My Zambian Buffalo Mount (am I being too picky)

[Kevin Peacocke]

I think he is juite ok, but the answer has to be 'it is what it is'. Be careful of messing with it, airbrush can go wrong and it is done. Let him remind you of your hunt and just enjoy it all.

 

[sestoppelman]

I said it before, I'll say it again. I think your buff looks just fine. I would be more than happy with it.

 

[Randy F]

IMO it looks much better than your original photos. Enjoy the memories of the hunt, and again, congratulations!!

 

[IvW]

Mold is too wide for this buff was cut too far down from the top so the eyes end up too close to the horns. Side view is ok front view not so much.....

 

[cls]

Thanks all for the comments, like @Kevin Peacocke said "it is what it is". I can live with it. It will still bring back the memories of a fantastic hunt @MBIZI SAFARIS in Zambia.

 

[mikecatt13]

Do you care to share the taxidermist, even privately? I personally would like to ensure I never use anyone that 1) takes 2 years and 2) produces poses opposite of requested

As far as having your stuff done in africa, I understand your frustration but this is more of a wrong taxidermist situation than wrong continent IMO

 

[fourfive8]

@cls, It wasn't until I studied some buffalo skulls that I realized there are definite racial differences among them from different areas. I have one from a little ways north of where you hunted in Zambia. The best comparison I have to that bull of similar age and size is one from south central Zimbabwe. With the naked eye, I can easily see the Zambia buffalo has a wider skull. The one from Zimbabwe is slightly narrower. The brain case is slightly domed on the Zimbabwe bull while the brain case on the Zambia bull is somewhat flat and dished. So, really your mount is not out of context for the buffalo from that area. Their skulls tend to be wider and blockier than some from other areas. My only criticism of the mount may have begun with the form. And it is not a huge flaw. It looks correct for type of buffalo, judging from the field pictures and by the fact I think those in that area have that shape of skull. However, IMO, it was just a bit oversized from the beginning. It looks like the right shape with the slightly wide set eyes just as it should but maybe a fraction too large overall maybe only a 1/4"- 3/8" too big in overall dimensions... so not very much at all.

Of course the boss was problematic from the get go. A very difficult task for any taxidermist to make it "look right". That obviously is a good, old bull that lost, wore away or chipped out a large portion of the center part of the boss (proximal horn ends) then, for what ever reason, underwent a growth spurt with better nutrition or ?? where his body deposited a bunch of new tissue back into the "growth" area of the gap at each horn end. Just thinking out loud here, but that would be my guess.
All in all your mount looks really pretty good and you should be pleased with it. I like it.

 

[MBIZI SAFARIS]

Hi Chuck, congrats that you finally got your buffalo on the wall !
As you know I always remember all buffalos as it was yesterday, this one was very special because it was a early season hunt and it was green and thick bush, pick the tracks early morning and after some time on the tracks we got contact with this bull at only 15 yards in the thicket... it was exiting as always when you getting close to this big boys You execute the situation nicely with a small angle nearly frontal shot with the 416 Rigby - 400 gr soft -, the memory will always be there when you look at him now on the wall my friend !

Regarding timing for dip pack, it's sadly a long time to waiting and we always delivery all our clients trophies to the dip/pack depot in Lusaka at the end of the hunting season. Then it's up to them to get the trophies exported ASAP. This take some time.... Anyhow we will doing our own dip/pack/crate and export declaration for 2021 and that mean we can have the trophies exported faster. The taxidermy time is another story, some are fast some take longer time.

For your shoulder mount, I think it's looks great (last photos) where you got the light gray part a bit more darker and if it was me I should be happy with it, this buff should never been growing together in the bosses and I think it's looks very similar to how it's looks as the day you shot it.

All the best !
Michael

 

[cls]

Hi Chuck, congrats that you finally got your buffalo on the wall !
As you know I always remember all buffalos as it was yesterday, this one was very special because it was a early season hunt and it was green and thick bush, pick the tracks early morning and after some time on the tracks we got contact with this bull at only 15 yards in the thicket... it was exiting as always when you getting close to this big boys You execute the situation nicely with a small angle nearly frontal shot with the 416 Rigby - 400 gr soft -, the memory will always be there when you look at him now on the wall my friend !

Regarding timing for dip pack, it's sadly a long time to waiting and we always delivery all our clients trophies to the dip/pack depot in Lusaka at the end of the hunting season. Then it's up to them to get the trophies exported ASAP. This take some time.... Anyhow we will doing our own dip/pack/crate and export declaration for 2021 and that mean we can have the trophies exported faster. The taxidermy time is another story, some are fast some take longer time.

For your shoulder mount, I think it's looks great (last photos) where you got the light gray part a bit more darker and if it was me I should be happy with it, this buff should never been growing together in the bosses and I think it's looks very similar to how it's looks as the day you shot it.

All the best !
Michael

Thanks for the comments Michael, I won't soon forget my hunt at Mbizi, it's truly a very special place.

 

[CJW]

Late to the party here but I think the pics you posted of it on your wall actually look pretty good.

One question though. Did you supply him with better pics than the two you shared with us of him on the ground? I'm not a taxidermist but I would think that lots of quality photos from different angles would aid in mounting.

Anyways, I truly hope you're happy with it and like I said I think it looks good.

 

[cls]

Thanks, Sent him a ton of pictures from different angles but he figured he new better. It's up and I'm ok with it now.

 

[CJW]

Thanks, Sent him a ton of pictures from different angles but he figured he new better. It's up and I'm ok with it now.

I figured as much but was wondering.

 

[AB2506]

I thin you should name the taxidermist so that others may avoid them.