African trophy import costs

Highly recommend Martin at Quest/Rainbow Freight - details in earlier posts. Have used them since 2015. Costs have gone up by at least 25% since pre-covid - got my 2019 trophies back in July. Its getting very expensive and silly at the moment and your costs will depend on who is your shipping agent plus what you have to bring back. As was said everyone is taking a bigger cut and screwing you where they can over there. Shipping costs will also have risen but not sure by how much - container shipping costs have gone up 500% this year!

Not sure I will be bringing any more trophies back from Africa in the future as I think they are all really taking the ****!!! You have very little option other to pay what is being asked once your goods are ready to ship. At least Quest / Rainbow Freight are honest and will not rip you off once they have your package.
 
Well I received a black bear from Canada as a shoulder mount and have just paid £1371 for shipping and Martin’s duties.

Plus send a crate to usa by sea freight and cost me £1823

We are being robbed but they know there’s nothing you can do except pay it

This is why I hunt in Europe only now as cheap fo get skulls and skins back
 
I Have also used Martin many times very good ,more recently I have been bringing stuff back in my own luggage ie the stuff shot the year before from namibia especially skins smaller skull mounts even a kudu ...as long as paperwork there side is in order in case you are stopped at check in and you have your permit , pay for additional luggage and push airline limits on sizes ,The uk side has been easy no questions ....

Just check the arline carrier baggage restrictions, its legaly yours , you paid for it ,had it processed properly and certified , legaly taken etc etc ,
if its not on a permit you have a gift letter from outfitter you should be good to go ......

On the Reverse I took a large fallow, an 8 point Sika couple munty and some skins to namibia ,packed into a used material padded cycle bag (£20 ebay) ,along with a complete football kit for a youth team ,sports luggage packed in for good measure ..... for further protection it was a massive bag .
I had to have a uk vet and Namibia paperwork in place purely for Namibia side but it went through a doddle thought it was a challenge but excess payment for sport luggage no body queried it .........I did laugh when the baggage handler uk side asked me if the tyres were deflated and the pedals padded from piercing bag I just smiled nodded and agreed with him, once checked was slightly worried re the smaller internal SAA flight JBRG to Windhoek plane but it was checked through I even saw it on its own baggage trolley cart being deliverd to the small plane JBRG ,we all arrived no problem ,
did make for campfire talk ......
 
Also I think the below was mentioned a few years ago somewhere on SD ,
if you bring skull mounts/mounts into uk if they are on import paperwork as mounted on a shield you do not have to pay uk vet fees I recently imported a cape buff skull and had it mounted on a piece of shuttering ply shaped like a shield (paperwork correct for entry ) and avoided uk fees ,if you speak with Martin at Quest he will explain more ,makes for and easier more cost effective turn around UK side ...only certain items need uk vet inspection I believe .
maybe someone on SD has further info on this as there was something regarding dip and pack and vet inspection I seem to remember
 
I brought back a whittail deer shoulder mount from Alberta a few years back, got all the vets certificate, export licence, import licence etc myself. Airline took the mick and raped me after they made a mistake on baggage size, admitted they wrongly advised me then charged $460 CAD for excess baggage, they knew I was screwed as there I was at the airport with this thing in the X-Ray scanner. I made a crate from treated timnber, fixed mount inside and took as hand luggage, it was oversize but still all in cost only around £750 for taxidermy, and packaging plus carrage.

U.K customs seemed confused at best and after a brief look at all paperwork, sent me on my way, no import fees, nothing. No U.K Vet inspection as I had correct export Vet inspection paperwork. Cant say I will be so lucky next time and I know taxidermy has doubled since then, but still after a bit of pain, getting vets cert etc, it was worth the savings!
 
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