Taxidermy cost question

[Jasper99]

I had 9 animals dipped and packed in SA that will be arriving back in the states soon. I take it the taxidermy cost here will be less since the caping and tanning is done already? Is there a standard price break or how does that work? Thanks!

 

[harden]

No, your skins and capes will not be tanned at all. They will be salted and bug proofed a temporary measure for the shipment home.
Dip pack service is only that only this for export.
African game IS priced by all the taxidermist I know and that's quite a few having been in the business for 44 years now
Your going to pay the list price, no one walks in to my studio with a just shot kudu in the back of the truck.
Our pricing is from salted dip packed skins.
I don't really want to break the news but your cost "may" be more on some of the animals. I usually include minor repairs and fixing damaged skins but some don't. It will come done to how well the african skinners skinned and fleshed them and salted them and the care they took handling your skins for mounting

 

[Warbird782]

@Jasper99 look no further than the the gentleman that posted above. He has some of the best taxidermy that I have seen on African game from a US taxidermist.

Your fees has just started. You trophies have not been tanned yet. You will need to pay for tanning then mounting.

 

[Jasper99]

Gotcha, makes sense. This is my first Africa rodeo so I wasn't sure. Thank you very much!

 

[harden]

Jasper you then need to look over my site and facebook page and let me know if I can help you in any way
You have a broker for import?
You have a USDA approved taxidermist to ship in your crate.
It must be imported thru a USDA approval facility per USDA requirements
I'd be happy to work with you, give you a quote and mount some of the best world class taxidermy that you can get.
Look thru this site and see what I do for other hunters here.
Thanks
Dennis

Click this banner below or along the side of the page and see what special you can get the this forum.
One of your 9 trophies mounts for free when you get the other 8 done thru my studio.

 

[JimP]

If you don't go with Dennis you need to talk to your taxidermist if you have one and get some plans laid out.

 

[BMD]

I clear my own animals and save the broker fee, you will need a taxidermist where the animals are headed. As noted they will be salted, unless you specifically asked to have tanned hopefully you didn't as their tanning is hard on a taxidermist here, I did however have my daughters giraffe tanned over there to prevent slippage and it worked but was pretty tough on taxidermist here to get soaked up and ready to mount, better than taking chance with the thick giraffe hide.

 

[harden]

Agreed you can sea e a lot of giraffes that way but mounting with african tans IS A NIGHTMARE !

 

[ActionBob]

Gotcha, makes sense. This is my first Africa rodeo so I wasn't sure. Thank you very much!

Jasper if your stuff is already on the way over and you don't have a taxidermist... You might be best off to simply call Dennis and let him help you through this first go around. Dennis is not cheap but when you look at the deal he is offering to board members and the potential issues you could face if your un-prepared, I think you will be treated very fair and have a real possibility of having your ass pulled out of a jamb! LOL

AND you will get the very best taxidermy quality you can find anywhere.

Dennis has "been there and done that" from everything I see. And that goes for hunting Africa himself.

If your stuff is still in Africa and not already on it's way, you might have some time to check around yet.

 

[BMD]

Agreed you can sea e a lot of giraffes that way but mounting with african tans IS A NIGHTMARE !

I was fortunate was too bad on mine it was done at reiser taxidermy in Namibia it soaked up and with down Shaving worked out with no slippage. But agreed their tan sucks

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Agreed you can sea e a lot of giraffes that way but mounting with african tans IS A NIGHTMARE !

Dennis, can you expand on your comment on African tanning please? I took 3 animals in Zim and they will be tanned in Bulawayo before shipping to my taxidermist in Montana. I also took 4 animals in Namibia and they are just dipped and packed. The taxidermist in Bulawayo has these comments on his website:
Our fur dressing is a Lutan F base tan used all over the world in the taxidermy industry.

Identification – It is identified as a soft white glove-like tan. It has a high resistance to water and softens well when wet. We offer some of the best flat skin rugs from Giraffe to Zebra.

Pro’s and Con’s – We introduced the Pre-Tan as we could see the extreme costs that avid hunters in Africa were having to deal with. Here are a few Pro’s and Con’s –

• Will decrease the weight of your shipment by up to 25%-30%
• It will decrease volume by as much as 50%
• Any problematic hide will be discovered prior to shipping and will be replaced free of charge to all customers
• Saves on trophies having to be put through all USDA and other countries disease control quarantine
• Saves on +/- 3 months of your processing time
• Cost effective due to lower running costs, and no additional packing charges that would have had to be paid on all raw exports when paying your local tannery fees previously

 

[BMD]

Most of the tans from Africa are very difficult to work with and they are not careful with cuts and tearing it has little to no stretch when hydrated it can even just be trash. Wrinkled and dry that just can't be repaired. But would be interested in seeing the pics of your capes when they arrive never seen a good African tan

 

[Scott Slough]

Gotcha, makes sense. This is my first Africa rodeo so I wasn't sure. Thank you very much!

But isn't it one hell of a ride!

 

[harden]

There are lots of ways to tan, in fact dozens of ways. Tanning for taxidermy is COMPLETELY different that tanning for glove leather and tooling leather. The fibers MUST strong yet open enough thru the dermis to allow stretch. Just because a hide is "tanned" does not mean it van be mounted. most Africa tans are fine if you work with them in a wet stage, dry them and re hydrate them they don;t strectch back to original size and have no pliability to properly fit to a form. I would day 75% of what I see from afirca I would;t want to try to mount. If it causes issues the price in fact will go up. If I spent an additional 3-6 hours fighting a tan I don't use or like it's properties it's 65 per hour for my time. It can add up and your savings get spent my fighting to creat something nice.

 

[BMD]

I have never seen a good tan from Africa.

 

[siml]

BMD got to disagree with you.....

 

[BMD]

I stand corrected.

 

[siml]

@BMD , I had to pull your leg......

 

[BMD]

 

[375 Ruger Fan]