Euro Taxidermy in Africa

[Tanner Lee]

I don’t know taxidermist in the Limpopo region, so I cannot help you much there. Usually your outfitter has one that they prefer to do work with.

On my last two safaris I just had everything by shipped back to the USA and have had things taken care of here. It is a little cheaper that way, at least it seems to me.

If they are just European mounts the cost won’t be too bad, relative to the world now. My last crate was relatively large and cost about $650 to have airfreighted to Utah. But that was back in 2019. All I had in there was a sable, two kudu, a springbok, and a white blesbok, all skulls except for the sable skins.

I have used swift dip both times and they were very helpful and efficient to work with. The skulls are basically European mount ready when they get here. That is they are clean with no salt or residue on them. All you have to do is mount them on the wall or on a wood plaque then on the wall.

It should not cost you too much to ship just 3 skulls and maybe some skins back. I don’t know though based on what I have been hearing and seen others say about shipping costs lately.

 

[fourfive8]

I’ve had my taxidermy work done here in US. All my Africa animals are Euro mount based on a plaque of my own design save one shoulder mount. I’ve had PH/outfitter use whomever they normally do for dip/pack/ship. Air freight to port of entry in US then customs broker from port to taxidermist. IIRC average total for single crate with up to 4 PG skulls and buffalo skull from outfitter in Africa to taxidermist has averaged about 900.00. BTW I would suggest using customs broker to save stress. They’ve averaged 200.00-300.00. Both state and feds require inspection upon arrival which adds 100.00-200.00 or so to total. Last shipment was via Turkish Air after Delta et al pitched a woke fit about shipping trophies. No issues with Turkish Air.

I’m sure you could add 25% or more to those costs as they were immediately prior to the pandumbic. Also depends upon country of origin and distance from main departure point which depends on shipper and air freight company.

When my skulls get here, I know how they will be handled and finished because I control that step in process. While in Africa I have no control even though I have always left clear instructions to not over cook/ boil! But they always do because, “that’s the way we’ve always done it”. Just something to be aware of. Also, some skinners and dip/pack/shippers are good about proper hide/cape care and some aren’t and some just don’t know any other way. Expect missing some of the small bones along the top of the nose to be broken or missing. Easily repaired/replaced with other domestic/wild bones from here. Same for teeth. I added the lower jaws from a couple different animals to a shipment one time so have been able to make fit and replace the upper pre molars and molars on a few that went missing in the bottom of the boil pot in Africa

I just cut out and rout the edges of my own plaques after my taxidermist has prepped the skull and slipped, cleaned, attached, and re-built the bases of the horns. I like low gloss varnished solid walnut plank for plaque. Doing my own plaques and attaching skulls saves some money on this end.
Good luck!