What should we do? Travel party/hunting friend

[ILhunt]

I'm interested to hear if anyone has any ideas of what should be done in our situation.

We (husband and wife) hunted in South Africa with two other couples, we organized the trip and planned it all, telling people in advance the estimated price of the animals, taxidermy, and shipping. We all had an amazing time and got some animals that were taxidermied in RSA.
Due to covid, the shipping prices skyrocketed, but the shippers generously held on to our crates for free for an entire year. Now it is time to ship our animals home (in separate crates of course) and one of the other couples doesn't want to pay for shipment, even though he could definitely afford it, stating to the shippers that their mounts can be sold instead.

I do not want this situation to reflect negatively on the other members of the trip, and am not sure what more we should do. I do want to make things right for the shippers, but of the couples on the trip, we are younger, with less pay and a young family to take care of, so paying for the shipping of another crate would be a hardship for us.
What would you do and what would you say (if anything) to the other couple? Or am I making a bigger deal of this than it is?

 

[rinehart0050]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. You're all separate customers and if this friend doesn't want their stuff back, that's on them.

Also, it a shipping company, not an outfitter or something like that. I would be more concerned if he was burning bridges with an outfitter that you'd like to hunt with again in the future. To a shipping company, he's just another box waiting to be put on a ship or plane. There's so many shipping companies in RSA, who knows which one you'll use next time around.

I would recommend just focus on getting your stuff back.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. You're all separate customers and if this friend doesn't want their stuff back, that's on them.

Also, it a shipping company, not an outfitter or something like that. I would be more concerned if he was burning bridges with an outfitter that you'd like to hunt with again in the future. To a shipping company, he's just another box waiting to be put on a ship or plane. There's so many shipping companies in RSA, who knows which one you'll use next time around.

I would recommend just focus on getting your stuff back.

+1

You are only accountable for your own behavior in life. Do what is right for you and your family.

Paying to ship your friend’s mounts will only hurt your bank account and perhaps anger your friend (Ego/Pride). Not worth it in this case.

Ship your stuff and enjoy hanging it up in the house.

 

[AjFourie]

In life, at the end of the day, each to their own. If costs changed due to unforeseen circumstances there is not much you can do about it. You don't have to make it right with the shipping company, they will sort it out with the couple involved and I can almost guarantee you that the shipping company would not settle to sell mounts on behalf of someone else...

It might be a bit awkward when they come around for dinner and see your mounts hanging, but at least you and your family didn't go through financial hardship on behalf of someone else and you can happily reflect back on your time spent out in the bush....

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

+1. It isnt your problem. Presumably they dont want any money from the sale of their trophies, if indeed the holder could sell them? Again this isnt your problem either.

 

[Philip Glass]

I'm interested to hear if anyone has any ideas of what should be done in our situation.

We (husband and wife) hunted in South Africa with two other couples, we organized the trip and planned it all, telling people in advance the estimated price of the animals, taxidermy, and shipping. We all had an amazing time and got some animals that were taxidermied in RSA.
Due to covid, the shipping prices skyrocketed, but the shippers generously held on to our crates for free for an entire year. Now it is time to ship our animals home (in separate crates of course) and one of the other couples doesn't want to pay for shipment, even though he could definitely afford it, stating to the shippers that their mounts can be sold instead.

I do not want this situation to reflect negatively on the other members of the trip, and am not sure what more we should do. I do want to make things right for the shippers, but of the couples on the trip, we are younger, with less pay and a young family to take care of, so paying for the shipping of another crate would be a hardship for us.
What would you do and what would you say (if anything) to the other couple? Or am I making a bigger deal of this than it is?

You are right to be thankful to the shippers for holding your crate for a year. But this is your friends problem not yours. Some people lose interest after a time and yes it is terribly expensive to ship and mount.

 

[Denvir Tire]

First, it's not your problem
Second, I just finished sending the payment to the New York global logistics broker for a Namibian hunt in September 2019.
I can't at this time imagine ever bringing home anything other than pictures.

 

[TROPHY SHIPPERS]

It says a lot about you that you have even considered this! I advise you to listen to what everyone else is saying here. This is not your problem and it reflects nothing on you or your crate with that shipper. Congrats on your successful hunt!

If you need help with clearances or delivery we would love to help!

 

[npm352]

Not your pig, not your farm.

 

[Spearhead]

First, it's not your problem
Second, I just finished sending the payment to the New York global logistics broker for a Namibian hunt in September 2019.
I can't at this time imagine ever bringing home anything other than pictures.

This comment scares me. I’ve read threads and it must cost a fortune to ship hides and horns back. So much to consider for a first trip on a budget.

Kudos to the OP for caring enough that it bothers you, but it’s their baby to take care of not yours, let it go.... They obviously lack follow through regardless if they lost the safari warm fuzzy.