1st Trip to Africa is booked!

[Savage Hunter]

on your question about the expense of shipping and taxidermy.
Consider dip/pack all of them and mount them on your financial timetable when they get home.
If you ship one, you may as well ship all. The difference in shipping cost of 1 animal or 4 is negligible.
You could have them all euro-mounted and would have a momento of each or euro 3 of them and mount your favorite.

 

[Catahoula]

Enjoy the planning! The time will fly by more quickly than you can imagine.

 

[cls]

Congrats on booking your first African Safari! Just like the others have said you will be booking your second safari on your flight back home! I just returned from my second safari and will be going back again. I would stick with the Eland and your spiral horn slam, they are a magnificent animal which I was lucky enough to harvest the first trip to Africa. I have stayed at Afton for a total of 12 days between my 2 trips and it is a great place to stay and if you happen to be taking your firearms with you they are very good at helping you clear them through SAPS. If you do take your firearms do not book your flight to Port Elizabeth with BA as they won't transport the firearms, use SAA.
As far as taxidermy goes I found it was cheaper and quicker to have it done in SA but shipping costs have to be added in. I had all of my trophies mounted my first trip and I am having them all done again this trip. I am not a big fan of European mounts but that's just me.
As one of the other posters mentioned I would stick with your spiral horned animals and add a springbok and impala at a min extra cost.
The next 200 days will pass in a wink so I wish you luck and safe travels.

 

[MarkD]

I just got back a month ago from my first African trip. Kept telling the wife it was a once in a lifetime trip. Oops that was a complete lie. I'm totally hooked. Already thinking about the next trip!!!

 

[Gsxrmike]

Congrats! Planning your safari is such an exciting activity. Be sure to check out the tip guide on this website. You will need to budget several thousand dollars for tips depending on how many support staff your safari company has at your camp.