/ Register

  1. Welcome to Taxidermy.net, Guest!
    We have put together a brief tutorial to help you with the site, click here to access it.

My first safari...

Discussion in 'Deer and Gameheads' started by Wolfe, Jul 5, 2013.

  1. Jul 5, 2013 #1
    Wolfe

    Wolfe Member

    201
    0
    Hide are finally in the shop. I'm excited to finally get to work on some African mounts (Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Impala, Zebra)
    I received the horns/skulls last month and I was surprised to see horns already reattached to the skulls (on most of them) I can't see any reference holes so I hope the horns aren't attached too low???

    Few questions....
    I am surprised how much stretch these hides have. Do I stretch these out like a whitetail....or is it possible to overstretch them?
    I normally use earliners. Should I continue with this practice....or would bondo be a preferred method on these short hair critters?
    Can I expect any surprises....compared to our North American game???

    Thanks.....very excited,
    Scott

    ...and yes, I have lots of reference ;)
     
  3. Jul 5, 2013 #2
    Bill Yox

    Bill Yox Well-Known Member

    13,201
    87
    Madison, Georgia
    The type of questions you asked make me wonder if youre ready for african work, or at least how much experience you have in taxidermy in general. I say this because a good tanned skin that stretches is a good thing, its simple to just soak and sweat it, and measure it. Also, to ask about switching from liners to bondo is odd to me as well. If theres liners available, and you already use them...why not? Bondo works in some species like a warthog, and Im sure many zebras have been done with it too, but if youre comfortable with liners theres no reason to question it or switch. Most likely the horns are not reattached. Some will slip off the cleaned skulls, others look as though they were never removed. Thats the tricky part. A rule of thumb is, when a skull with horns is boiled/dried, an amount of the base "cuticle" is also removed, so try not to slide the horns down too tight, and use the cape as a pattern to help you set them.

    As for surprises, well...yeah, you might see some. The ear liner looks like it wont slide through the ear butt into the ear on the kudu (it will though). The zebra might be cut through the mane, if so, youll spend extra time matching the hair patterns/color patterns. Enjoy the seam on the impala and springbok, youll love where the hair goes up the neck instead of down on the impala. The gemsbok and zebra, and also the kudu, will be the most fun to mount, in my opinion. I love gemsboks and zebras that are tanned well.

    Have fun and enjoy!
     

  5. Jul 5, 2013 #3
    *

    * Liberalism IS A MENTAL ILLNESS !

    6,525
    415
    Springbok, Wildebeeste and Impala horns will never come off. If your Gems Kudu and Waterbuck are not sliding off then unless you see bondo or 2 part plastic inside somewhere up inside your asking for BUGS....in 30 years I've never seen a dip pack or taxidermist secure kudu gems or waterbuck horns on for you....I'll bet the farm they were boiled and never removed there is still cooked tissue inside on the cores...

    As for horns being on to low it's never a problem if they kudu gems and waterbuk won't come off they haven't CLEANED PROPERLY...

    U can never get African horns back on too LOW..

    Skinner will cut away way more tissue from the base of the horn than you think. They almost always are short at the horn base.
     
  6. Jul 5, 2013 #4
    Wolfe

    Wolfe Member

    201
    0
    Thanks guys....
    I've been doing "North American" taxidermy for 12 years and feel quite comfortable tackling the African stuff.

    The "odd" questions were based on a few things....obvious bad advice from someone that pretended to know what they were talking about....and a lack of knowledge on my part.
    As far as the bad advise goes....I was informed that I would destroy the ears trying to remove the cartilage. This was one person's opinion...so I felt it best to ask here (glad I did)

    As far as the knowledge thing goes....I didn't realize that some of the critters horn's didn't come off. The wildebeest skull has a brown, epoxy like substance around the base of the horns...I assumed they were attached and the edges "finished" while in Africa. Silly me ;) I just assumed the waterbuck and impala horns were reattached also. The kudu, springbok, and gemsbok horns were not attached.

    ...and, now that I think about it, my "stretch" question was a little on the dumb side. I guess I was having flashbacks of when I did my first bear. I was surprised how well it stretched...but unfortunately I was stretching it in the wrong direction. Based on the length measurement...I was gonna end up with a wiener dog for a bear mount. Good info on taxi.net saved me ;)

    Thanks for the info....

    PS...I tend to get a tad bit nervous when trying something new....hence the "dumb" questions.

    Have a great weekend!!!
     
  7. Jul 5, 2013 #5
    Bill Yox

    Bill Yox Well-Known Member

    13,201
    87
    Madison, Georgia
    Lol, I get you better now. Sometimes when I answer something, I tread lightly as Im not always sure who I am talking to...a guy just starting or a guy with your 12 years experience. Bottom line is, have fun. And yes, you can build up the bottom of the horn base that was removed, thus setting the horns a tad bit higher. Think of it as how they do cape buffalo boss, and go from there! Take * advice too, he does more african than I do...
     
  8. Jul 6, 2013 #6
    Keith

    Keith Well-Known Member

    2,336
    3,021
    Minnesota
    Sometimes some sort of black silicon caulk is put around the base of the Gnu horns. This might be what you are talking about. If this is the case, remove it and refill the gap between core and horns. I pour fiberglass resin in the gap.
     
  9. Jul 6, 2013 #7
    LordRusty

    LordRusty If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

    5,722
    307
    Ohio
    I have several sets of Impala and Springbok that are free of the horn sheaths. Sometimes they get them off sometimes they do not ... there's no never about it. The same holds true for Kudu. They should be removed from their core ... it depends on how well they are treated while in Africa. I have several Steenbok skulls and skull plates ... some horn sheaths are freed, some are not ... and these are small, straight up and down 'simple' horns! Those that are 'stuck' will require soaking and working to free from their cores. Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Topi, and Cape Buffalo do not come off ... the recurved horns can't get past their cores.

    I use earliners ... always have, always will. Sometimes you have to work the cartilage with your hands to fully soften it up for removal ... I've even used a rawhide mallet to help break up the fibers, but only after thoroughly soaking the cape and letting it sweat overnight.

    Matuska Supply carries a nice selection of African earliners made by Gary Zehner. The shapes are well made and the edges thin fairly easily.
    http://www.matuskataxidermy.com/catparts2.asp?Cat=38
    Scroll down for the African earliners.

    For softening skins, here you go ...
    http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,256112.msg1780202.html#msg1780202

    For the best stitch for African short haired skins ...
    http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,257445.0.html

    Best of luck to you!
     
  10. Jul 6, 2013 #8
    TIMBUCK

    TIMBUCK Active Member

    632
    82
    South Texas
    All of my Impala and springbok come in de-cored. Well 90 percent.