Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa How long to get trophies back?

I hunted in Limpopo Province, South Africa, in May 2013. I am still awaiting my trophies. The shipping company says there was a crash in the game department's computer system causing the delay in getting export permits. Is anyone else still waiting because of this, and is a seven month and counting wait reasonable?

BTW, these are scalp and horns, not mounted.

Unfortunately Limpopo and North West provinces are having a tough time with their Dept of Environmental affairs, so much so that PHASA (professional hunters association of SA) has given them a vote of no confidence to National DEA.

In the Eastern Cape we looking at 3-4months for dip and pack and 8-9 months for taxidermy

I hunted the NW province in SA in May of 2013 also. We got our dipped and packed skulls and hides just a couple of weeks ago.

Hunted Sept 2012 and capes and horns cleared customs end of May 2013

Dip, pack, crate, a year or so. Trophies done over there, 1 1/2- 2yrs.



maddog

Sheesh 2 yrs that's excessive. Hope that it doesn't take that long with yours DHN.

REMEMBER too that the time starts at the date of deposit. I had a guy moan to me about his shipment taking 2 years but he only paid his deposit 18 months into it.
Good luck with your shipment

I wait for deer shoulder mounts on average a year from the taxidermist that lives on the same road I do! I hunted the Eastern Cape this past April and have not even thought about the 7 trophies coming yet. I figured dip and pack along with crating and shipping from the other side of the world would be at least 12-18 months if not longer.

Hunted Limpopo in May, '13. Told in July by taxidermist they would be in my hands within 12 months. I know the Kudu is done as they have sent a picture but don't know the progress of rest. Only other mount being done is Warthog...rest are just skulls and skins so....we'll see. I will send an inquiry though......

Do you mind me asking who's doing your dip an pack here in the EC ?

Two last hunts, hunted in Zim and had the trophies mounted in RSA. Almost one year to the day from dirt to my wall..

Jorge, you should have allowed them time to take the dirt off :-)

I hunted the Limpopo province last June-July,buffalo,kudu,zebra,warthog & impala. The trophies went to Swift Dip and then to Zingela Forwarders.We received the shipment to our US taxidermist about Dec.10.Everything was in good condition although the taxidermist remarked the shipping box was "beat up".All the above resulted in a cost of about $2250.Swift Dip and Zingela were very good to work with.Also was told these people take a fairly long holiday break.
Good Luck

Thanks for all the replies. It sounds like it's not out of line, yet. I was a little worried because it took a little less than three months to get them from Namibia.

Mankazana Safaris has a dip and pack on site. They did ours. Kevin

Seems long from what I've been told.
I also hunted the Eastern Cape but in August. From what I've been told mine should be January. This could be wrong.
Taxidermy Africa is handling the pack and dip for me.

Biebs, I think they used a pressure washer for that See you at Michael's or Ken's booth at DSC?

I use Highveld Taxidermists and stuck with them when you waited almost 2 years for your trophies. These days from delivery and deposit paid to your doorstep is about 11 months for taxidermy. Skulls and skins should not be less than 3 months and not more than 7, even from both North West and Limpopo where I do most of my hunts.

I've hunted in RSA a number of times, and in three other African countries. Except for one zebra skin, haven't had any taxidermy done over there, and have had the stuff here between 4 and 8 months--except for one time when a dipschidt guy in San Francisco decided he'd hold up a warthog for no good reason. That delayed getting the shipment to my taxidermist for another two months, and cost me another $650 in "storage fees."

On my last big game safari went to Tanzania and had all the stuff at my taxidermist in 6 months. They usually get stiuff done in 6-8 months, but that was right after the hunting season here in Montana so my stuff was behind a bunch of elk, deer and pronghorn. They got a couple skull mounts back to me soon enough, but just got word they finished up the remaining pair of shoulder mounts and another zebra rug.

Shooting something on another continent can vary considerably in the time it takes everything to be ready here!

The wife & I left Namibia on Sept. 30 of 2011 and I went to Dallas on May 12th 2012 to pick up our 6 euro mounts plus 3 tanned hides.

See you at the DSC Convention, look me up at booth 3348, Klawerberg-Namibia, Jan Visser is the outfitter & owner.

Well before I could send High Veld a message as to when my stuff
would be ready, I got an email from them telling me they are ready and to send the rest of the $$$$! So shot in June and ready for shipment in January! 2 shoulder mounts and 6 skulls and tanned skins.

So now the question is: what do I do when they get to Atlanta?
Can I go pick them up? How do I get them through customs, etc.?
Never having dealt with this I am totally lost. Any info would be
appreciated.