden fees" when the bill arrives. On the other hand, stay away from the tiny "no-name" agents often pushed by small taxidermy shops. I tried one once to save a few bucks and my crate sat in Durban for two months because of a paperwork error they didn't catch. Total nightmare. Stick with the big names like Safari Cargo or Rex Freight. They might cost a tiny bit more upfront, but they actually meet their deadlines and know how to handle CITES permits without getting your trophies stuck in customs.
 
Got a big load of stuff coming to CO from South Africa via Badger Cargo and when it hits the US, will be taken over by Gallagher Transport...so far so good. Waiting on a permit from USFWS and then it should be on its way.
 
@Hunt anything @Rakman in response to your question about AHG, I did not have them do any taxidermy I only used AHG for shipping. I have used Zingela and Badger Cargo plus one other I don’t recall to do shipping in the past. While all were good shippers and kept me informed, AHG was able to ship my crate of similar size to previous shipments at a much lower overall cost The previous shippers were chosen by my D&P company without my input. This last time I specifically requested AHG to pick up my trophies for shipping. I did use one of the AHG affiliated taxidermists to do part of my D&P for some RSA trophies although I had them do a tan and pack versus a dip and pack as I had time waiting for trophies to come down from Botswana. My US taxidermist said that the tanning job on two capes done by them looked acceptable to him.
 
algreffe said:
You're right, shipping is usually an afterthought until it goes wrong. I’ve used Safari Cargo Systems twice now and can’t recommend them enough. Their communication is top-notch usually replying within 24 hours and they are very upfront about costs. No "hidden fees" when the bill arrives. On the other hand, stay away from the tiny "no-name" agents often pushed by small taxidermy shops. I tried one once to save a few bucks and my crate sat in Durban for two months because of a paperwork error they didn't catch. Total nightmare. Stick with the big names like Safari Cargo or Rex Freight. They might cost a tiny bit more upfront, but they actually meet their deadlines and know how to handle CITES permits without getting your trophies stuck in customs.
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I had no problems with Rex Freight on my one and only taxidermy shipment from RSA in 2022.
 
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