NZ Trophy Export costs

[406 Wildlife pilot]

Thanks for the reply! Did you check it in a cooler?

 

[txco]

Has anyone done this from Europe/Spain?

 

[glass eye]

Thanks for the reply! Did you check it in a cooler?

Coolers are bulky and heavy.
I use large dry bags. For frozen items I insulate with dirty clothes etc.

 

[406 Wildlife pilot]

Coolers are bulky and heavy.
I use large dry bags. For frozen items I insulate with dirty clothes etc.

Nice, Great Idea! horns in the Dry bag as well?

 

[bowhuntoholic]

Heading to NZ in a few weeks to hunt a 360-400" red stag, Arawapa ram, and feral goat. I talked to the taxidermist that my outfitter uses asking them for an estimate to have the 3 animals euro mounted and shipped to San Francisco International airport. Below is a breakdown of the costs in US dollars:

These costs are known and accurate
Euro stag - $240
Euro ram - $190
Euro goat - $190
travel documents - $220
Trucking to Christchurch airport - $350

These costs are estimates as we don't know the size of the crate or wt
Crate and packing - $450
Air freight - $1350

Total costs would be $3K and this is we me clearing the shipment thru customs and picking up the crate at SFO. I'm finding these costs to be dang high but haven't shipped anything from NZ before. I was afraid of these costs but others have said the prices were a lot more reasonable as of late.

If anyone has any recent knowledge of costs for shipping of trophies from NZ please let me know what your thoughts are. Or if you have a recommendation for a taxidermist in the Christchurch area that is good or more reasonably priced please let me know. For the first time I am seriously considering just taking photos and leaving the horns behind or maybe just splitting the skull cap and trying to take the stag horns back with me for just a horn mount.

Thanks

I am only familiar with South Africa. Those prices are higher than what we paid . We got trophies back a couple of months ago and just the crating and shipping was around 4k

 

[406 Wildlife pilot]

Thank you for the quick reply! Yes I had no issues with the meat in check bags the last two trips, but this will be my first time tryin to bring back taxidermy including salted skins. Did you need to fill out the import forms from US Fish and Wildlife? Or just your usual NZ documentation and airport declaration forms? Did you just seal the salted Tahr skin in plastic and throw in luggage?

HI Mattie, did you get your trophies home ok with this? I am headed to NZ in a week and will be hopefully bringing Tahr and Chois back. skins and horns

 

[glass eye]

Nice, Great Idea! horns in the Dry bag as well?

Yes

 

[406 Wildlife pilot]

I am back now and it was very pleased as this thread had helped me save a ton of money and time and everything went as advertised! I brought 2 capes, salted and two skulls of Tahr, chamois and two antlers from a Fallow deer cut off at the base. I boiled the skulls clean and fleshed and salted the capes (1/2 lifesize). Actually did all the skinning and salting in the hotel, hung them in the shower to dry a bit. Teh shower water wshed it out quite nice to my wifes delight! filled out the NZ export form (https://www.mpi.govt.nz/take-or-send-from-nz/taking-home-your-trophy-or-hide-from-nz) and had a copy of the CITIES letter for US. I placed all of it in a dry bag and then in a regular suitcase. I declared it at US Customs in San Fran and they checked it all out. The US cu0stoms officer said that she was happy I had the NZ export form to clarify the species , it made it easeier and she let me check it through with my regular luggage back to my home in Montana.

 

[Buzzy]

I am back now and it was very pleased as this thread had helped me save a ton of money and time and everything went as advertised! I brought 2 capes, salted and two skulls of Tahr, chamois and two antlers from a Fallow deer cut off at the base. I boiled the skulls clean and fleshed and salted the capes (1/2 lifesize). Actually did all the skinning and salting in the hotel, hung them in the shower to dry a bit. Teh shower water wshed it out quite nice to my wifes delight! filled out the NZ export form (https://www.mpi.govt.nz/take-or-send-from-nz/taking-home-your-trophy-or-hide-from-nz) and had a copy of the CITIES letter for US. I placed all of it in a dry bag and then in a regular suitcase. I declared it at US Customs in San Fran and they checked it all out. The US cu0stoms officer said that she was happy I had the NZ export form to clarify the species , it made it easeier and she let me check it through with my regular luggage back to my home in Montana.

Glad to hear it went smoothly and congrats on a great hunt. . Going over in 2 weeks and hope to do the same with a cape and skull plate from a tahr. One question is what is the CITES letter that you talk about? Is that part of the documents you received from the NZ export agency? Thanks

 

[406 Wildlife pilot]

Just bring a copy of this letter, it kinda goes without saying for NZ folks but it declares the Tahr and Chamois as non Cities. The customs really didnt care about it but I read where you should have it.

 

[Buzzy]

Just bring a copy of this letter, it kinda goes without saying for NZ folks but it declares the Tahr and Chamois as non Cities. The customs really didnt care about it but I read where you should have it.

Thanks. Much appreciated.