Best taxidermy mounts? Needing some inspiration

wildfowler.250

wildfowler.250

AH senior member
Joined
Jan 20, 2019
Messages
82
Reaction score
54
Hunting reports
Africa
1
Right folks, what’s the best taxidermy mounts you’ve either 1) seen on the internet if you can find the photo or 2) have had done yourself?

I’ll probably get the mounts done in the uk,(spread costs out if needed, actually get the capes across before any daft legislation etc) but who would you say is the best taxidermist in SA? Splitting image? Highveld?


I’m really looking into plains game but keen to see anything. Even to see some more common poses to see what I like,(eg ear position, turn ).


Help me out. Plus I’ve got a year until I go and actually can’t wait that long..
 
Use that year to actually visit all the taxidermist options in the uk and use that knowledge to pick the one your stuff will go to.

Taxidermy is very “eye of the beholder.”

That said surfing the net will give you ideas about poses and positions you find most agreeable and creative. YouTube also has footage of competitions that you can view that will be helpful in your research.

Good luck!
 
Firebird said:
Use that year to actually visit all the taxidermist options in the uk and use that knowledge to pick the one your stuff will go to.

Taxidermy is very “eye of the beholder.”

That said surfing the net will give you ideas about poses and positions you find most agreeable and creative. YouTube also has footage of competitions that you can view that will be helpful in your research.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I like the YouTube idea, thanks! I’ve certainly got a chap here that I would use all being well. Doesn’t hurt to have a plan B though in case of retirement or other commitments coming up
 
Whatever poses you choose, pay for quality work. I have a couple of friends who have spent fortunes hunting globally and apparently are committed to saving money on taxidermy. Their mounts resemble something found in an Egyptian tomb rather than on the veldt. If you browse this site you can find examples of some of the very best and worst anywhere.
 
Do a lot of looking. Check out lots of shops work, local and in Africa. And online taxidermy supply sites will help a lot too, giving you more ideas. One little thing I don't get is plain straight shoulder mounts. Straight out of the wall, looking straight ahead. Those typically look lifeless to me. Even a little offset or turn does a lot to make it go from "deer in the headlights" to alive. My eland has a light right turn, and it improved it in my opinion.
1000003998.jpg

Don't forget about skull mounts, also great if done well.
1000003999.jpg
 
Last edited:
Ryan said:
Do a lot of looking. Check out lots of shops work, local and in Africa. And online taxidermy supply sites will help a lot too, giving you more ideas. One little thing I don't get is plain straight shoulder mounts. Straight out of the wall, looking straight ahead. Those typically look lifeless to me. Even a little offset or turn does a lot to make it go from "deer in the headlights" to alive. My eland has a light right turn, and it improved it in my opinion.
View attachment 596591
Don't forget about skull mounts, also great if done well. View attachment 596592
Click to expand...

They all look great! Work done in states or Africa? Funnily, if I get a black wildebeest the I will go for a euro mount, they look great!


Also if anyone has any zebra mounts in particular, I’d be very interested. Who knows if I’ll hunt one but I’m tempted. I still can’t decide if the chess piece mounts look excellent or will look strange over time.
 
Red Leg said:
Whatever poses you choose, pay for quality work. I have a couple of friends who have spent fortunes hunting globally and apparently are committed to saving money on taxidermy. Their mounts resemble something found in an Egyptian tomb rather than on the veldt. If you browse this site you can find examples of some of the very best and worst anywhere.
Click to expand...

Agree with that! Nothing worse than bad taxidermy. Although I very much get the impression, field prep prior to taxidermist makes a heck of a difference
 
wildfowler.250 said:
They all look great! Work done in states or Africa? Funnily, if I get a black wildebeest the I will go for a euro mount, they look great!


Also if anyone has any zebra mounts in particular, I’d be very interested. Who knows if I’ll hunt one but I’m tempted. I still can’t decide if the chess piece mounts look excellent or will look strange over time.
Click to expand...
Everything African was done there. It worked out a lot better for me. That said, be picky, like anywhere, there is good, bad and ugly. The kudu and skulls were done in Namibia by a place I don't believe does taxidermy any more. The eland was done in South Africa by Relive taxidermy. I think they're part of Splitting Image now. I got some good head mounts and some not so good skull mounts done by Safari taxidermy in the Limpopo region. My complaints with the skulls are that they painted them white when we had a written agreement- no paint. And instead of sanding the teeth down they appeared to have just chiseled them down rather rough. They aren't horrible, but they are second rate, and their costs were first rate.

I have a regular zebra pedestal. I like it, but they didn't do the mane well. Also, it takes up a lot of space, I think I'd do a wall pedestal instead if I did it over.
1000004002.jpg
 
wildfowler.250 said:
They all look great! Work done in states or Africa? Funnily, if I get a black wildebeest the I will go for a euro mount, they look great!


Also if anyone has any zebra mounts in particular, I’d be very interested. Who knows if I’ll hunt one but I’m tempted. I still can’t decide if the chess piece mounts look excellent or will look strange over time.
Click to expand...
20190623_102522.jpg
20190623_102535.jpg
20191225_235905.jpg
20200107_091241.jpg
20200107_091934.jpg
20200107_091226.jpg
 
My friends and I used Life Form taxidermy in South Africa for our 2021 safari. We are all very pleased with our trophies and their customer service was second to none. I highly recommend Life Form.

Life Form
 
Ryan said:
Everything African was done there. It worked out a lot better for me. That said, be picky, like anywhere, there is good, bad and ugly. The kudu and skulls were done in Namibia by a place I don't believe does taxidermy any more. The eland was done in South Africa by Relive taxidermy. I think they're part of Splitting Image now. I got some good head mounts and some not so good skull mounts done by Safari taxidermy in the Limpopo region. My complaints with the skulls are that they painted them white when we had a written agreement- no paint. And instead of sanding the teeth down they appeared to have just chiseled them down rather rough. They aren't horrible, but they are second rate, and their costs were first rate.

I have a regular zebra pedestal. I like it, but they didn't do the mane well. Also, it takes up a lot of space, I think I'd do a wall pedestal instead if I did it over. View attachment 596609
Click to expand...

Thanks! Splitting image do seem very good on paper. Although they will only show the best ones I suppose.
Didn’t think the floor ped would take that much more space but I suppose it does. I’ve got a red stag on a ped and figured it can ‘go anywhere’ if we move house and walls change etc.
I feel your pain there, hate a painted skull. I’ve had a couple back which I’m fairly sure have a varnish on them and i hate it.
ActionBob said:
View attachment 596667View attachment 596668View attachment 596669View attachment 596670View attachment 596671View attachment 596673
Click to expand...
Excellent!
yhc said:
My friends and I used Life Form taxidermy in South Africa for our 2021 safari. We are all very pleased with our trophies and their customer service was second to none. I highly recommend Life Form.

Life Form
Click to expand...

They actually look really good. Hadn’t heard about them before. They are a good 6 hours from where I’m hunting though so maybe that’s a logistical issue? Can I ask what the turnaround time for them was?
 
I think Life-Form do amazing work & Nico Van Rooyen have done for a very long time.

Most if not all the others I have seen are very hit & miss, I suspect because there are some many "Boys" working out the back as Taxidermists & only a couple of them are actually any good/craftsmen/artist.

I see most people can't seem to see the difference between mediocre & great Taxidermy from the comments I see on here & many other sites, where the posters will praise a mount which is actually rubbish !
 
wildfowler.250 said:
They actually look really good. Hadn’t heard about them before. They are a good 6 hours from where I’m hunting though so maybe that’s a logistical issue? Can I ask what the turnaround time for them was?
Click to expand...
Life Form’s turnaround time for us was less than 6 months in 2021. At that time, we were probably one of the first few groups after the pandemic travel restrictions were lifted. So it may be a bit longer now. You might want to reach out to them and ask what the turnaround time is now.

The area we hunted in Limpopo was approximately 6 hours away from Life Form. They came by and picked up our trophies within a couple days after we completed our hunt. The pick up service was included in the price…no additional charge.

They are one of the sponsors here so you could check out their posts here in addition to their website.
 
wildfowler.250 said:
I thought Belgium had a trophy import ban
Click to expand...
Only a couple of species, similar like in the Netherlands. But probably no problem if the end destination is UK.
 
I’ve had work done here in the states and in Africa, I would say all are above average and indistinguishable from which were done where. But I feel like I did my homework on the taxidermist.
Where my taxidermy stands out to me at least are some of my waterfowl mounts, many of them are world class.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

... and 1077 more.
Total: 16,727 (members: 1,127, guests: 15,600)

Forum statistics

Threads
54,204
Messages
1,148,713
Members
93,785
Latest member
kevkala
 

 

 

Proudly sponsored by

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

SETH RINGER
SETH RINGER wrote on Fatback's profile.
IF YOU DON'T COME UP WITH ANY .458, I WILL TRY AND GET MY KID TO PACK SOME UP FOR YOU BUT PROBABLY WOUDN'T BE TILL THIS WEEKEND AND GO OUT NEXT WEEK.
PURA VIDA, SETH
•••
S
sgtsabai wrote on Sika98k's profile.
I'm unfortunately on a diet. Presently in VA hospital as Agent Orange finally caught up with me. Cancer and I no longer can speak. If all goes well I'll be out of here and back home in Thailand by end of July. Tough road but I'm a tough old guy. I'll make it that hunt.
•••
S
sgtsabai wrote on Wyfox's profile.
Nice one there. I guided for mulies and elk for about 10 or so years in northern New Mexico.
•••
S
sgtsabai wrote on Tanks's profile.
Business is the only way to fly. I'm headed to SA August 25. I'm hoping that business isn't an arm and a leg. If you don't mind, what airline and the cost for your trip. Mine will be convoluted. I'll be flying into the states to pick up my 416 Rigby as Thailand doesn't allow firearms (pay no attention to the daily shootings and killings) so I'll have 2 very long trips.
•••
V
Vonfergus wrote on JamesJ's profile.
I am interested in the Double
•••

Share this page

 
Top