Euro Mounts

[JGH]

Tell me about African "Euro" mounts.

I would imagine they'd be back faster, and less expensive, and easier to ship.

First safari coming up and I need no more shoulder mounts, but Euros and tanned hides may still get done.

 

[PARA45]

It most cases, yes you would get them faster, and yes less expensive.

Where are you going, and what will you be hunting?

 

[JGH]

Eastern Cape of S'Affrica, plains game.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Some things to be aware of.

1. African taxidermists often spray paint the skulls white.

2. They are too often not careful about retaining teeth, especially plains game skulls.

3. If the skulls are shipped attached to a plaque, even a piece of scrap plywood, they become "finished taxidermy" and may move through customs inspections quicker.

So these are instructions you'll need to specify when you complete your taxidermy order before leaving the outfitter: NO paint, all teeth attached (and YOUR animal's teeth - I had a bunch of skulls shipped with cattle teeth cobbled on with big gobs of glue!), attach skulls to "plaques" and labeled in documents as finished taxidermy.

I received one backskin (hide) that clearly was not mine. Who screwed up where is hard to say but given it was the same crew that sent painted skulls with cattle teeth, I'm betting it was taxidermist. Not much can be done about that.

ALWAYS have your PH measure the horns in the salt shed. When you start dealing with the taxidermist personally after the stuff has been picked up, email them photos of every animal and the list with horn measurements. This will help ensure "mistakes" don't happen and you get shipped someone else's trophies.

And finally, do NOT send the balance of the payment UNTIL the taxidermist has sent you detailed photos of every skull and skin. Over on this side of the pond we just assume skulls can't be screwed up. But they can! If the stuff in photos is a mess, cut your losses, don't pay the balance and leave trophies there. No sense in paying high freight fees for crap you won't put on the wall. Also, specifically instruct the taxidermist they CANNOT send your trophies off to shipper without your authorization, i.e. after you've seen photos. Once the shipper has the trophies without a contract, it's like a blank cheque for them! And it happens. Ask me how I know! (Avoid Rex Forwarders shipping company in RSA!). PM me if your outfitter has a "designated" taxidermist. There is at least one you should avoid and I'll be happy to help you avoid them.

 

[Hillcountry63]

Truthfully, I've been doing euro's only for a number of years just due to space and cost. That being said, I do all my African animals euro due to cost of the taxidermy as well as freight as well. Additionally, I don't have them put on a shield, as is a very popular African option, because it adds freight cost. Once I get them home, I'll mount them on a shield or plaque if I choose to.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Truthfully, I've been doing euro's only for a number of years just due to space and cost. That being said, I do all my African animals euro due to cost of the taxidermy as well as freight as well. Additionally, I don't have them put on a shield, as is a very popular African option, because it adds freight cost. Once I get them home, I'll mount them on a shield or plaque if I choose to.

I mount my skulls naked to the wall but still have them shipped attached to throwaway plaques made of scrap plywood. That way they can sail through customs inspections as "finished taxidermy". Unfinished stuff (e.g. dip & pack capes) get flagged for much more scrutiny. Increases the delay which = $$$ storage fees. Those warehouses charge hundreds of dollars per day!

 

[trperk1]

At first I used a SA taxidermist for my Euro mounts but found they over bleached them and made them brittle. Subsequently I found a taxidermist that specializes in skull mounts. Much better quality.

 

[Tanner Lee]

I personally prefer euros on African game, saves space for more. The only issue I have seen and experienced is that the skulls are boiled way too long which damages the bone. On larger game like buffalo it isn’t too much of an issue because of the bone density but smaller plains game it can damage the skull so much that they are easily crushed during shipping.

 

[Red Leg]

Euro's are a great choice for most African game. I do not care for leaving the upper teeth in. Except for Spain, most of Europe slices the skull so it lies flat on the mounting plaque. Perhaps the whole skull, which to me looks like something found on the back forty, should be called an Amerco or something. Some examples of African game done as Euro's. They also mix well well with traditional taxidermy.

You can also find really nice plaques to mount warthog and bushpig tusks. The three Ibex and two roe deer are Spanish full skull mounts.

 

[steve white]

Euro's are a great choice for most African game. I do not care for leaving the upper teeth in. Except for Spain, most of Europe slices the skull so it lies flat on the mounting plaque. Perhaps the whole skull, which to me looks like something found on the back forty, should be called an Amerco or something. Some examples of African game done as Euro's. They also mix well well with traditional taxidermy.

View attachment 742291
View attachment 742292

You can also find really nice plaques to mount warthog and bushpig tusks. The three Ibex and two roe deer are Spanish full skull mounts.
View attachment 742302

Redleg, can you tell us where to find a carved plaque like the one used on the white tail, and also for the warthog tusks. They are great. That is also exactly the way I would choose to mount a leopard, and a nice necklace on it, BTW

 

[steve white]

I personally prefer euros on African game, saves space for more. The only issue I have seen and experienced is that the skulls are boiled way too long which damages the bone. On larger game like buffalo it isn’t too much of an issue because of the bone density but smaller plains game it can damage the skull so much that they are easily crushed during shipping.

They are not the only ones who boil too long! I had to rebuild over 20% of a cape buff boss the taxidermist in Rowlett boiled off. Harwell (Harwood?) I don't mind calling him by name.

 

[WAB]

Personally, I do my own euros for NA game. For African game, I get them done in Africa. My taxidermist (Collett’s) uses absolutely stunning African teak for his plaques. In my mind, having a plaque from local wood adds to the mount.

Above is a buffalo Steve mounted for me on an African Teak plaque. Perhaps you could source this wood in the US, but I haven’t found it.

These Coues deer are mounted on mesquite from my buddy’s place in AZ.

 

[cwpayton]

Redleg, can you tell us where to find a carved plaque like the one used on the white tail, and also for the warthog tusks. They are great. That is also exactly the way I would choose to mount a leopard, and a nice necklace on it, BTW

+1. The wart hog tusk plaques look the same vintage as the nice cabinet in first pic, {Germany?]

 

[farmer_john]

Euro's are a great choice for most African game. I do not care for leaving the upper teeth in. Except for Spain, most of Europe slices the skull so it lies flat on the mounting plaque. Perhaps the whole skull, which to me looks like something found on the back forty, should be called an Amerco or something. Some examples of African game done as Euro's. They also mix well well with traditional taxidermy.

View attachment 742291
View attachment 742292

You can also find really nice plaques to mount warthog and bushpig tusks. The three Ibex and two roe deer are Spanish full skull mounts.
View attachment 742302

Those are really nice mounts? Where did you get them done/who does the plaques?

 

[ArmyAV8tor]

I use the Euros due to space and cost. A friend makes the plaques and I put a piece of the animals hide on the plaque that accentuates the mount.

 

[Red Leg]

Redleg, can you tell us where to find a carved plaque like the one used on the white tail, and also for the warthog tusks. They are great. That is also exactly the way I would choose to mount a leopard, and a nice necklace on it, BTW

I get the European plaques off eBay and Etsy for whitetail/ mule deer and similar sized animals like fallow and axis. The warthog plaques came from a dealer who had a couple on 1stDibs.

 

[Red Leg]

Those are really nice mounts? Where did you get them done/who does the plaques?

I do all the whitetail and axis myself.

 

[Red Leg]

+1. The wart hog tusk plaques look the same vintage as the nice cabinet in first pic, {Germany?]

Very similar to Black Forest, but this is renaissance revival 19th C Northern France. The nice thing about Euros, particularly those done as Euros rather than Americos, is they work perfectly with period European furniture (our thing) or more modern or rustic looks.

 

[Trogon]

I very much prefer the look of the euros done in Africa with the nose of the skulls flat on the plaque. I have both the USA taxi done, and South African skulls to me they just look "proper".

 

[Sabre]

Some things to be aware of.

1. African taxidermists often spray paint the skulls white.

2. They are too often not careful about retaining teeth, especially plains game skulls.

3. If the skulls are shipped attached to a plaque, even a piece of scrap plywood, they become "finished taxidermy" and may move through customs inspections quicker.

So these are instructions you'll need to specify when you complete your taxidermy order before leaving the outfitter: NO paint, all teeth attached (and YOUR animal's teeth - I had a bunch of skulls shipped with cattle teeth cobbled on with big gobs of glue!), attach skulls to "plaques" and labeled in documents as finished taxidermy.

I received one backskin (hide) that clearly was not mine. Who screwed up where is hard to say but given it was the same crew that sent painted skulls with cattle teeth, I'm betting it was taxidermist. Not much can be done about that.

ALWAYS have your PH measure the horns in the salt shed. When you start dealing with the taxidermist personally after the stuff has been picked up, email them photos of every animal and the list with horn measurements. This will help ensure "mistakes" don't happen and you get shipped someone else's trophies.

And finally, do NOT send the balance of the payment UNTIL the taxidermist has sent you detailed photos of every skull and skin. Over on this side of the pond we just assume skulls can't be screwed up. But they can! If the stuff in photos is a mess, cut your losses, don't pay the balance and leave trophies there. No sense in paying high freight fees for crap you won't put on the wall. Also, specifically instruct the taxidermist they CANNOT send your trophies off to shipper without your authorization, i.e. after you've seen photos. Once the shipper has the trophies without a contract, it's like a blank cheque for them! And it happens. Ask me how I know! (Avoid Rex Forwarders shipping company in RSA!). PM me if your outfitter has a "designated" taxidermist. There is at least one you should avoid and I'll be happy to help you avoid them.

Who are the taxidermists you disliked? And who is the one you liked that you mentioned in another post a while back?

Why avoid Rex Shipping?