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I just paid my last (hopefully) invoice to get my buff skull/cape shipped from Bulawayo to Denver. Over 2 grand USD. Prices seem to be way high IMO.

Next time I will only ship back an animal if it is a way big!

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I've got no more room for any trophies. Whole house has them. Now I don't ship any back. Pictures in my albums. Money saved I put towards another hunt or rifles or??

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Yes, having game mounted in Africa and then shipped home is expensive. First there is the taxidermy cost. Then there is the crating, then the international shipping, then the insurance on your boxes, then the receiving end (mine was in Seattle), then the reshipping via truck to your door. If you have say, 5 animals shoulder mounted it about pays for the cost of another safari in RSA.
On the other hand, I have gone the photo route too. Most recently on a sailfish caught in Costa Rica. Having a mount vs having a photo just doesn't bring the same amount of satisfaction or the same level of return of memory.
By the way, I call my trophy room my memory room since only a couple of my game animals are technically trophies according to one standard or the other. But in my mind, they are memories.


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The back side of safari is rarely discussed because of one reason or another but one thing is certain....

D-P-S fees an industry and the outfitters, taxidermist and shippers rape customers on a daily basis and hold the trophies for ransom


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Anyone have any input on what it would/should cost to ship back a European mount or mount(s) on some general plains game.

I'll be making my first trip next year and would like to bring back a zebra hide. Possibly a euro gemsbuck and maybe a warthog. The rest could probably stay.

Thanks for any input.


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cal74-----On my next trip over it's nothing but photos. I'll get my euro skulls & skins on ebay.

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No more trophies for me, photos are plenty. In my opinion, a complete waste of money vs spending those funds on additional trips.

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cal: 2012 untanned zebra skin $900. 2014 2 tanned zebra skins and 2 buffalo skulls in same shipment but 2 hunters $4000. Waited almost a year to get it. Tedthorn is right - bend over and grab your ankles. I am done with Africa unless I win the lottery and know I have 6 months to live.

Last edited by bobmn; 04/22/17.
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As a rule of thumb, shoulder mounts for 4 animals, with taxi. and shipping fees will cost almost the same as the hunt cost, regardless of whether the work is done here or there. Euro months will be about 1/3 or more of hunt costs. I quit bringing stuff back about 4 safaris ago- more money for the next hunt.

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Originally Posted by tedthorn
The back side of safari is rarely discussed because of one reason or another but one thing is certain....

D-P-S fees an industry and the outfitters, taxidermist and shippers rape customers on a daily basis and hold the trophies for ransom


Hopefully you did not fall for it.


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In 2007, when my skins, skulls, and horns arrived home from Zimbabwe via South Africa, the people who dipped and packed these items valued the items at 8 billion Zimbabwe dollars. Canada Customs agents did some quick calculating based on 132 Zimbabwe dollars being worth 1 Canadian dollar. That made the package worth about 60 million Canadian dollars which were on par with the US dollar at that time. Needless to say a 3 month rodeo ensued. When I was in Zimbabwe in 2006, the official exchange rate was 1 USD to 100,000 Zim bucks. Street exchange was 1 USD to 1 million Zim bucks. A while later, when the exchange rate was over a billion to one, the currency not only collapsed, it vanished.

I wound up paying the 7% Goods and Services tax on my entire( I mean everything!) safari to put an end to this harassment. I don't know if African business people have a perverse sense of humour, or are just naive. But when customs and revenue agents see multi-billion dollar amounts there will be trouble.

Insist that the people who ship trophies value them in US dollars. Everyone in the world can do the math. Even Canadian federal civil servants.

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Have received quotes before hunts on probable animals to get an idea of costs from D&P, freight, clearance and have been with in $100 either way on 8 African shipments.

Takes a few emails and some patience to get responses sometimes, but not to hard to do.

Have left cash to pay for some and renegotiated a better deal at the D&P level FTF.

It hasn't always been perfect; but never a surprise.

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I've never had a mount done. I couldn't justify the cost to my family.


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the only real difference between a good tracker and a bad tracker, is observation. all the same data is present for both. The rest, is understanding what you're seeing.

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Hmmm... A new 375 H&H and a nice PG safari or material stuff that won't ever appreciate in value?...

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As one can't bring home some loins and hams, the trophy aspect is about all that's left. That expense is all that keeps me from going. I've no idea where that profit margin goes, but someone is getting rich for doing next to nothing.

Last edited by 1minute; 04/23/17.

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Originally Posted by kellory
I've never had a mount done. I couldn't justify the cost to my family.


I've got several mule deer, bear, antelope and one elk mount. All "European" or just antlers on a wooden plaque. Classy, inexpensive, and they take up a LOT less space than a full head & shoulders mount.

If I ever venture to Africa, I'm seriously thinking that photographs are plenty of "trophy" for me.

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Originally Posted by GuyM
Originally Posted by kellory
I've never had a mount done. I couldn't justify the cost to my family.


I've got several mule deer, bear, antelope and one elk mount. All "European" or just antlers on a wooden plaque. Classy, inexpensive, and they take up a LOT less space than a full head & shoulders mount.

If I ever venture to Africa, I'm seriously thinking that photographs are plenty of "trophy" for me.

Guy

We just cut out the skull plate large enough for the antlers, and screw it to the cabin walls. They get used for hats, bows, arrows, and kitchen tools and paper towels.
Recently had a boxful of mine removed, and traded them to a knife maker for handles. Got a 100# Fisher Anvil in exchange. (Great deal)1850-1870. (Which will be much more useful)


An unemployed Jester, is nobody's Fool.

the only real difference between a good tracker and a bad tracker, is observation. all the same data is present for both. The rest, is understanding what you're seeing.

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I haven't had the pleasure of going to Africa yet.

I think picutres would suffice for me.

What about just bringing back horns (plains game) or teeth (warthog)? What kind of $'s are associated with that?


Last edited by tdd4570; 04/23/17.
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Originally Posted by cal74
Anyone have any input on what it would/should cost to ship back a European mount or mount(s) on some general plains game.

I'll be making my first trip next year and would like to bring back a zebra hide. Possibly a euro gemsbuck and maybe a warthog. The rest could probably stay.

Thanks for any input.


My recommendation is to contact KWIKTAN Taxidermy through their US company out of Dallas, African Game Industries. I had all my mounts done by them, and granted it was way back in 2006, but overall, I saved about 40% over having them done here. They also ship a lot of their own stuff from Africa to Dallas to sell, and they can include your trophies (done by them) in their shipping to defray some shipping costs.


A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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The larger the business gets, the more likely one of their staff will not be up to American standards. Kwiktan folded an impala flatskin wet and I can't get the "squares" out. Karoo Taxidermy actually burned my kudu horns. With African work there is NO RECOURSE. They kickback to one another and will not point fingers. Also, taxidermy has priced itself out of the market, just as with ear-tagged (price tagged, too) trophy whitetails.

Last edited by agazain; 04/25/17.
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