Houston Area Importers & Taxidermist

Huntforever

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I’m looking for a good importer for my animals from South Africa and my upcoming trip to Zambia for a leopard.

Also, looking for a good taxidermist around the Houston Area as well.

Thanks for help!!
 
Woods and Water Taxidermy near Conroe does nice work.

Pro Cargo in Houston- John Rulon is a good source.

I have used both and will again.
 
X2 on John & Cindy Rulon @ Procargo
 
I have used procargo many times and still do. Even before when they were at WellWorld ( closed)
Ben Cromeens at Tri-State taxidermy does great work especially on cats. Mine was in his booth at DSC.
 
I’m looking for a good importer for my animals from South Africa and my upcoming trip to Zambia for a leopard.

Also, looking for a good taxidermist around the Houston Area as well.

Thanks for help!!

Safari Specialty Importers is not in Texas but is owned by an Aggie, Wyatt Fetner. They cost a bit more up front, but that extra cost can be easily eliminated if your cat or other animals end up in a long wait in storage. Part of his fee accounts for the storage to begin with, but you'll pay nothing more if it gets delayed. The trophies will go through NY, but then will be shipped to your taxidermist.
 
I've used Wyatt at Safari Specialty Importers and have another shipment or two coming.

@gizmo has done my taxidermy work as well as several other members on here. He's not in Houston, but he is in Texas and will deliver to Houston from his shop in Amarillo. I've looked at Ben's stuff at Tri-State and it looked really good. Even thought about having him do a couple mounts
 
I use ProCargo to handle the import and have used Mike Baird and B&B Taxidermy in Houston since 1997. Mike has done about 50 animals for me from red flanked duiker to 2 buffs from Uganda
 
I’ve used Cindi and John with ProCargo for many years and have always had great service. No experience with Houston area taxidermists but had a booth across from Woods and Waters and they do good work and seem like honest folks.
 
I'm up in Amarillo but have several clients in the Houston area. I can help you with the import as well as I work with several of the top import brokers.
 
I have used procargo many times and still do. Even before when they were at WellWorld ( closed)
Ben Cromeens at Tri-State taxidermy does great work especially on cats. Mine was in his booth at DSC.
I would love to see your leopard mount if you don’t mind sharing.
 
I'm up in Amarillo but have several clients in the Houston area. I can help you with the import as well as I work with several of the top import brokers.
Please PM
 
I use ProCargo to handle the import and have used Mike Baird and B&B Taxidermy in Houston since 1997. Mike has done about 50 animals for me from red flanked duiker to 2 buffs from Uganda
B&B does some very nice work from my visits to their shop. I wish i had more money to shoot more animals and pay for more taxidermy.

Would love to drop off 5 or 6 Kudu or Buffalo at places like B&B, Woods & Water, Tri-State, Woodbury, Safari Studios, Huffaker all at the same time and compare all of them.

A taxidermist is limited to what they have to work with so, the quality of the cape, the skinning, lip/ear turning etc. and a lot of that is on each outfitters skinners.
 
Hi @Huntforever,

If you planning to use a Houston area taxidermist then I would strongly recommend Pro Cargo and Cindi and John Rulon. I have used them for over 20 years and NEVER had a bad experience with them. They are extremely knowledgable and they have explained the complicated process of importing trophies from Africa into the U.S. in such a way that I can mostly understand it. Also, if you are planning on using a Houston area taxidermist then you will want your trophies brought into the Houston port and not NYC so you don't have the cost of trucking/shipping your trophies from NYC to Houston.

As for Houston area taxidermists, I have primarily used B&B taxidermy, they are great to deal with. I am sure the other taxidermist mentioned in this post also do fine work so you just need to pick the one you are most comfortable with and like the appearance of their work. Some animals, like the cats especially, are hard to get "right" and have them look like the the animal looks in the wild.
 
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I always use DT Gruelle for import broker and Ty's Taxidermy in Vidor, Tx mounts all my African game. Super simple process and does amazing work. Highly recommend both!
 
I would love to see your leopard mount if you don’t mind sharing.
This was in the booth. I don’t have it up yet in my trophy room.

IMG_2066.jpeg
 
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Would love to drop off 5 or 6 Kudu or Buffalo at places like B&B, Woods & Water, Tri-State, Woodbury, Safari Studios, Huffaker all at the same time and compare all of them.
Huffaker has "retired"
 
Huffaker has "retired"
That’s too bad. I was talking to someone last week about their hunts and after observing some of their taxidermy asked who did them. I was given his name.
 

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