African Safari Trophies have arrived!

I have been working with the taxidermist in South Africa since about May to get the heads and hides shipped over.  It's been a journey, same as the trip itself.

Once the animals were done at the taxidermist, they were crated and delivered to the shipper.  The shipper got the crate from SA to Chicago.  I then had to hire an 'agent' in Chicago to retrieve the crate, deliver it to both the US Fish & Wildlife (who authorized that the animals were legal to hunt and possess in the USA) and then to Customs (who charged us $300 in taxes to import these "goods").  Bastards.

Once cleared in Chicago, they were put on a semi and delivered to my door step, with a little help from Pa Jerry, who met the semi and loaded the crate into a pick-up truck.

So all told, it took 8 months to have the animal heads & hides processed at the taxidermist.  It took another 3 months to get them shipped and cleared into the US of A.

You want some pricing?

Six heads and three hides at taxidermist - $3200 (roughly)
Shipping from SA to Chicago - $750
Clearing Customs and shipping Chicago to Mulberry - $750
Total - priceless

I had planned $3k just for my part.  I came out a little ahead, at just under $2,400.

It took us a little less than 2 hours to have an "un-crating party" to get them out and relive the stories...we might of had a brew or three...


This crate holds 6 animal heads and three hides.
I thought it would be bigger.

The heads were all wrapped, with critical bits (ears and noses) covered in bubble wrap.
They were screwed to the side of the crate to keep them from moving around.

RePhil with his blesbok.

Me & RePhil with our impala.
Yes, Mine is Bigger!

My Blue Wildebeest hide.
I think it should be our new comforter on the bed.
I have been vetoed.
No, there are not at least 3 empty beer bottles in this picture.

Comments

  1. Dave PorrillJuly 24, 2016 at 1:38 PM

    Nice one dude... And enough memories to last a lifetime! Looking forward to seeing them on my next visit...

    ReplyDelete

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