Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Shipping costs of Mounts?

Anyone have a rough idea what cost to shipping cost for 8 shoulder mounts(Wildebeest,Impala,Kudu,Zebra,Eland,Gemsbok,Springbok, and Mt reedbuck)From SA to New York?
I will ask for a quote from the taxidermist in SA when they contact me
Thinking it maybe cheaper to dip and pack capes and skulls and have my Taxidermist here do the work...

Generally they will be about 150.00 each for round numbers ( capes and horns). shoulder mounts would likely be at least 30% more then that. The real screwing will come from the "handling fees" at both ends. Those amounts could exceed the shipping.

Raw capes and horns do not have any value to US customs, no... import tax. Finished mounts are a "product" and will require you to pay a tax on the value. That will be shown on the invoice in the crate from the taxidermist.

I had a real argument with the US customs a few years ago because the invoice for my hunter was in Rands, not dollars. However no place on that invoice did it say that. So US Customs wanted to tax something like 25,000 USD for the value.

In NY the main Broker is Flora and Fauna. I would strongly suggest you choose other then these people to do this. Copper smith is a far more fairly priced solution.

I have had Flora and Fauna charge 580 bucks for a single Nyala cape, and 800 bucks for a Hyena skull and warthog skull. By Comparison Copper smith has charged 400 bucks for a 10 animal crate with 10 capes, 10 sets of horns, and a few back skins.

So think about the broker you choose carefully. Flora and Fauna it seems bases all safaris on the SCI elite coming back from Africa, not the school teacher, Farmer, electrician, or Auto mechanic squeezing every bit possible from each dollar.

The Shipping is far less for a crate with capes and horns then shoulder mounts too. You can easily clear your own trophies without a broker if you have the time to run around and do it. I have done this with my hunters dozens of times when I lived nearer to Seattle. Now that I live in the middle of nowhere I cannot help with it.

The shipping cost can easily double when comparing the cost of shipping horns and capes to shoulder mounts. The shippers charge for weight and volume.

Also, you have no recourse if you are not satisfied with the taxidermist's work and have it shipped home.

I would definitely have the work done by your taxidermist.

+1, I seen some of the Taxidermy work(Highland SA) and was not impressed. I had my capes & horns sent to Coppersmith in Atlanta($450) 'cause it was only 3 hrs from the house.

Cranes taxidermy picked them up for me at Coppersmith and completed all work in only 4 months. Highland dip,crate & shipping from SA to Atlanta was around $1200 if I recall. By doing this I did not have to pay Coppersmith to ship them to a taxidemist nor did I have to drive 3hrs to pick up my stuff.

Shipping, customs, and Taxidermy was more than the hunt itself.

I've done it both ways and cost wise it was a wash. The higher shipping cost for finished mounts is balanced by the cheaper labor in southern Africa.

As for quality, I think the mounts done over there look much more life like.
YMMV.

Pete

I've always had my African trophies done there. And I've never been disappointed in the least.

Not only do the African taxidermists know what the critters actually look like, but they are lightyears faster than any of my local firms.

For instance, how many times have you seen the inside of a kudu's ear airbrushed brown or tan? Almost always when stateside taxidermists do the work. The ears, in real life, have a white sunray pattern and that is precisely what you'll see with first-class African taxidermist's work.

God Bless,

Steve

I agree. I waited a long time for my trophies, but I had them done in the RSA and they are very nice IMO.

Would do it again.

donsm70

I've had my done in RSA as well and not been dissappointed at all, cheaper too. Going back next June and will have the resulting trophies done there again. Had them brought in through customs by Coppersmith in Atlanta and got awesome service and not that expensive.

The cost to dip-N-ship is a big chunk that goes a long way toward having the mounts done in Africa and shipped. If I manage to get back again I'll use a good African taxidermist. I like getting the finished product in about the same time it takes to get the capes and heads, still needing mounting. The cost differential is slight.

The first time I went to South Africa, I had the mounts done by a U.S.A. taxidermist and it was 3 YEARS before they were done. The second time, I had the mounts done in South Africa and from the time the taxidermist received my trophies until they were on my driveway in a BIG box, it was about a year. Even considering air shipping, it was a little more economical to have the work done in South Africa and the work was of higher quality.

One caveat; research the taxidermist you're tempted to use. Some are good and some not so good.

I just got a quote from Namibia to ship crated, dipped and packed, not mounted, 2 impala, 1 kudu, 2 gemsbok, & 1 wildebeest. The price to Dallas or Houston was $1839.80