Why does considering never mounting another animal bother me so much?

[BRICKBURN]

All, I have been struggling thinking about having any further taxidermy. The cost has become enough and with limited space and my daughters not keen on mounts, has me strongly considering not mounting anything going forward.

For those of you that have already made this decision, how has the reaction from your PH/outfitter been that you take a trophy animal but do NOT mount it? How have they handled the meat, horns and skins?

I know you can take elephant and other species as non-exportable but I am not a cat or ele hunter. I am hooked on buffalo and love shooting plains game. So we are really talking about taking those and not mounting anything.

There is something deep in me that while I know this would be a good decision for me, it feels wasteful and a tad disrespectful honestly.

When you hunt something at home you use the meat. Can't eat the horns/antlers and does anyone tan their own hides?
Is that a waste?

In Africa you'll feed some people and the hides will likely be used as well. Horns will likely be used by someone.

 

[steve white]

I see this thread as the hue and cry to the industry to bring costs back to a more realistic level. I don't have the expertise to judge actual shipping costs, and I think that taxidermists at home are not getting rich....some are getting out of the business. Greed will always worm its way into African dealings with officialdom. Maybe they will see that they are killing the goose that laid the golden eggs if business drops off? I'm out at this point because I just don't have the funds. Glad I imported what I did back before the current madness. Things SHOULD cost less if done in Africa due to low wages, just saying.

 

[Killingtime]

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I see this thread as the hue and cry to the industry to bring costs back to a more realistic level. I don't have the expertise to judge actual shipping costs, and I think that taxidermists at home are not getting rich....some are getting out of the business. Greed will always worm its way into African dealings with officialdom. Maybe they will see that they are killing the goose that laid the golden eggs if business drops off? I'm out at this point because I just don't have the funds. Glad I imported what I did back before the current madness. Things SHOULD cost less if done in Africa due to low wages, just saying.

Its sad when you can import a car from Japan for cheaper then a crate of animals. I’m fairly sure that car is bigger and weighs more.

 

[Bill_D]

Did first plains game trip to Namibia, in 24, Kudu and Oryx shoulder mounted, turned out really nice, eland, warthog, springbuck, blue wildebeest all skulls, zebra skin, springbuck skin, few back skins. All on beautiful wood shields. This is the perfect amount for my house that I’ll really realistically ever put up.

Cost all taxidermy $3500
Cost all shipping Namibia to California and all importing, used Safari specialty Imports and it was 100 percent zero hassle shipped right to my door. Total cost $7500

So my total cost (excluding flights) Eastern Namibia 10 day plains game packaged, added Eland and Springbuck and my fiancé as an observer with tip was appx 12k.

Total cost of Taxidermy and shipping 11k.

I’m glad I have my trophy’s from our first safari and would not change that in any way. However the cost of taxidermy, essentially equal to an entire another 10 day plains game hunt in the future worth it to me in the future? No way…. Maybe some skulls or rugs but then the import a shipping will still I’m sure be outrageous.

What’s worth is to me is the over all experience, being in a amazing place, awesome people, staking in close (thinking about open sight only plains game), putting on some miles, getting to relax out of the daily grind, great food, spectacular photos, making some friends along the way…

So I will really be factoring this in for our next trip… maybe look into some cull stuff too..

 

[Tgood1]

As an active taxidermist that deals with this shit weekly i do not blame anyone, take tons of great pics, leave things there unless special or unique. This is 95% of why I do not accept new clientele, the hassle and expense is just absurd

 

[Hunt anything]

I’m not there yet but as mentioned in another thread I probably won’t go back if I’m not willing to do taxidermy of at least any exceptional animals. With that being said there is no better feeling in the world than when you hand a hunk of meat over to someone that may not have had protein since the last safari season ended.

I have my fifth crate due to arrive in August or September and it’s going to take some creative rearranging to make everything fit well.

I’m 62 so I hope I have a few more years to enjoy my trophies and hopefully add a few more to the collection before the body tells me that’s enough.

 

[dchum]

Did first plains game trip to Namibia, in 24, Kudu and Oryx shoulder mounted, turned out really nice, eland, warthog, springbuck, blue wildebeest all skulls, zebra skin, springbuck skin, few back skins. All on beautiful wood shields. This is the perfect amount for my house that I’ll really realistically ever put up.

Cost all taxidermy $3500
Cost all shipping Namibia to California and all importing, used Safari specialty Imports and it was 100 percent zero hassle shipped right to my door. Total cost $7500

So my total cost (excluding flights) Eastern Namibia 10 day plains game packaged, added Eland and Springbuck and my fiancé as an observer with tip was appx 12k.

Total cost of Taxidermy and shipping 11k.

I’m glad I have my trophy’s from our first safari and would not change that in any way. However the cost of taxidermy, essentially equal to an entire another 10 day plains game hunt in the future worth it to me in the future? No way…. Maybe some skulls or rugs but then the import a shipping will still I’m sure be outrageous.

What’s worth is to me is the over all experience, being in a amazing place, awesome people, staking in close (thinking about open sight only plains game), putting on some miles, getting to relax out of the daily grind, great food, spectacular photos, making some friends along the way…

So I will really be factoring this in for our next trip… maybe look into some cull stuff too..

Gosh, what was your shipping??? 7500 seems insane… just two shoulder mounts with removable horns. I’ve used SSI and my bill was no where near that for two crates…

 

[Bill_D]

Gosh, what was your shipping??? 7500 seems insane… just two shoulder mounts with removable horns. I’ve used SSI and my bill was no where near that for two crates…

 

[458JCE]

My son and I hunted Eastern Cape with Karoo Wild Safaris (highly recommended) last August and took top-class trophies (Spiral Horned Slam). We left them all with Victor and only brought photos home. I would rather spend the money on another hunt than trophies that take up room in my home and deteriorate over time (and have no worth to anyone else when I die).

 

[spike.t]

Is there a discount if you don’t require dip and pack?

Nope not with us anyway....we have nothing to do with it...I put you in contact with the taxidermist who does the dip and pack and you sort the price with him...we deliver the trophies if any to him but don't charge for doing it

 

[spike.t]

I first hunted the Cameroon savannah back in 2000, ever since then I dearly wanted a savannah buffalo. Three years ago I returned to the savannah of Cameroon and shot a very pretty reddish/black buffalo, I was so happy, a dream of 20+ years realized, I got a few pictures of myself with it and walked away.

All of us should do as we wish to do, for me, I'd much rather go back to Africa more times than have to wait every 3-4 years to save up money because I spent money on taxidermy.

Someone mentioned what outfitters think of not getting stuff mounted, trust me, they don't care, it is one less thing for them not to have to deal with.

I know I would be a bit down if a client shot something that was outstanding and decided to not have even a euro mount done...but clients decision....so not a problem

 

[ftrovato]

All, I have been struggling thinking about having any further taxidermy. The cost has become enough and with limited space and my daughters not keen on mounts, has me strongly considering not mounting anything going forward.

For those of you that have already made this decision, how has the reaction from your PH/outfitter been that you take a trophy animal but do NOT mount it? How have they handled the meat, horns and skins?

I know you can take elephant and other species as non-exportable but I am not a cat or ele hunter. I am hooked on buffalo and love shooting plains game. So we are really talking about taking those and not mounting anything.

There is something deep in me that while I know this would be a good decision for me, it feels wasteful and a tad disrespectful honestly.

The economic contribution, the protein that is provided to locals and the conservation impact that keeps species flourishing is much more important than the legacy that horns and hides provide.

For me, horns and hides are just future reflection points. Pictures can do the same. My 2 cents.

 

[45-70guy]

As an active taxidermist that deals with this shit weekly i do not blame anyone, take tons of great pics, leave things there unless special or unique. This is 95% of why I do not accept new clientele, the hassle and expense is just absurd

In our location there are less taxidermists each year, and the guys (3 or so ) that are decent sized shops are so backed up.
One guy who has my buck from 2 years ago , wicked nice guy works locally for the oil company. Does it on the side and is overwhelmed, come to find out he would take every buck someone brought , no deposit, and then hear back later they don’t want it because it was maybe some small 4 pointer. The bad business practices of the ones who don’t fully commit also gives a bad taste.
I had to start dropping stuff off at different places across the state because my main guy got Alzheimer’s and legit forgot he had so e of my animals.

At this point I spent the winter fleshing, tanning, stretching 3 bear hides I had in the freezer. I hate to waste anything here in the states since I can just do it myself. The gentleman who mentioned he paid 11k for taxidermy; that’s more than my 11 day trip with airfare etc… I’d rather use that and go back the next year at that point.
Being a small business owner and the only employee and raising a family is love to bring home euros and skins but that’s so much money the entire family could go.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

1. The cost sucks, no doubt.

2. Limited space... yep, same here. I choose to believe I will have more space someday. (Extension on the house? I have talked up the idea with a local contractor)

3. I could give a rip less what my daughters, sons, or anyone else thinks; my mounts are for me, and bring me visceral pleasure.

I will continue to collect mounts and tangible reminders, because they are a part of the process to me, and all of the parts of the process makes me happy. YMMV

 

[45-70guy]

I know I would be a bit down if a client shot something that was outstanding and decided to not have even a euro mount done...but clients decision....so not a problem

When I was younger in my 20’s, taxidermy was a reasonable cost. I used to have everything mounted ( mostly black bears ) and it was exciting to do a different mount each time. A half mount of a 300 pound bear would run $600-$800. This was 15 years ago.
A full rug of a 400+ bear was $1200 17 years ago. In my early 20’s that was a lot but for that animal i gladly paid it. Those costs obviously have no import or shipping or storage fees which add up just as much as the mounts.

1. The cost sucks, no doubt.

2. Limited space... yep, same here. I choose to believe I will have more space someday. (Extension on the house? I have talked up the idea with a local contractor)

3. I could give a rip less what my daughters, sons, or anyone else thinks; my mounts are for me, and bring me visceral pleasure.

I will continue to collect mounts and tangible reminders, because they are a part of the process to me, and all of the parts of the process makes me happy. YMMV

We had a neighbor sell his house and wanted to sell all his mounts from Africa, many were full size. When he brought it up I said it’s a hard sell because those animals mean nothing to someone who wasn’t there.
Like you said; they are for each of us who have them for a specific memory

 

[akrifleman]

All, I have been struggling thinking about having any further taxidermy. The cost has become enough and with limited space and my daughters not keen on mounts, has me strongly considering not mounting anything going forward.

For those of you that have already made this decision, how has the reaction from your PH/outfitter been that you take a trophy animal but do NOT mount it? How have they handled the meat, horns and skins?

I know you can take elephant and other species as non-exportable but I am not a cat or ele hunter. I am hooked on buffalo and love shooting plains game. So we are really talking about taking those and not mounting anything.

There is something deep in me that while I know this would be a good decision for me, it feels wasteful and a tad disrespectful honestly.

Considering most meat from most countries is non exportable, remember that hunting is conservation. Unlike the huggers, everything we take goes to hard dollars ensuring animals have more monetary value than people turning the world into apartments and zoos. All you have to verify is your meat goes used by your outfitters. Otherwise, you may as well shoot turnips. Trophy mounts are ONLY useful, as a reminder of your personal memory.

 

[45-70guy]

Considering most meat from most countries is non exportable, remember that hunting is conservation. Unlike the huggers, everything we take goes to hard dollars ensuring animals have more monetary value than people turning the world into apartments and zoos. All you have to verify is your meat goes used by your outfitters. Otherwise, you may as well shoot turnips. Trophy mounts are ONLY useful, as a reminder of your personal memory.

We would have to be careful even shooting turnips, the huggers would be just as mad lol

 

[akrifleman]

We would have to be careful even shooting turnips, the huggers would be just as mad lol

F@ck, you know... when your right....

 

[Rubberhead]

Euro mounts and digital taxidermy...

 

[Charlie64]

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This seems to be one of many threads on many sites on taxidermy.

We started hunting Africa big time when we lived & worked in Johannesburg in the early 2000s. I then got relocated to Nigeria. Before we left Jhb, we bought a town house in a gated secure community in a good part of town. In the ensuing twenty years we have continued to hunt a lot & keep all our taxidermy in RSA at the house, - some 45 plus mounts - along with a couple of Landys. Our kids & friends also use the house for vacations. My wife let me furnish the RSA house, its basically a big mancave! Utilities & costs run at about $ 250/-pm. Plus I get my taxidermy done at local rates.

If I add up 20 years of dip & ship, freight, import duty, warehouse costs etc plus taxidermy at local rates, I reckon I have easily paid for the house & more. Possible only downside is that I only get to sit & dream at or with my mounts three or four times a year. Our youngest has already said that he would be first in line for the house should we every decide to part with it.

Today, I / we am much more selective on what we mount. Non trophy buff & ele are more frequent on my wish list as are Euro mounts of game that we take. Having said that there are still a few animals that I want to hunt & have mounts done - a big sable, scimitar, honey badger, suni, a 15 inch warthog & a few others spring to mind!

Happy days!

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