Well I'am about a year away from having saved enough for a safari. Time to get my ducks in a row. Been doing some research and looking at hunting with Kleinhans safaris in south africa. Anyone have any other outfitters in mind please let me know. After searching this site on doing mounts it sounds like a lot of bad exprincies with mounting the animals. Most of the post are older and was wondering if things have got better as of late. This safari has taxidermy services on site. Best I can figure I can save around 1000 dollars by doing them myself. Been doing taxidermy for around 8 years and the challenge of trying to mount these animals myself is something that peeks my intrest,but really don't want to have poor mounts after the cost of the hunt. What do you folks that have done this type of work think about trying myself or leaving them there to be mounted. If doing them myself could you suggest a tanner that do good work and a supply company that has good forms if there is such a thing sounds like supplies may be very limited. If there are any other suggestions that you would like to throw at me they will be welcome. Thanks in advance. Hope everyone had a good holiday.
Bill
Return to Beginners Category Menu
you really don't want to leave them. I've seen some horrible things come in a crate. Carolina Fur or Lone Star would be my tannery of choice. You can mount them. Just get good reference and follow that. There are some difference, like adding wrinkles, but the finish work is alot different. Basically painting from the back to the front. Since you know what you're doing, you will save yourself some headaches by caping it yourself, they usually split capes from the back to the horns. One suggestion I'd say is to have your mounts treated by Miller's Trophy Room. For like $40 for a deer size mount, you will have an insurance policy from dermestids and such. When you get African stuff if you look in the horns they will have casings from dermestids, so they have already been there and they will eat it all, even the horns. If you have any questions e-mail me and I'll see if I can help. I am not an African specialist or anything but have learned a few things about it. Hope it helps
My buddy just got back from Jon's plains game animal trip, he filled out on all of his game and they are beautiful. Everything is fair chase, and the owner is a great guy to deal with. His site is huntingadventures.net
I hunted last year in Zimbabwe and south africa. I would recommend zimbabwe if you like hunting truly wild game.
I must agree with Greg. Don't leave them over there. Some really rough looking stuff. Looks like the crap I used to do 20 years ago.
You can do it yourself but just be prepared to spend three times as long on it as you think it will take. Lots of little repairs, and lots of form altering if you got your measurments wrong. I suggest you take with you a little pocket note pad and a cloth tape to measure. Take all the measurments you can in the field.
Last but not least, don't give up. I mounted a kudu just this week that took me over 20 hours. The hides can be so hard to work with, with all that extra skin, but you will be amazed how you can finally get it all arranged if you just keep at it. Good luck on the hunt. It is a blast. Can't wait to go again.
Get a price on the dipping and packing and for sure get something on the shipping. It is a racket in my opinion. One of my customers was just charged nearly 400 dollars an animal just in shipping. These were small to medium animals. In other words if it cost 1000 dollars to shoot a kudu figure on more like 1500. I am currently searching out any info I can find on shipping thses skins back so I can keep my clients from being ripped off. If anyone else out there has any info let me know.
Bill, I say "Go For It!" I went Bowhunting in Namibia last August and had the skinner use the "Y" incision on my Gemsbok, Kudu and Eland. The Taxidermy Business that my PH used did a great job preparing the three capes. The shipping was more than I thought was reasonable (almost $900)but everything got here in good shape and the skulls were well done. I wet tanned my capes and am preparing to mount them myself. I bought a Kudu mounting tape from WASCO and plan to mount them myself. The mounting will just add tio the experience of the hunt. Good Luck!
Shoot me a email and I will get you the web site for the safari I'am looking at. The owner says it will be around 600 to ship back That inculdes dipping creating and all the paper work. He might be willing to share the shipping carrier with you if asked in the right form. Greg I will email you in a few days when I have a little more timeto ask a few questions thanks guys.
Bill
said his shipping costs ran around $1300. Bill, please make sur eto e-mail me cause I am possibly planning to go some time within the next few years and would like to know who you used.