Shipping
Crating and packing of your hunting trophies will take place on our premises, reducing the risk of damage during transit before packing. There are two ways of packing hunting trophies:
1. A custom built crate with a strong wooden frame and covered with plywood sheets on the outside and a frame underneath for a forklift is the first method. All trophies are bubble wrapped, especially around the ears, nose and horns. The complete trophy is then tightened to the wooden frame, so everything inside the crate as well as the crate form a unit and nothing can move. The horns of larger antelope such as Kudu or Oryx will be detachable from the mount so lots of space inside the crate will be saved.
2. The second way of packing is called foam packing; this is a relative new way of packing but very sufficient. Each trophy is also bubble wrapped like in any form of packing then it is covered in a plastic layer and finally covered in a plastic foil. The trophies are not tightened to the side of the crate but loosely packed into the crate. All space in-between trophies and crate is now filled with polyurethane foam to ensure nothing can move inside. This kind of packing is much more expensive than normal packing but your crate is smaller which will bring better rates on freight cost.
We at Nylstroom Taxidermy prefer the first way of packing. It may happen at customs in the country of destination that a spot check may take place. All the trophies must then be inspected to see if all needed export or CITES permits are in place. With the foam packing it will not be possible to get all the trophies back into the crate as they were. Where with the first way, inspection will take place without taking the trophies out of the crate.
EXPORTING:
After all the preparation and taxidermy work are done, export permits received, veterinarian documents signed, trophies inspected, crated and payment received it is time for the crate to leave our studios. An export company will be contacted to come and collect the crate with your hunting trophies and they will make contact with you to finalize the exporting of the crate. They will give you quotes for both sea and air freight as well as all custom cost, insurance, agent fees and delivery cost.
We find that airfreight is the best way for transport; it may well be more expensive than sea freight but you will have your crate much sooner and there will be much less handling to the crate than there will be with sea freight. Keep in mind that our studios are only two hours form Johannesburg International airport but about eight hours from the closest seaport. This will mean extra road transport and more handling of your precious hunting trophies.
INSURANCE:
All trophies that leave our studios will be under insurance organized by our export company. We insist that insurance covering must accompany your crate on its entire journey, this is only a small percentage of the value, but money can never give you back the great memories of your African hunting safari.