REPORT: Trophaendienste Taxidermy Namibia - Beware

[Louw Nel]

Interesting - we used Trophandeantaise (sp?) for our first Namibian safari in 2014 , just dip and pack - our taxidermist was very pleased with the way our stuff showed up in Canada and we have a bunch of dandy mounts to show for it, A year later, on our second Namibian safari we used a different outfit and had a shipwreck similar to what you are talking about here, lost most of our capes and some of the skulls were badly overboiled ...

 

[Sika98k]

Well shit! I'm in ATL airport right now heading to Namibia and planned to use this company. May have to rethink that decision

No MAY about it ! Find someone else.

 

[JG416]

5. WHAT OTHER TAXIDERMIST WOULD YOU RECOMMEND USING:
Kowas Hunting Safaris have requested Reiser Taxidermy to display their trophies at the Kowas lodge, for review by our clients - which they did recently. Our clients can thus now also view some of their trophies at Kowas. Their brochure and catalogue is also available.

I have to warn all members that I had terrible problems with Reiser. These included damaged trophies that weren't wrapped or secured, and sending and charging freight and packaging for items they were told in writing not to send. I spent over a year in correspondence with them and was promised weekly that "Wilko" the owner would have to make a decision and get back to me, this never happened. I do know that the two large Safari companies I hunted with in Namibia no longer will do business with them because of this and similar problems of other clients.

 

[YancyW]

Trophaendienste has been recommended to me, thank you for the heads up.

 

[Pheroze]

I am heading to Namibia next year, and this does cause concerns. However, I am encouraged by the companies such as @Louw Nel that are willing to come here and discuss the issues. Please keep us informed about how the outstanding issues (such as with @Wheels ) get resolved. Also, would you comment on whether you have dealt with the procedural issues highlighted by @BRICKBURN ?

 

[CAustin]

@Wheels i do hope you can get some satisfaction after all these years. I find it interesting that they couldn't or wouldn't respond to correspondence back then but can now!

I guess I was fortunate to have a good and honest taxidermist recommended to me by my outfitter on my first hunt in South Africa.
Like most folks my real nightmares have been with the shipping of finished products. Everything from outrageously priced shipping to the extra charges being levied after the fact.
This last "big crate" shipment had to be air freight because Logwin Logistics said they couldn't get a container full for my port of entry. I ended up paying an extra $1000 air vs sea so you can understand that I was not happy.
I have shared that the shipping issues are going to hurt the hunting business as much if not more that the sometimes shoddy taxidermy work.
Some have mentioned communication with taxidermist as their nightmare. I have experienced some slow communication with all parties involved in getting my trophies home and it seems to be the norm for Africa. Heaven help you if you are trying to ship something come December when the whole place seems to shut down over there. Excuses become the order of the day and you get stuck waiting!

So what is to be done?
Join AH and read the threads and ask for advice.....by doing so you at least minimize some of the risk you may face.

 

[Kowas Adventure Safaris]

I have to warn all members that I had terrible problems with Reiser. These included damaged trophies that weren't wrapped or secured, and sending and charging freight and packaging for items they were told in writing not to send. I spent over a year in correspondence with them and was promised weekly that "Wilko" the owner would have to make a decision and get back to me, this never happened. I do know that the two large Safari companies I hunted with in Namibia no longer will do business with them because of this and similar problems of other clients.

JG416
Thank you very much for your comment. We are in contact with management of Reiser and have requested them to respond.

 

[Husker-in-WA]

@JG416. I researched Reiser b4 my Namibia hunt in the Kalahari last June. Initially good response with pricing lists but no follow up after that to my detailed questions. They were recommended by my outfitter. After the hunt and after finding a taxidermist recommended by Peter at Pronto Global Freight, my outfitter admitted to me that he has been having problems with Reiser and isn’t using them again.

 

[Hank2211]

I have been let down by every taxidermy studio I have used in Africa. Doesn't matter the country. If the job isn't generally poor, the costs always seem to go up (everyone seems to be paying everyone else all along the way). And in every case I was promised regular communication, and in every case it did not happen.

We need to send a message that hunters are not a captive market. We have choices, and we should make full use of them.

From now on, it's a rare trophy which comes home as anything other than a picture.

 

[Wheels]

I am heading to Namibia next year, and this does cause concerns. However, I am encouraged by the companies such as @Louw Nel that are willing to come here and discuss the issues. Please keep us informed about how the outstanding issues (such as with @Wheels ) get resolved. Also, would you comment on whether you have dealt with the procedural issues highlighted by @BRICKBURN ?

If you have a question feel free to pm me at any time.

 

[Pondoro]

Let me say this:

The best service, prices and taxidermy results I ever got out of Africa was from Louws business... I have received taxidermy from another firm in Namibia that was not to the same standard...though low prices..

I was also allowed into the vault at Louws to fondle some big ivory from Caprivi...wow..

Generally it seems easier and much cheaper to get trophies home from Namibia than certain other african states (by ship), at least to Europe. Namibia is also a wonderful and safe place to hunt.

What taxidermy I got from Botswana was also pleasing to the eye but the transport turned out to be extremely expensive...though transfer through RSA may be the reason for that. The trophies was shipped to RSA and air freighted to Europe by Turkish Airlines (modest prices from them..).

 

[RogerHeintzman]

Sorry for all your troubles.
As a taxidermist myself, i have seen my share of shit skinning, mounting and tanning from Africa.
I have visited a few shops in Africa, Namibia and SA and not impressed at all.

 

[Mark R]

I am heading to Namibia next year, and this does cause concerns. However, I am encouraged by the companies such as @Louw Nel that are willing to come here and discuss the issues. Please keep us informed about how the outstanding issues (such as with @Wheels ) get resolved. Also, would you comment on whether you have dealt with the procedural issues highlighted by @BRICKBURN ?

You may be pleased Louw has come on here and responded but please note as of this time our issues are not resolved......

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[Pheroze]

You may be pleased Louw has come on here and responded but please note as of this time our issues are not resolved......

Cheers,
Mark.

Good luck sir. I really hope you both can find a solution and move forward.

 

[BRICKBURN]

You may be pleased Louw has come on here and responded but please note as of this time our issues are not resolved......

Cheers,
Mark.

Last appearance on AH:

At this point MY questions have not been answered!

Posted Wednesday:

On the off hance it was missed:

..............

What is the solution being afforded for the LARGER problem?

QUALITY CONTROL

Not testing a new process before using it on SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY!
Why should anyone trust this kind of decision making in a business?

How hard is it to have someone who actually KNOWS what they are doing to REVIEW EACH PIECE?

So, why do YOUR staff not give a damn about what they are producing?


"The purpose of the "reasonable man" ... is to determine whether a particular plaintiff has failed, judged by a community standard, in the duty of care he or she owes.....".

 

[Neale]

@blacks, I hope your new capes work out. I certainly know how you would feel about the original problems and the sour taste it would leave in your mouth. Taxidermy is a major cost for a safari, sometimes more than the safari itself and it would appear that taxidermist issues are a common problem. Maybe we should have a section on AH for "African Taxidermy and D&P reports"

 

[Louw Nel]

What is the solution being afforded for the LARGER problem?

QUALITY CONTROL

Not testing a new process before using it on SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY!
Why should anyone trust this kind of decision making in a business?

How hard is it to have someone who actually KNOWS what they are doing to REVIEW EACH PIECE?
Those capes of @blacks are pretty obviously not completed. Someone being paid piece work did the easy bits and then threw them into the "complete" pile.

So, why do YOUR staff not give a damn about what they are producing?


"The purpose of the reasonable man ... is to determine whether a particular plaintiff has failed, judged by a community standard, in the duty of care he or she owes....."

I honestly wish you well solving your problems.

@BRICKBURN, what happens in my workshop I have to take responsibility for. I really don't want to call or wright a client to tell them that we screwed up some of their trophies, nor do I like to have to pay back moneys received for something that was suppose to be an everyday job for us.
Rest assure my friend, problems in my workshop are being dealt with. This is not something that we are taking lightly.
What happened can not be undone but we can sure work on a better tomorrow.

 

[markferrigno]

Sorry to hear about the capes being ruined. I'll pass on the advice my guide gave me when I hunted in Namibia in the first time. "DO NOT get any taxidermy work done here, they are all terrible"

 

[PARA45]

Tim, so sorry to hear about your trophies. In the end you came out ahead and better than some, to include myself. I hunted in SA, and used Highveld Taxidermist on the recommendation of the outfitter, and to say that I was totally screwed is an understatement. I paid for insurance that never existed. The quality of some of my trophies is like a 5 year old did the stitching. When I tried to get help from the outfitter, they were of no use at all. I was not as fortunate as you were. The "fix" that was given to me by Highveld was for me to ship my trophies back to Africa so Highveld could fix them, and then import them back, all on my dime.

Hope to have better luck next time I go back.

Here is a picture of my impala, and the sh*tty quality work they did.

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Sorry to hear about the capes being ruined. I'll pass on the advice my guide gave me when I hunted in Namibia in the first time. "DO NOT get any taxidermy work done here, they are all terrible"

Mark, Unfortunately for us in Australia we have virtually no option but to have skins tanned there at the very least. Getting salted/'dipped' green capes in though customs is extremely problematic.

@PARA45 very sad to see that mate. That impala looks as much as a poor packing/shipping effort as much as anything. Heartbreaking! And even worse is their attitude towards rectifying it. Another one off the list!! Yes I feel somewhat fortunate to at least have useable replacements.

Regards
Tim