Anyone have experience with Universal Trophy Services??

[Sycamore59]

Heading for SA in just over a month - 42 days, but who’s counting? - on first Safari with my dad.

Our PH works with Universal Trophy Services in Pretoria. Looking at having hides for shoulder mounts tanned there to save on weight and cost. Also looking to have Zebra hide done as a rug there too.

Does anybody have experience with them?

Any advise is welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[JimP]

Can't say anything about them but from what the Pro on here has said, do not have your hides tanned in Africa and then shipped to have it mounted here in the US. Way too many problems. Flat skins, and euros are fine to have done in Africa but leave the tanning to the pros back home.

 

[Tim Blackwell]

I can let you know shortly! I have a shipment of tanned hides arriving for a client from Universal tomorrow. Will get them rehydrated and see how they come up, but I've heard largely good things about them so fingers crossed.

I'm in Australia and it's virtually impossible to get green capes into the country. So we have to run the risk of tanning there, and I've had results go either way.

 

[Lowdi]

We used Universal Trophy Service in 2016 and 2017 for our shipments. We did not have any problems with them. They informed us about every step and we were very satisfied. We did ship and dip on the first one and on the second we also got tanned our skins. Next time we will be using ship and dip again because our local taxidermy had to tann our skins again. Not because of bad quality but to do the shoulder mounts. So i paid twice for tanning but this was my mistake not UTS.

 

[harden]

You can get them tanned one there, Don't expect much in the terms of quality skins for mounting. Ear butts chopped off, Eye lids gone, Lip skin no- existant, skin have no stretch back to original size, cut holes, tears, ear tips destroyed, it goes on and one, Heck 50% of the tanneries in the US can't tan african well enough for a good mount that's why you see such shotty work. A GREAT MOUNTS starts with a GREAT TANNERY. I take them in but you don't get a dime off the taxidermy price, sometimes you'll pay more for the repair issues. JUST To may issues and added time dealing with African Tanning in that country for mounts, Get your flat skins sure, Tanning for flat skins is Totally different process that for mounting.

 

[JimP]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^Listen to Dennis^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Plus if you have a problem with your hides that were tanned in Africa what are you going to do about it? It isn't like they are on the same Continent.

 

[Sycamore59]

I’d appreciate that blacks

 

[Sycamore59]

Thanks Dennis and Jimp. Appreciate the guidance/experience/knowledge with it

 

[JimP]

One of the best things that you can do is to talk to the taxidermist that you plan on using.

If you are near Dennis shop I would use him. Other than that find a taxidermist that is experienced with African animals if you want great results.

 

[Neale]

I had all my capes tanned by UTS in 2015 and mounted to forms in Australia. They did a very good job tanning the head skins. I also got a flat skin done and it has lasted well in my home in tropical Australia. Some skins that I got tanned elsewhere developed bad mould this last wet season.
I highly recommend UTS.

 

[Hunter101]

I would for sure have my capes all tanned in the USA. I would also make it clear to your skinners not to cut holes in your capes and make sure there doing it correctly. No holes equals a tip! Your not saving much on having capes tan over there anyways.