If you are getting ready to go on your first safari or have just arrived back home after one, it's important to know the real facts on your trophy care and who is responsible for what. It is not the booking agents responsibility to arrange the dipping and packing of the raw trophies, it is the outfitter/professional hunter, they handle the trophies in the field and collect a fee to handle the dipping and packing.

Here are some tips that can help avoid potential problems.

1. Carry plastic laminated tags with your name, address, phone number & e-mail. Make sure your trophies are tagged, even if you have to do it yourself! Use plastic cable ties to secure the tags to skins and horns/skulls. Remember, don't rely on someone else to do it - MAKE SURE IT GETS DONE! These are your trophies. If you you receive the wrong trophy or it comes up missing... well, you get the picture.

2. Take enough tags for horns, capes, any desired back skins and skulls (lion, leopard, etc...).

3. Carry a copy of the exact location the taxidermist wants the trophies sent to, and who they use as a broker to get your trophies cleared through customs and USDA. The brokers can also help with trophies requiring special permits, like CITES animals (leopard, elephant, rhino). Swine and primates also require additional permits. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have all of your paperwork in order and from the broker before you leave.

4. Get a deadline from your outfitter on getting trophies shipped. Normally they can have it done in 120 days. Some areas do not transport the entire trophies from the hunting season, until the end of that season. These are typically countries like Tanzania, Botswana, and Cameron. South Africa is normally much quicker on shipping times.

5. You need to be very well informed on this part. Many South African professional hunters/outfitters are directing clients to leave their trophies behind for local taxidermist! Typically these prices are much cheaper than taxidermists in the US (remember you get what you pay for!). I cannot stress this enough. No matter what you do, get the EXACT prices in WRITING and guarantees in WRITING on when you can expect to receive your trophies. Other downsides to using a South African taxidermist is the higher shipping charge you'll pay, and if there is any damage during shipment, you'll still need a US based taxidermist to fix it for you. I have remounted many trophies that were done very poorly, and have seen customers also have to pay a much higher price than they were originally quoted.

Again, remember, you get what you pay for. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and to protect those hard earned trophies.

Jim Guist