REPORT: Trophaendienste Taxidermy Namibia - Beware

[PARA45]

Yes Tim, that is because they know you are gone, and there is nothing you can do to them. I may end up sounding like a broken record, but every time I see someone having taxidermist issues, I put in my 2 cents worth and show what I went through. I paid a lot of money for this, and didn't get any back. So, I am planning on continuing to make everyone here know what I went through, even if it's 20 years from now. If I can persuade one individual from doing business with them, I know I am hurting their pockets.

 

[MPN]

Looking at hunting Namibia in the next year or two.

Really Appreciate "heads up" threads of this nature that help future hunters avoid the "garbage". At the same time hate to see these threads knowing someone is/was mired in the "garbage".
.
With Namibia being one of the top hunting destinations currently...it sure seems like a HUGE opportunity for someone who can produce/operate a quality taxidermy operation to fill the current void. Mucho $$$ could be made here...

 

[Edward Wright]

I hope you all have good luck with your trophies. Taxidermist friend of mine has hunted all over the world. He says getting skins out of Africa is “terrible”, and everyone has trouble. I would think some outfitter in SA would see this as a $$$ opportunity, and form a company to expedite skins to ship from SA , and oversee the salting care , etc thru hunting operations all over Africa. There are inter county flights from SA, just bring back skins to SA upon return. Logistics could be worked out. Surprised this is not already a reality.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

I hope you all have good luck with your trophies. Taxidermist friend of mine has hunted all over the world. He says getting skins out of Africa is “terrible”, and everyone has trouble. I would think some outfitter in SA would see this as a $$$ opportunity, and form a company to expedite skins to ship from SA , and oversee the salting care , etc thru hunting operations all over Africa. There are inter county flights from SA, just bring back skins to SA upon return. Logistics could be worked out. Surprised this is not already a reality.

Sorry as this is a bit off topic.
There are Taxidermy companies that imports trophies etc to South Africa, does the work and ship it onward to final destination.

I’ve never been involved with exporting trophies from SA, but I have seen extremely wonderful work by Taxidermists here, and some horrible as well, so there is definitely hope.

Good luck to the OP and others that have had the unfortunate issues above, hope the situations will be solved and you would still have some great memorabilia from your hunts.

//Gus

 

[Edward Wright]

I agree there are good artists in SA. My thought was a broker of sorts handling trophy skins and horns for transfer back to home country. Not a true taxidermy company, but handler with contacts thru out Africa.
Someone I could call/ hire and say “I’m hunting in Namibia have five PG trophy’s “. Then the broker would call his contact in Namibia, and that contact would go to Outfittters camp and collect trophy skins, ensure proper salting, skinning, and then transport to aircraft to SA.
I know sounds like a lot, but for the $$$$ that these hunters have spent for ruined trophies, I would say the cost would be worth it.

 

[svenr]

JG416
Thank you very much for your comment. We are in contact with management of Reiser and have requested them to respond.

Good day, My name is Sven and was appointed as manager of Reiser Taxidermy in 2016 to improve quality of work, communication with clients, resolve all issues past and present and to give the service as expected from our clients.

Mr.Gould, thank you for commenting on the poor service your received in the past. I know it has been a long time but please send me a mail as I would like to discuss the issues you had.

Kowas Hunting, thank you for the opportunity to display our mounts at your lodge.

We assure you quality of workmanship, good turn around times, transparency and accept full responsibility for issue that may arise. All trophies whether it be dip & pack or mounts are quality checked at each step of the process. Packing is double checked to ensure no damage occurs during transport.

Regards,
Sven

 

[Markvm]

Tim, apologies, a bit late to the thread, my heart fell into my guts when I read the issues yourself and Mark have experienced. Sorry as it would not make you feel any better but your post has given myself and others on the forum, some incite into what to expect and try to avoid when heading for a hunt in Namibia, and I thank you for that. As you said in one of your posts us Aussies don't have the choice of dip and pack, so its either tanned capes or completed mounts, which I think adds to the risk of being let down if you don't have a good taxidermist and supportive safari operator.
Best Regards,
Markvm

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and best wishes. The original purpose of this thread was to make fellow hunters aware of some of the pitfalls that are out there so that they can hopefully avoid the same thing happening to their valued trophies. However the thread has been more successful than I imagined with members of the African taxidermy community sitting up and taking notice, and recognizing there are issues. Hopefully this can have a positive effect for all involved; and the industry there, which we hunters and the African hunting industry as a whole truly depend upon, can 'get their shit together' as we'd say in Australia.

Regards
Tim

 

[Mark R]

Latest from Louw is he is arranging permits for another replacement mountain zebra and a full size warthog boar full skin. Fingers crossed....

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[DoubleLunger]

Thank you for this right up. Velo Dog couldn’t have said it better as my thoughts and plans are exact. I will keep my fingers crossed in high hopes that when our shipments arrive that all will be what we paid for and we will be satisfied customers.
I also plan to post photos and write a review as to how my trophies turn out after spending plenty of my hard earned blue collar money.
I am sorry to hear that some of you had a bad experience with this company and I know that I would be devastated if I were to experience anything even close to the same.
I also might add that this taxidermist is what our guide at Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris recommended that we use and I certainly do trust his judgement. However, if I am less then pleased with the outcome of my trophies then I will certainly make this aware to Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris in case they wish to not put any of their clients through a less then pleasant experience with the final outcome of their African journey. Yet if I am satisfied with my product as it arrives then I will inform Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris of this as well so that they are aware of what they are setting their clients up with rather it be good or bad.

https://www.africahunting.com/members/khomas-highland-hunting-safaris.27448/

Trying to tag Khomas Highland Safaris but not sure how lol

DL

 

[DoubleLunger]

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and best wishes. The original purpose of this thread was to make fellow hunters aware of some of the pitfalls that are out there so that they can hopefully avoid the same thing happening to their valued trophies. However the thread has been more successful than I imagined with members of the African taxidermy community sitting up and taking notice, and recognizing there are issues. Hopefully this can have a positive effect for all involved; and the industry there, which we hunters and the African hunting industry as a whole truly depend upon, can 'get their shit together' as we'd say in Australia.

Regards
Tim

Well said Tim. In fact I would imagine that if this company is made aware of these pitfalls and that their reputation could be at stake due to what is posted here on AH.com then perhaps they could fix the issue....whatever that might be.

If only I knew how to tag the company in this post to make them aware

 

[DoubleLunger]

Disregard my last posting as I just read up that they are attempting to deal with the issue. I certainly hope they are successful at keeping this sort of thing from happening in the future.

 

[Royal27]

If only I knew how to tag the company in this post to make them aware

@DoubleLunger

Start with the @ sign.

@Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris

 

[DoubleLunger]

@DoubleLunger

Start with the @ sign.

@Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris

Ahhh thank you Royal. I think I’m starting to lose my edge in technology with age(just turned 40)

 

[Royal27]

Ahhh thank you Royal. I think I’m starting to lose my edge in technology with age(just turned 40)

Don't worry, it gets worse.

Right @Velo Dog ???

 

[harden]

Mark R could have got a life-size warthog skin cheap tanned on great shape for $200. And the mountain zebra skin may, I say may, run into a tangle with USFW , but who knows , you do need a cites permit and I don't know if they will issue a new cites or even if they will at all on a skin not taken as a hunting trophy. That's all on this end, I have no doubt he can get a replacement but getting into country that may be a whole other story regarding the cites for it.

 

[Mark R]

Mark R could have got a life-size warthog skin cheap tanned on great shape for $200. And the mountain zebra skin may, I say may, run into a tangle with USFW , but who knows , you do need a cites permit and I don't know if they will issue a new cites or even if they will at all on a skin not taken as a hunting trophy. That's all on this end, I have no doubt he can get a replacement but getting into country that may be a whole other story regarding the cites for it.

Are you saying it was my responsibility to access another wathog full skin at my expense? yes the mountain zebra skin will require CITES permit but we are not all U.S. based hunters.....

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[harden]

No I do this all day long, PH or DIP pack just pays for the skin and I ship it to you, LOT CHEAPER than sending a salted skin crated shipped and the custom broker fees. It wasn't to have you pay for anything. It works better for everyone if your in the states cause the warthog is already tanned and here. You'll pay almost $300 to have a life-size warthog tanned.

 

[Mark R]

No I do this all day long, PH or DIP pack just pays for the skin and I ship it to you, LOT CHEAPER than sending a salted skin crated shipped and the custom broker fees. It wasn't to have you pay for anything. It works better for everyone if your in the states cause the warthog is already tanned and here. You'll pay almost $300 to have a life-size warthog tanned.

1. I'm in Australia, not U.S.
2. We can't bring in salted (green) skins to Australia, at least not without a lot of difficulty.

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[KHOMAS HIGHLAND HUNTING SAFARIS]

Hello Gentleman,

for 4 years Louw from Trophäendienste has been my preferred Taxidermist. All my clients he treats as a priority! After each Safari we load the hunted trophies and deliver to him. There his team has the chance to ask for special requests and needs of my clients.
Till today I've had no issues working together with Louw.

Together with Rainer Sentefold from African Shipping Services they have delivered our hunting trophies into the whole world- the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden & Australia.
In my opinion they are a winning team. "Patience is the key word"

myself am a Trophy hunter and have hunted Romania, France, Germany, Cameroon and in January I am in the states for my Mountain Lion. I am very aware that the quality of the work must be first class for the Safari to be complete.

Skinning of a trophy plays a very important role, therefore we drive our Land Cruisers into the deepest gorge, thickest bush and highest mountain and we go onto the material to load the Trophy then skin, disinfect and salt properly at home.

The major enemies of a trophy are- Blood, Moisture, Dirt and gut fluid.

Of cause it also happens to us, for example that a Steinbok is not shoot to far rearward and the cape is damaged. Then Louw will contact me and say I can't use the skin to make my work perfect. Then I know I must save a cape for my client and will hand it over to Louw at the next best opportunity. This does not work if my client decides to mount them in a different country.

Unfortunately it is not possible anymore to take the hunted trophies in your suitcase after a good hunt.

Therefore there are only few options left-
1. Dip & Pack "shipping agent" Directly to your preferred taxidermy or your home.
2. Wet- Tan your skins here in Namibia and send them to your preferred taxidermy. Saves shipping costs. The wet- tanning of skins is inexpensive. "lowest shipping costs"
3. Mount your trophies in Namibia and send them directly to your agent or home.

For the future guests to Namibia, we as Professional hunters and Outfitters take highest care of your trophies in the field and the intention of our Taxidermist in our country is to produce a high quality product made in Namibia.

Best regards from NAM

Philip