Highveld Taxidermy experience?

[HuntingFreak]

First crate of dip and pack arrived today. I will post an update once I get a call back from the taxidermist. So far the company has been great to work with. Hopefully the quality of everything is the same.

 

[HuntingFreak]

All well with the crate!

 

[ajamils]

Forgot to update this thread.

I visited South Africa last month, our outfitter @HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS took us to visit Highveld on our way to the airport. It was a great experience. Highveld run a great facility with everything from tanning, mounting, custom crating and shipping are all in one location. Saw some amazing trophies there. Few pictures attached.

Needless to say, trophies from my dad hunts are with them as well and they have been excellent in answering queries and replying promptly.

 

[Sarg]

Best taxidermist in Africa. Period!

Oh I don’t think even close, many others the same or much better !

Life Form Taxidermy would be one of the better & Nico Van Rooyen Taxidermy is also top draw !

There are others, I have been to a lot of Taxidermy Work Shops & show rooms, it is a great pity that some have very spotty quality control, right down to shitty boiling & skull prep protocols !

 

[FlyGuy]

Oh I don’t think even close, many others the same or much better !

Life Form Taxidermy would be one of the better & Nico Van Rooyen Taxidermy is also top draw !

There are others, I have been to a lot of Taxidermy Work Shops & show rooms, it is a great pity that some have very spotty quality control, right down to shitty boiling & skull prep protocols !

I find that as a whole, across the diverse range of African game species, Highveld are brilliant.

I reckon that to have the absolute best trophies, you need to use multiple taxidermists.
IMHO Life Form does the most beautiful leopard trophies I’ve ever seen.
Their cats are spectacular!

Katrina at Nico v Rooyen is super talented and a great person too.
If I ever get a Limpopo bushbuck, it’s going straight to her.

I’m sure it’s the same in the U.S.A….
Studio A does the best elk, but studio B does an exceptional whitetail etc.

 

[BWH]

I’ve used the “good” ones….. x. Can’t risk it anymore. The product was sub par. When you figure in the cost & controls. Ship it to a stateside that will communicate & shoot straight with you! @gizmo

 

[ajamils]

Not sure if anybody else offers it but one thing that I'm really liking about HighVeld is that they provide update on every step, with photos so you can see what's going on with the trophies.

Here are some of the ones they have.

 

[PARA45]

Dip and Pack or Euro mounts is one thing. Getting good quality taxidermy out of a mass production is another.

Here is my Impala to show their "quality".

 

[bigdon91]

Gentleman, sorry if I’m off topic a little.
I’m thinking of having my trophy’s shipped to the Port of Houston, Texas. Being it’s less than 1/2 the price of Air Freight.
Has anyone here shipped to the Port?
I’m thing the receiving agent, once cleared, would have it moved to a warehouse where it can be picked up by me.
Any thoughts or experiences on this guys?

PM me if you prefer, Many Thanks!

 

[ajamils]

Gentleman, sorry if I’m off topic a little.
I’m thinking of having my trophy’s shipped to the Port of Houston, Texas. Being it’s less than 1/2 the price of Air Freight.
Has anyone here shipped to the Port?
I’m thing the receiving agent, once cleared, would have it moved to a warehouse where it can be picked up by me.
Any thoughts or experiences on this guys?

PM me if you prefer, Many Thanks!

Sorry, I don't have any answer for you but would like to know the same as I am in Houston and it would be helpful for me as well.

 

[HuntingFreak]

I’m having my shipped to Houston. I just got the email that they’re ready and crated. Should have more info soon.

 

[ajamils]

Who do you plan on using to do the clearance at Houston port ?

I’m having my shipped to Houston. I just got the email that they’re ready and crated. Should have more info soon.

 

[HuntingFreak]

Who do you plan on using to do the clearance at Houston port ?

I am using Coppersmith. So far they have been great. I sent my dip and pack to Chicago using them and everything was flawless.

 

[ajamils]

I am using Coppersmith. So far they have been great. I sent my dip and pack to Chicago using them and everything was flawless.

If you don't mind me asking, how much are they charging for the service? Also, does it include clearance and shipping to final destination?

 

[HuntingFreak]

If you don't mind me asking, how much are they charging for the service? Also, does it include clearance and shipping to final destination?

It was right around $1,500 all in including transport from Chicago to Iowa. That was for around a 35KG crate with a CITES animal.

 

[Blaine0023]

I currently am having some mounts done at Highveld. I’ll let you know how it goes once everything comes in. Their communication has been great up to this point and I have a link that has progress pictures which is nice. I’m having some taxidermy done there and some done with my main taxidermist here at home. They said they were just beginning the mounts so more to come!

Any update on working with Highveld? I am going in November with African Barefoot Safaris and Highveld is their chosen taxidermist.

 

[PARA45]

Any update on working with Highveld? I am going in November with African Barefoot Safaris and Highveld is their chosen taxidermist.

Did you get a chance to read some of the issues with them? I would suggest going with someone else. Look at the picture of my impala, and this is something I can't fix without paying someone else. Total waste of $800.00. At the end of the day, it is your call if you want to risk it.

 

[Blaine0023]

Did you get a chance to read some of the issues with them? I would suggest going with someone else. Look at the picture of my impala, and this is something I can't fix without paying someone else. Total waste of $800.00. At the end of the day, it is your call if you want to risk it.

I did read your posts. From what I gathered, and I may be wrong, it seemed like your mounts were damaged in shipping on the US side? Is that correct or did I get that wrong? If so, then why is Highveld at fault for the damage done by the shipping company? I am truly asking for my own understanding and not picking a side. I don't have a dog in the fight and I am not for or against anyone but it came across the more I read that the shipping company was to blame for your issues and that there was an issue with the purchased insurance. I do hate that you were not provided a copy of the policy that your purchased. To clarify, was the shipping insurance purchased through Highveld or Oxi shipping?

 

[PARA45]

Yes they were some damages during shipping, and I had paid for insurance, which BTW it should have covered my trophies from departure to delivery, it's called door to door. I was in the Freight Forwarding business and know how the insurance works. The owner of Highveld never provided a certificate, which meant that the insurance was never purchased by them, which meant they pocket $300-500 that it cost. Second, if you look at the picture of my impala, that did not happen during shipping, that is just pissed poor work. Your money, and your mounts. Good luck!

 

[Blaine0023]

Yes they were some damages during shipping, and I had paid for insurance, which BTW it should have covered my trophies from departure to delivery, it's called door to door. I was in the Freight Forwarding business and know how the insurance works. The owner of Highveld never provided a certificate, which meant that the insurance was never purchased by them, which meant they pocket $300-500 that it cost. Second, if you look at the picture of my impala, that did not happen during shipping, that is just pissed poor work. Your money, and your mounts. Good luck!

Since you said that Highveld never provided the insurance certificate and pocketed your money, that means you purchased the shipping insurance through them? Then I did get that part wrong. I thought you purchased the shipping insurance through the shipping company?