Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa getting trophies shipped home from africa??

Hello all,

I have 6 trophies nearly finished at Highveld Taxidermy in South Africa. Soon, I'll need to have them shipped to my home in the US. Can anyone tell me of companies that ship and do all the customs paperwork? One company wanted to ship by air...I'm guessing that air freight is much more than ocean freight. I've beentold that some companies charge thousands or hundreds more than another for the same service. Please tell who you used, air or ocean, customs problems etc.. Thanks.

Coppersmith. They have offices on both coasts. Air Freight is the way to go. How many trophies, type, size, etc. Coppersmith will take care of it all.

Whatever you do, DON'T use a larger company out of TX! I don't remember their name, but they raped me.

Fauna & Flora get it done correctly.


www.faunaandflora.com/trophies/about.html

Another vote for Coppersmith. They were recommended by my taxidermist here in Montana a few years ago, and I've used them since whenever needed, including on my shipment from Tanzania that arrived this winter.

As I read your question, there are two parts to the answer. You will need a shipper to transport the trophies to the US and a broker to deal with the importation and forwarding to your home. Based on several experiences, I can highly recommend Safari Air Cargo Systems for the shipping. They offer both air and sea shipments and will send quotes for both and for insurance. My last shipment of trophies (8 skulls, capes, and backskins) by air was $1,344. The sea quote was $797. I have shipped both ways and never had a problem. Your dip & pack or taxidermist will know them and can help you to make those arrangements. Just in case, their contact info is:

Safari Air Cargo Systems CC
P.O Box 30093, Jet Park Witfield 1467
Holding 34, 5 th Avenue, Bredel
Gauteng 1623, SA
Tel: (011) 979-3770/1/2/3/4/5
Fax: (011) 396-1061
Email : infosafaricargo.co.za

There are a number of brokers/importers that people speak highly of here and on the AR Forums. My brother and I have used Flora and Fauna, recommended by my taxidermist, with good results.

Where is Coppersmith and will they take care of customs and have trophies delivered to my home or airport? I do not want a customs hassle.
Has anyone done ocean freight to save money?

I just edited my post to include sea and air quotes from my 2011 trip. Sea is about 50% of the air cost. I have done both with no issues either way. I remember that marine shipping took 2-3 months longer to arrive.

alaskahunter are you getting a second quote? Highveld has a shipping agent on site, something they started doing to try and help save cost. The ladies in the office will have all the information at hand.

Try and go with a broker that is recommended and is at an airport closer to home as this will save a few $ on shipping from the broking co to your house.

Yes, they use a certain shipper and a second quote never hurts. Also, I'm notsure howall the customs stuff works, and don't want to deal with them. Once, I bought a boat from China and customs wanted to inspect it ....which is fine, however, this meant that longshoremen had to move the boat 200 yards to customs and then back to the freight area. I think those guys must make in an hour what I make in a month. They cost more than theboat and shipping from China. The second time, I used a broker and it was less expensive.

Alaskahunter, for my 2011 RSA trip Coppersmith has taken care of my shipment of 3 mounts, 4 heads and back skins. My African shipment is being held in Seattle until I arrive home in a week. They had my trophies air freighted and have taken care of the customs requirements. So far everything that I have had to do with Coppersmith has been seamless. I used Fauna and Flora for my first trip to RSA in 2009. Both companies are very professional and all went well. Either would be a good choice. MTG

Great alaskahunter, hopefully you can save some bucks. I do however have no idea on how it works on your side. Some of the companies mentioned (your side) seems to give good service and that's all everybody wants at a reasonable cost.

Hope your trophies get back soon.

I have used Coppersmith for the broker and it went seamless. When they cleared customs I picked up the crate at their office rather than having it delivered.

Coppersmith is taking care of my crates shipped to Dallas, hope to pick them up any day now.

mine came like this....

Highveld,
Oxi-logistics to Miami,
Global Hunters handled the paper work and inspections in Miami and shipped them to me

I thought they did a good job, but none of this stuff is cheap.

I go in late July to SA.

Do I need to choose a company and set this up before I go on the trip, while I'm in SA, or after I get back home and know what is going to be shipped?

thanks.

pm sent

rphguy after the hunt your trophies are delivered to a local taxidermist or dipping company. Soon as our F&W have issued the export permits is when the shipping company come to play. Many taxidermists have companies they work with but ultimately you have the final say with whom you want to have your trophies shipped.

If you are shipping the raw trophies you can expect to have them shipped from here in about 4 - 6 months after they have been delivered to the taxidermist/dipping co.

Mounted trophies will be shipped when they have been finished which can be anything between 9 and 24 months.

Will each PH have their own shipper they go with or do you have choices when you are there? How long after the hunt does it take to get the capes back here in the states?

I am unaware of any PH working direct with shipping companies. Mostly the taxidermy companies have their regular shippers.

I am sure you can shop around if you like and have that company pick up your trophies.

If you are shipping raw trophies they can leave here anything between 3 and 6 months after your hunt because of a spirited lack of will by our F&W to issue export permits timeously.

My wife & I are expecting a call from Coppersmith in Dallas any day to come pick up our trophies that were left at the taxidermist in Namibia on the last day of Sept. 2011. That's 8 months for 6 euro's& 3 skins start to almost finished,will be finished when I go pick the crate up at Coppersmith's office in Dallas. They were shipped by air freight to Atlanta then trucked to DFW, seems that the airlines have the right to truck them once they are on U.S.ground, even if you have paid for air freight. We had a fantastic hunt with a great outfitter but the burr under the saddle has been the taxidermist, the shipper and the brokerage co.. If I have to use the same three again, I will not be going back to Africa.