July Safari is almost here! Last min tips please!

[ltsheets]

Well I'm heading down to South Africa near Cradock in just over a month and am probably equal parts excited and nervous. Most of the prep is done and my gun paperwork is already cleared in South Africa. I'm working on my packing list and then just trying to practice at the range as much as my schedule will allow. I would love to hear some last min tips and advice from those of you who have been there and done that. Thanks in advance.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Enjoy it and have fun. Take a book for the airplane ride.

That is a nice area, you should have fun. Who are you hunting with?

 

[Mekaniks]

Well I'm heading down to South Africa near Cradock in just over a month and am probably equal parts excited and nervous. Most of the prep is done and my gun paperwork is already cleared in South Africa. I'm working on my packing list and then just trying to practice at the range as much as my schedule will allow. I would love to hear some last min tips and advice from those of you who have been there and done that. Thanks in advance.

Enjoy and have fun!!

 

[ltsheets]

I'm planning on taking a couple of books! Got a couple classics to read on the way down to get me excited along with The Perfect Shot to prepare me for judging and where to aim. I'll be hunting with Richard Holmes Safaris.

Enjoy it and have fun. Take a book for the airplane ride.

That is a nice area, you should have fun. Who are you hunting with?

Enjoy it and have fun. Take a book for the airplane ride.

That is a nice area, you should have fun. Who are you hunting with?

 

[JimP]

Just pay attention to your aim. If you PH says to shoot a animal just shoot it. He can tell at a glance what will take you 15 minutes to figure out.

Then once the game is on the ground take a lot of pictures, even take a lot of pictures before he is on the ground.

Just enjoy the trip

 

[LivingTheDream]

Beautiful area, my Rhino in my avatar was darted not far from Cradock.

 

[ltsheets]

Very cool LTD. I'm looking forward to seeing the area. Only thing I'm still concerned about is the dipping/packing/shipping now. I'm using a broker recommended by my taxi whom I trust, but it seems the fees for DPS with the taxi my PH uses are high.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Take half the clothes and gear that you think you'll need, and twice as much money.
Have fun, relax, and remember you're on vacation.

I'm assuming you are using a taxidermist in Port Elizabeth. I used Hunter's and Collectors for Dip, Pack & crate and Rex for shipping. I can dig up some numbers and share it with you.

 

[ltsheets]

I'm actually using a taxidermy here in NM and I'm using D&L Custom House Brokers as my broker. Here's an example of charges using the taxidermy recommended by the PH for DPS from SA. What do you guys think?

Another EXAMPLE of Total cost of getting your Trophys ( Raw prep of trophys ) home :

Raw prep/dip and pack :

1 ELAND $ 240

1 GEMSBOK $ 201

1 WILDEBEEST $ 201

1 NYALA $ 201

1 IMPALA / BLESBOK $ 180

1 SPRINGBOK $ 146

Export permit fee is $ 50 PER HUNTER

Crate $ 400.00

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

( Sub total to here = $ 1,619.00 - payable to Local SA Taxidermist in the East Cape Province, only about 1-2 months after your hunt )


Customs clearing charges in the USA PER HUNTER is approximately $ 300

( only payable about 2 months after you have paid the SA taxidermist, when your trophys will be dipped and ready to go )

Air freight from SA to USA Airport of entry for customs ( Crate must enter the USA at a custom point, eg. JFK , WA) for this one crate to New York is $ 1,500.00

 

[Rob404]

Just relax and enjoy and take plenty of pictures

 

[ltsheets]

I'm actually using a taxidermy here in NM and I'm using D&L Custom House Brokers as my broker. Here's an example of charges using the taxidermy recommended by the PH for DPS from SA. What do you guys think?

Another EXAMPLE of Total cost of getting your Trophys ( Raw prep of trophys ) home :

Raw prep/dip and pack :

1 ELAND $ 240

1 GEMSBOK $ 201

1 WILDEBEEST $ 201

1 NYALA $ 201

1 IMPALA / BLESBOK $ 180

1 SPRINGBOK $ 146

Export permit fee is $ 50 PER HUNTER

Crate $ 400.00

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

( Sub total to here = $ 1,619.00 - payable to Local SA Taxidermist in the East Cape Province, only about 1-2 months after your hunt )


Customs clearing charges in the USA PER HUNTER is approximately $ 300

( only payable about 2 months after you have paid the SA taxidermist, when your trophys will be dipped and ready to go )

Air freight from SA to USA Airport of entry for customs ( Crate must enter the USA at a custom point, eg. JFK , WA) for this one crate to New York is $ 1,500.00

 

[LivingTheDream]

That seems about right, airfare might be a little high, but it you are shipping alot. Crating seems right. It is just expensive getting this stuff back. At least the expenses are spread out.

 

[billc]

No way would I pay that for dip/pack. All over by almost 100.00 per animal. shipping seems high also for that size crate to jfk. You get that quote for the guy the outfitter told you to use

 

[LivingTheDream]

I wasn't sure how heavy the skins would be and how big Eland and gemsbuck might impact that volumetric weight formula. His shipping quote was more then my Nyala shoulder mount, Bushbuck shoulder mount, and Lion Rug.

 

[ltsheets]

This is simply an example of past charges I believe from the PH I'm hunting with using his recommended taxi for DPS. This is not an actual quote for my animals. I thought it seemed high at a glance but I've never dealt with this before. I don't know what my options are if I don't really want to use the taxidermy the PH normally deals with.

No way would I pay that for dip/pack. All over by almost 100.00 per animal. shipping seems high also for that size crate to jfk. You get that quote for the guy the outfitter told you to use

 

[billc]

But he is doing dip/pack no mounts. Each animal for dip/pack by my 2016 price list may have went up a few dollars is 90.00 per animal and crate is 10% of total of those fees. min. of 75.00.

 

[ltsheets]

Just looked again. I can use a different taxi if I want. Here's the caveat provided if I choose a different taxi.

If you choose to use a Taxidermist other than Taxidermy Africa our storage of your Trophies will cost $ 500 which is payable to Richard Holmes Safaris at the end of your safari, and is refundable if other taxidermist picks up your trophys with in a week of your departure. As we have a permanent long term relationship with Taxidermy Africa they are punctual about picking up your Trophies from us. The hunter must also supply enough tags from the other taxidermist for PH here to write on the details of each animal eg. hunters name, species, skull & horns, cape etc.( supply 3 tags per animal )

 

[billc]

Don't like the sound of any of that. He is getting a kick back from this place I would bet and does that to scare guys in to using them. I sent you a Pm

 

[ltsheets]

Thank you Bill. I responded to the pm.

 

[Therack]

At the end of each day take 10 minutes and write down the days events in a journal.