Christmas in October - Trophies are at the airport

[BRICKBURN]

The crate arrived today at noon and I did not bother to open it until now. Some minor trepidation perhaps?

We are going to play that old kids game from Sesame Street,
IS one of these things not like the other?

Do you think this is my Gemsbok?

Field Picture
Field Photo - Hunting, Bowhunting, Fishing, Photos and Videos

Today's Arrival
Today's Arrival - Hunting, Bowhunting, Fishing, Photos and Videos

My conclusion below.


















My estimation
1. Besides the dollar size hair slip on the right side of his face for whatever reason.
2. There is a very minor caping cut on the nose.
3. Some kind of long deep scratch on the right side shoulder that was not obvious in the field.
I can certainly believe this was present under the hair. He ran full tilt into a four strand barb wire fence during his last blind run.
4. The horns basically fit how Diamond said they would. The bases are the right size.
5. The face pattern from the front and the right side matches the field photo.

He's mine.

Over all, I am pleased with the taxidermy work done by Erongo Taxidermy in Otavi, Namibia.

Erongo Taxidermy Website:
Home

After my obvious initial anxiety about the error, I am very pleased and impressed that they stood up and took responsibility for the shipping error. They made it right and took care of the entire cost of reshipping, repeated customs brokerage, trucking, etc.
This cost will be well beyond anything they charged me for all the work done. Outstanding.

They also offered a discount on my next trophies.
I plan to take them up on it upon my return to Namibia.

 

[ndbwhnter]

BRICKBURN,

I am very happy for you. I'm glad it finally worked out. Thanks for the update.

nd

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

BRICKBURN,

I am very happy for you. I'm glad it finally worked out. Thanks for the update.

nd

Same here! :thumb:

 

[RickB]

Finally! They look really close. I feel they are the same from these two photos. I am glad its over for you!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Glad you finally got your trophy BB!

 

[BRICKBURN]

I keep looking up on the wall, just to make sure. In the field he looked so small. I guess I expected him to be bigger for some reason.
Up beside a Mule Deer, his head seems so much larger or maybe it is that black and white mask.

Now a very good memory of hunting in Namibia.

 

[Zabi]

Congratulations!
A very nice trophy!
And with this story behind, I can imagine that you are even more proud to have it!
- Is there anything you can do to make that blank spot in it's face less prominent? Maybe someone here has a magic gramdma's recipe for that?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Zabi, thanks.
I am not concerned about that "slip" spot.
It has been dealt with currently by wall placement. That side is to a wall.

 

[35bore]

Happy things worked out for you, and that is a stand-up taxidermy service you dealt with, even a discount on your next mounts that's impressive. Very nice Gemsbok by the way.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Happy things worked out for you, and that is a stand-up taxidermy service you dealt with, even a discount on your next mounts that's impressive. Very nice Gemsbok by the way.

It took some time and patience but the shipping companies hired by Erongo Taxidermy worked a very complicated situation out.
Imagine a Gemsbok having to be classified as "return goods" from Canada in order to get through Customs.
I can only imagine the regulations that were involved.
I agree Very Stand Up!

 

[RickB]

I keep looking up on the wall, just to make sure. In the field he looked so small. I guess I expected him to be bigger for some reason.
Up beside a Mule Deer, his head seems so much larger or maybe it is that black and white mask.

Now a very good memory of hunting in Namibia.

Now that it has worked out....I am jealous! I want mine back to put up on the wall and look at!

 

[enysse]

Brickburn, sorry to hear all your troubles. This whole taxidermy stuff creates a lot of heat in the oven for me.:beatingdeadhorse: I makes my living doing quality control in a laboratory. I find the end results of your journey and some of mine, troubling. Most outfitters cape animals so well. The end result when you get the animal home...really should be no hair slip...etc. More than my 2 cents.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Brickburn, sorry to hear all your troubles. This whole taxidermy stuff creates a lot of heat in the oven for me.:beatingdeadhorse: I makes my living doing quality control in a laboratory. I find the end results of your journey and some of mine, troubling. Most outfitters cape animals so well. The end result when you get the animal home...really should be no hair slip...etc. More than my 2 cents.

E, Troubles are over for that hunt.
All in all, at 30 degrees C that afternoon on that cape I am amazed that every hide on every animal in Africa is not as bald as a Warthog mount. So, I'll take this result.
Next time I may just jump in myself and assist in the caping if I am concerned.

 

[Diamondhitch]

I keep looking up on the wall, just to make sure. In the field he looked so small. I guess I expected him to be bigger for some reason.
Up beside a Mule Deer, his head seems so much larger or maybe it is that black and white mask.

Now a very good memory of hunting in Namibia.

Congrats on getting the right one back, I was rooting for you.

As for size a monster mule deer will measure 8 1/4" from eye to nose, on average a muture buck will only be 7 3/4". Christines Gemsbok cow measured 11 3/4". Having said that I just received the form for her Gemsbok and was also suprized how big it was, they just dont seem as big in the feild I guess. Its amazing how deep and narrow the neck is.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Standing over it and remembering it in the rifle scope it was not that big.
The body size was like tossing a big deer into a bakkie.

Next to them on the wall that face is much bigger. Your measurements are right on the money.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Given the apparent "screw ups" being discussed of late on AH, I wanted to resurrect my experience of a decade ago to demonstrate the way a stand up company acts to resolve problems.