Bug infested shipment

[sonnyn913]

I just received my taxidermy shipment from my last safari. I opened the crate and my worst nightmare was realized. I found beetles in my shipment and my skins are destroyed. My skulls have been over-bleached to the point where my giraffe skull just crumbles. My tanned hides have big and multiple spots where the fur is missing and the hide is bleach white in the areas. As I unroll the hides I find multiple beetles and larva casings in each and every one. The taxidermist took the liberty to cut off the front of the warthog snout on 3 of the skulls because I guess he deemd them too small to do the regular european mount. 1 warthog skull was left in-tact. The giraffe leg bones were still oily to the touch and were not dried properly. My zebra skin must have hung on a metal rack fur-side down because it and couple of my other hides have rust stains on the fur all the way across them. What would you do if you received a box from your outfitter/taxidermist like this? I will send pics when I can get them on my computer, I am just too frustrated right now. Sonny

 

[accipiter]

Who was the taxidermist?

I am trying to avoid this predicament as we speak - I will not send payment until I see photos of the finished taxidermy.

You should definitely contact the taxidermist, send photos and explain the work is unacceptable. Hopefully you get a reasonable reply from him.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I’d make a phone call, if that doesn’t get results I’d get on a plane and go wear his ass out! Bad advice but I don’t think I could help myself.
Man that Sucks! Sorry to hear this!

 

[Mekaniks]

How did the crate get through US customs? USFW?
Who was the taxidermist and shipping co?
Pics???

 

[johnnyblues]

That’s really bad news. I’m sorry. You have to contact the taxidermist who did the dip and pack. It’s outrageous! I too would like to know how this got past USDA. I would assume the capes were too dry to open up. Man I’m sorry. This is not the first time I’ve heard this. Yes please share who did the dip/ pack.

 

[cpr0312]

Call and email asap! Hopefully they will work with you to rectify the situation.

 

[BRICKBURN]

That news makes me . Having your trophies botched like that is pure negligence.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) certainly did not inspect that crate properly.

Was this shipment from your hunt with Pawprint Safaris?
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/south-africa-hunting-report-with-pawprint-safaris.40418/
I hope they can assist you in getting this rectified.

 

[BWH]

That’s pretty much most of our worst nightmares.... almost like a sabotage from the taxidermists..... not saying it is. Just saying. Man that totally sucks!!!!

 

[sonnyn913]

It sure does suck. This was not a dip and pack. I paid to have the tanning on all of the hides and capes there. I wont confirm or deny anything at this point as to the outfitter. I want to let them try to work it out with me. I just wanted opinions on what you all would do. I will send pics as soon as I can get them off my phone and onto this computer. I think the USFWS just popped the top and saw it was hides and let it go. It was last Friday before they went on the 3 day weekend. There are bugs crawling on most items. I will post pics soon. There 18 animals in there inc. giraffe, red lechwe, the rest of my springbok grandslam, white blesbok,zebras, oryx, close to $20,000 in animals.......Sonny

 

[sonnyn913]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to treat it at this point to be able to rid them of the bugs? Rent a storage unit and bomb it?

 

[Mekaniks]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to treat it at this point to be able to rid them of the bugs? Rent a storage unit and bomb it?

Take the entire crate to a local taxidermist and ask him to sort it for you, in my opinion

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Wow, sorry to hear this @sonnyn913. Have no idea how it really gets fixed for you, but I hope it does.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I hope someone has an idea for you.

 

[lil 2 sleepy]

Don’t take it to a storage unit and bomb it. Some stuff might get out and into other peoples stuff.

I agree, take it to a taxidermist and ask for help.

I hate it for you. Maybe the outfitter/taxi will get you some capes at none or little cost.

I think someone on here had some capes of a few animals. Might have some you are missing

 

[JakeH]

That’s just awful. I’d definitely be naming names and I hope the situation gets rectified soon!

 

[Wheels]

That is really bad. Hope you get some satisfaction

 

[harden]

First off a lot of crates are not opened by USFW or USDA just to many of them, I've opened some up that turned into what looked like a fish fly invasion in Michigan in June...Swarmed...
Yours should have because of the cites lechwe. BUT you didn't have any RAW skins so concern was limited....
Johnny blues you stay you never heard of it I've opened a thousand crates this happens all the time , all the time. I get bugs in many many crates 10-20 % 0f them but usually RAW skins are less susesptable to bug damage as they are to low PH heavily salted and dusted with BIG KILLER " Seven" . If they get in eat to usually die' eating it.
10%-20% of all skins from Africa will HAVE BIG ISSUES , We just don't tel you about it and repair and move on.
If we can repair airbrush and get the skin together WE JUST DO IT. Why get you all upset, If its not mountable , in my shop 1% on average, 1 out of 100 skins or capes , except genets and small cats BUGS love them best.... we replace it if we have a stock one that was given to us by a client not mounting the trophy and keep on hand just for this kinda crap.

Tanned capes from AFRICA ARE big no-no.... Pieces of flesh although tanned and grease unless it's degreased PROPERLY still remain on the skin around the eyes and nose and ears and the PH is higher. This and improper tanning and leaving the protein capsule at the end of each hair follicle on badly tanned skins done with third world tanning chemicals IS A BANQUET for BUGS. They eat the microscope protein sack and cut the hair follicle at the skin line and move to the next one....
This lets you all know tanning is no guarantee of no bug problems , even after mounting, Dermacid beetles are everywhere in nature and if you have a dog cat to carry one in or open any windows and a torn screen in your home at any time they CAN get in and eat your mounts and skins. After TANNING and MOUNTING.

Feel bad for you and I wonder if you were talked into getting them tanned their to save freight and dip pack costs?

TANNING IN AFRICA in my opinion is inferior to what is done in the states. The Chemicals are of less quality and production of these IS vital to finished quality. Some can argue but I've been in this business full time as my only living for over 39 years and 10 years before that I did it part time and was in high school.

MY OPINON, and it's MY OPINION... NEVER DEAL with a taxidermy company in africa for DIP PACK IF you can ! USE A DIP PACK ONOY COMPANY, there is no conflict of interest......
Those dip pack skins are not being mounted by them so in my opinion they don't care as much
There used to a BIG DIP PACK Company in Africa that ONLY did Dip pack, now he's into taxidermy and guess what
In the last year now 50% of his stuff comes on with bugs and or Bug Damage. NEVER did in the 15 years I had dealt with him.

If you had Insurance you have a chance at something if its covered.
Replacement hides, from anyone of Africa is a far stretch. SO many fees to pay to government for trophy fee and documentation export fees and then you have an Issue with a cites, Your Lechwe if cites was only importable with that permit, You would have to get another to import another lechwe IF it is cites.

Don't take them to a taxidermist yet , your crate is a business KILLER for them, Keep it away. Don't infest their studio...Get 6 to 9 bug bombs Immediatly from hardwde store ORANGE one set them off in the crate seal it up and let them smoke it out. Now you juts killed the adults in a few days guess what the larvea hatch you have to do it again before they breed. The will be inside the horns and MOST LIKELY is where they CAME FROM, still have boiled meat an tissue in them. You got more problems not, you have to BOIL them all and them get some 2 part epoxy of 2 part foam into the horns that don't come off because f=of the curve in them.

Wonderful life being a taxidermist. I do this all time and that is why I RECOMMEND certain companied and NOT others. I get tired of saving someone stuff that I had no part of screwing up and do it without question and or comment to my clients except for " its got bug issues, I got this covered " and then save their stuff....

YOUR BEST COURSE of action get PH and Dip packer / taxidermist to buy new tanned capes here in the US, may cost them a few thousand but cheaper than them trying to re tan and get ones here from there. I don't see it happen much at all. I have lots of capes, A LOT of them.

 

[sonnyn913]

there is no way to replace the giraffe rug and cape or the zebra rug, same on the skulls. someone elses just doesn't cut it for my trophy. the taxi oiled my horns and they all look like sh#$.

I tend to think he did not know what he was doing and tried to do that to make it look like he did more work for his $ or something. the giraffe feet were soaked upside down in some solution and the top of the hooves are bleached and ruined, I am just sick.

 

[sonnyn913]

thanks for the info Dennis, I was going to use you for the lechwe and the zebra pedestal mount and possibly the giraffe

 

[harden]

I understand your upset, but even insurance, if applicable, is only responsible to replace them with similar pieces. Unless you had insured them thru SCI and their replacement program to get money for the hunt and expenses. It aint cheap tho, but you can insure them. But most of the time After they are mounted. Trying not to upset you anymore but loose a computer in a fire you just get a new computer not any value for all that was on it. If replacement skins are not to your acceptance then your in for a legal monetary battle across a 7,000 mile ocean. Giraffe cape are avail. Giraffe rugs are avail. Zebra are avail...The Giraffe legs may not be what you think, The transition from the Hide to the Kertin hoof is very greasy and oily when tanned it shrinks a lot if you don't now what your doing, he may not have, and then it all has to be airbrushed back to color. All my upper giraffe hooves turn white and then we airbrush them into transition.

PS The giraffe bones needed to be soaked after boiling in Acetone or Alcohol HEATED for months to get the grease out of the bone, the marrow is grease and still in there