Hide Processing

sigm · Mar 3, 2014

We just received our giraffe hide, and to our dismay, there are several holes in the top of the back and in the middle of the backhide (that was going to be a rug). There are also several places where the hair on the hide has fallen off. The tannery in Houston noted that they received the hide in that condition. Is this a common issue?

I do have an inquiry in to our PHs, I am pretty put out with the condition of the hide. Our taxidermist is a good friend, and he will try to work his magic, but he doesn't have a lot to work with.

I am really concerned with the rest of our trophies, we have a zebra (rug) and a life-size nyala on the way, I hope that they are in much better condition.

firehuntfish · Mar 3, 2014

Sigm,

I'm sorry to hear about damage to your giraffe cape. It's a terrible feeling to dicover problems with your trophies so long after hunt....A good taxidermist can work wonders. I hope yours can salvage your trophy. I would definitely inquire with your outfitter as to the source of the problem, and into the possibility of replacing a cape should it turn out to be ruined.

Trophy care, starting with the outfitter, is an often overlooked detail of the safari that too many clients take for granted. The experience of taking great trophy animals is only as good as the skill of the skinners and the immediate effort to get that cape in the salt..... Questions regarding trophy care should always be included in pre-safari planning.

sigm · Mar 3, 2014

We have been good friends with the PHs (and still are, we have know them for several years), but I am very disappointed with the hide. I do have an inquiry in to our PH and am looking for contact information for the dip and prep. Ironically, the dip/prep/ship company has several good reviews here on africahunting.com, but I cannot pull up their website. I am curious to see if they noted any issues with the hide when they received it.

This was our first time over to SA, and it was a great experience. Hopefully we can take our entire family next time and get the boys on some animals.

Diamondhitch · Mar 3, 2014

Hides can be damaged many ways at several stages.

1) skinning delays. Not just in getting the hide off the animal but getting it split salted and out of the sun in a cool area.
2) reusing old salt. This is a common practice and with some management can work. Fresh salt is best, lightly used salt is OK, well used salt creates a bacteria trap that can ruin hides.
3) Salt piles. Also a common practice, piling hides up while in the salt creates heat that can wreck them.
4) Moist dank storage of "dried" hides. another bacteria trap.
5) Stored in the sun, once again heat = bacteria.
6) dried hides stored in large piles with no ventilation. another way to build up heat and accelerate bacterial growth.
7) insect damage
8) Pickle/tan PH
9) hides improperly neutralized after tanning. The acidic condition eats away at the base of the hairs continually until either neutralized or they are all gone.
10) Other things that I cant list because I actually have to do some work right now.

BRICKBURN · Mar 3, 2014

Sorry to hear about the poor result.
Giraffe are one of the hard ones to deal with.

Very large awkward critters to manage and skin.

At Ozondjahe there was a time limit on hunting. The hour of the day that the trophy could not be taken after. It was strictly adhered to.

Simple reason: Not enough time in the day to get the skinning done and get it to the taxidermist/tannery for processing.

If there are any delays, there will be issues and they know it.

Like Diamond noted, there are a lot of things that can go wrong along the way anywhere:
from the field
to transport
to interim storage
to D&P processing
to international shipping
and then the tanning at home.

Hope you can find out where the problem is. Not that it will change the result now.

The only solution now it to get it patched up as best you can.

Diamondhitch · Mar 3, 2014

That's right Wayne. My main point was simply that there are so many ways that the hides can be damaged and at so many different stages by different people and companies that it could be really difficult or impossible to determine exactly where things went wrong.

Sorry to hear about your troubles sigm.

Hide Processing

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