How it works

Shipping trophies home takes a few steps and a fair bit of paperwork. Here’s what happens, from the end of your hunt to the day your trophies arrive.

Want an idea of the cost up front? Request an estimate. Your estimate is based on the details you give us. It becomes a firm quote once we have the actual weights and dimensions, usually when your crates are measured and weighed at check-in.

Step 1: Get the paperwork in order

Before your trophies can be exported, the right documents must be in place. Usually these include:

• a copy of the PH hunting register (the original may be requested)
• the P3 exemption letter, showing where the hunt took place
• the landowner’s permission letter
• a hunting permit, if a TOPS-listed species was hunted
• the taxidermy invoice
• the export permit
• veterinary documents (usually arranged by the taxidermist)

The date on the export permit must match the date on the PH register. For CITES-listed species you will usually need a CITES import permit from your own country before a CITES export permit can be issued, so apply early.

Who arranges what

• We handle the TOPS, CITES, veterinary and provincial transport and export permits needed to move your trophies from the taxidermist to our warehouse and to export them.
• You and your outfitter or PH are responsible for the hunting permits, the PH hunting register and the related hunting approvals.

How long it takes: permits usually take 3–4 weeks, depending on the government departments involved.

Step 2: Crating, collection, check-in and your formal quote

When your taxidermist tells us your trophies are ready, we either build custom crates at the taxidermist’s premises or collect the crates the taxidermist has built. We collect from anywhere in South Africa and check everything into our warehouse. We measure and weigh every crate and open your export file.

You’ll hear from us within 48 hours of check-in. Using the actual dimensions and weights, we work out the chargeable weight and send you a formal quote in US dollars. If you received an estimate earlier, from us or from your taxidermist or outfitter, the formal quote may differ, because the estimate was based on the details given at the time and on estimated sizes.

At this stage you can also ask us, in writing, to arrange optional insurance at 1% of the insured value, in US dollars, with no minimum premium. The insured value is based on Zingela’s suggested values for each species.

Step 3: Payment, booking and export

To go ahead, accept the quote, pay (by bank transfer or Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club or American Express card) and email us your order with proof of payment. We then send you an Order Confirmation, as set out in our Terms and Conditions of Supply. Once your order is confirmed and all documents are in order, we:

• book your cargo on the first available flight (or in a container, if you’re shipping by sea)
• take the documents to the nature conservation office to be endorsed
• clear the consignment through customs
• deliver the cargo to the airport or port

We send the flight details to you and to your broker, if you use one. We track the shipment, and if a carrier delay causes a problem, we let everyone involved know. The times on this page are estimates; delivery times are covered in our Terms.

Step 4: Arrival and clearance

When your trophies land at the port of entry, they must be cleared by the wildlife and customs authorities in your country. We recommend using a broker, who can clear the shipment and arrange delivery from the port to you. Let us know who your broker is, or ask us to refer you to one we have a track record with.

Charges at destination are not included in our estimate or quote. These include destination broker fees, import duties and taxes, USFWS/USDA inspection fees, delivery from the port of entry and any other charges in your country. They are payable by you at destination, and we have no control over them. We don’t offer door-to-door delivery.

Our optional insurance ends at the first port of entry. From there, your broker or clearing agent can arrange insurance through their own providers if you need it.