Taxidermy recommendations for South Africa

[johnnyblues]

Are some of you guys kidding? Respectably stated. We have beaten this issue so many times with so many "new members". The overall consensus is BRING IT HOME! Sir, taxidermy work is Africa is not very good PERIOD. You need to look at your trophies for the rest of your life , do it right the first time. There are several members here who do excellent taxidermy work. I speak from experience, had it done there once and never again. Feel free to PM me for details.

 

[Ryan]

Good work can be had there and here and the same could be said of bad work. @Hogpatrol and I both have had good work done over there. The key is good research and communication.Numzaan has a few lodges so please find out what area you'd be near and we may be able yo help you out.

 

[WAB]

I agree Ryan. Katerina at Nico van Royen wrote the taxidermy section in Peter FLACK’s buffalo book. Her work is outstanding. I would put the pedestal mount buffalo she did for me up against any buff mount I have seen. With all due respect, I think blanket statements that all African taxidermy is bad are simply incorrect.

 

[Newboomer]

I use Karoo Taxidermy, highly recommended by SSI. I think Karoo is in Jansenville, RSA. I've used them twice with great results at reasonable cost. Dip and pack is the only way to go. You get your trophies shipped to your local taxidermist where you can discuss what you want face to face and have it done right. You save a lot on shipping, too. Much smaller crate and less weight. Work with SSI. They handle everything from the outfitter to your taxidermist and if there is a problem they will handle it.

 

[harden]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and How much value they wish to put on their memories....Everyone has executable quality level and $$$ sometimes drives decisions later regretted in years to come. ITS NEVER the Company doing the work. ITS ALL ABOUT the guy putting it together. Unskilled low experienced $5.00 a day employee assembler or experienced taxidermy owner artist?

 

[ActionBob]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and How much value they wish to put on their memories....Everyone has executable quality level and $$$ sometimes drives decisions later regretted in years to come. ITS NEVER the Company doing the work. ITS ALL ABOUT the guy putting it together. Unskilled low experienced $5.00 a day employee assembler or experienced taxidermy owner artist?

Dennis I think they had a couple minimum wage increases and are now paid closer to $12/day

 

[harden]

Everyone knows my view, Keep AMERICA WORKING. Spend your money on your hunts and support the PH and his people !! But when it comes to what you CAN get done at home spend it within OUR BORDERS ! My guys and myself earn a living wage, hunt and support hunting and enjoy it. I'll bet the farm NO TYPICAL EMPLOYEE of any african taxidermy studio hunts. They will never be able to at 1.50 an hour. Hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars are spent in Africa on taxidermy that is money that will never see the US again. Spend your money here in the US and it stays in the circle of the hunting industry.

 

[johnnyblues]

I was not making a blanket statement on African taxidermy but I think the smart money/move is to bring it home. As Dennis said 99% of these guys don't hunt and are making a meager living. I simply don't believe they care enough. Or have enough skills, of course you may find some but I ll be damned if I ever do it again. I did it on a what appears to be a former member's recommendation and a HIGH ONE AT THAT, but it would appear he a skin in the game on recommendations. Do yourself a favor just bring it home.

 

[johnnyblues]

Make sure you understand the TOTAL cost of taxidermy to your door, shipping included.

As a broad general statement SA taxidermy is average at best, with the average in the States being well above (IMO) the average for SA. You'll "save" money on the mounts themselves but then likely eat the savings up with the shipping.

I've done SA taxidermy before and won't do it again. I got the average taxidermy I expected. No issue there. My expectations were met. But, I could have gotten world class here for a few hundred dollars less after the shipping difference was added in... Oops....

Another thing to remember about SA is it is often more of an assembly line type of process (which can happen here too). Look closely, at ear placement, eye placement, and even eye color (I've seen wrong colored eyes on animals by a taxidermist mentioned in this thread). Are they right?

Lastly, remember that SA works on a kick back system. "Recommended" often means "they pay me the most for your business." It's up to you to make sure a taxidermist is the best choice for you. Don't assume an outfitter has your best interest at heart. They often don't .


Lots of great threads here to look over on this subject!

QUITE well put!

 

[Bruce]

Bullseye in Limpopo

Craig from BULLSEYE has done superb work for me in the passed..as has Lifeform.
BUCK 'N BASS also does fantastic work.

 

[Mort Hill]

I have used a taxidermist in the US for all 7 of my past safaris. On my last father/son trip, I decided after many, many hours of research, to use Dennis and The Artistry of Wildlife. You might wonder why I would change taxidermist after years of using the same guys? Bad work? Not at all. All I can say is I was very happy with my previous taxidermist. But after correspondence with Dennis, the attention to detail, the obvious quality, workmanship, and the superior creativity(as seen on this site and his web page), I thought I could take my trophy mounts to the next level. I have some outstanding mounts. But for the money, I think Dennis’ work is over the top. While having not even begun the actual mounting process, his communication through the tanning process, assistance with a bum cape due to poor skinning/salting, have been exemplary. You may think this sounds like a paid endorsement, but it is not. Until I joined AH a few years ago, I had never even heard of Dennis. But I will say, if you want what I think will be one of the most realistic recreations of that special animal/animals you’ve hunted, just look at the pictures on this site of his detail and workmanship, and taking “lowest price” factor out of the equation, you could not possibly be disappointed. I can not wait to share pictures of his work on our trophies.

 

[Newboomer]

Price should not be the deciding factor. Granted, it plays a part, but quality of workmanship is the major player. You have to live with what you get and if it doesn't look right it won't feel right. The old saying,"You get what you pay for " rings so true considering all the money, time and hard work that went into getting that trophy. You want to be happy and proud to display a work of art, not some slipshod hack job. Bring 'em home, keep the money and jobs in the USA and you have control of the work.

I did a lot of research here on AH reading taxidermy reports and viewing posts of several members. I checked out taxidermists in my area before I trusted my trophies to Animal Artistry in Reno. They are a little more expensive but if you have seen their exhibits at SCI conventions you can appreciate their craftsmanship. I have used them for my last two safaris and will use them again for my next hunt.

This is not a paid ad and I get nothing from it except great satisfaction from work well done.

 

[Cam Moon]

I'm wondering if anyone has compared taxidermy pricing between Canada and the USA. I'm a northern neighbor, and from what I've found, the price difference between here in Canada and the price in South Africa is astronomical! I can't possibly see shipping full mounts vs dip and pack bring THAT big of a difference. Not enough to make the cost be equal, and certainly not enough to make a mount in RSA plus shipping be MORE expensive! Can our prices here possibly be that much more than my friends further south? I'd love some feedback. Perhaps I could do D&P to USA, pay a US taxidermist for an amazing job, and have it shipped up here!???!?

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have only received shoulder mounts, euros and skins from Africa once. Waiting on mine from my last two trips. But a couple of things I have discovered are the huge differences in shipping quotes, that is for the same crate, $1250 to almost $3000! Secondly is trying to contact the Africa taxidermist for updates has been pitiful! Pictures finally sent to me from my last hunts were not even of my trophies! Apparently my warthog has been lost somewhere and now I have to negotiate the original trophy fee as well as the already paid taxidermy fee. Infuriating!

 

[PARA45]

The trophies mounted by Highveld were my first African trophies. I went with them due to ignorance, and trusting the recommendation of the outfitter that I used. I took a tour of their facility, and they had a beautiful pamphlet, and Highveld showed me only the show case area, and their best mounts. I didn't get a chance to go behind the scene, which I think would have helped me changed my mind about their service.

Get them mounted here in the states. My trophies will not last 10 years, I've started to noticed a deterioration on the workmanship. My trophies have air pockets between the mold and skin, and feel like the skin is going to crack any day.

For my next safari, I will definitely have my trophies done here in the states. In Pay for quality, not for quantity.

 

[MAdcox]

African San taxidermy outside of Kimberley

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Bring it home......lot's of "smoke and mirrors" with SA taxidermy; and as previously stated, you can complain, but you won't be able to (cheaply) send it back to make it right. If I ever get to go back, I won't make the same mistake twice.

 

[harden]

Pull out the POPCORN Guys. For tonight,
I quoted a safari one of "US" here spent 13,600 for his African Taxidermy shipped all in...I'll post MY QUALITY TAXIDERMY quoted delivered to the door price TONIGHT.
You'll stop eating the popcorn and stratch your head over this one.....

 

[slam8031]

My experience is a lot like many here--I took the recommendation of my outfitter with taxidermy. I visited the shop in Pretoria and picked what I wanted done, forms, looks, etc. 9 months later I got my mounts and skulls and rugs--the kudu and the waterbuck were decent, the skulls were overboiled but cleaned up and put back together, and the flat rugs were decent for hanging over couches and bannisters. Second trip, used the same group and had them do something they had never done--a three mount pedestal of a 59+ inch kudu, a nice Nyala, and a bushbuck--again because of the difference and it being their first mount, I got a nice result that is slightly above average. The owner and not the staff did the taxidermy. However, for my third trip, I am (somewhat patiently--my problem not Dennis') waiting for Dennis to mount a sable pedestal, a wall pedestal kings wildebeest, and a full mount of caracal and genet with a few skins on the way. The costs for the mounts from the group in RSA was 10% lower than Artistry of Wildlife, the shipping for the full compared to the dip and pack was nearly 4 x's higher, and in the end Dennis Harris is personally mounting my memories...I think when it is all done, I am cheaper (or at least virtually identical) going through Dennis and using Swift Dip and Coppersmith than having RSA taxidermists mount and ship. The one area that is cheaper without question in RSA is the pedestal purchase. Everything else for all the reasons that many have stated already, is a win for the US taxidermist(s). I am satisfied with my previous taxidermy, but I am afraid that I will not want to put it next to what Dennis is preparing for me!

 

[harden]

Prime example of the real deal. Thank you TTUNDRA for letting me use your numbers.
I'll be happy to get that next hunt cape buffalo out for you.
I have talked to T TUNDRA about his shipment and work done is Africa
This is the exact PM from our conversation on AH
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Hi Dennis,
No problem. This situation was a unique one to me as a Kudu and Impala from my first shipment were damaged so Johan at Trophy Solutions offered to pay all expenses to bring them back to RSA and redo them and send back on his dime. I had want to bring them back to the US to be done, but he gave me a decent deal for this second trips good.

In the crate are:
2 Kudu wall pedestals
2 Blue Wildebeest wall pedestals
1 black wildbeest wall pedestal
1 waterbuck wall pedestal
1 zebra wall pedestal
1 gemsbok wall pedestal
2 impala wall pedestal
1 impala euro
1 springbuck euro
and a few back skins

Total for all work (crate, documents, etc), minus the redo of one impala and kudu was $9900, shipping was 3200, and clearing $500. Total cost all in for work, shipping, and clearing at $13,600.

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He did want to bring them home to the US and had reached out to me , But as our conversation went Johan gave him a deal.
To me didn't turn out to be much of a deal
He had sent back at Johan expense 1 KUDU and 1 Impala to be REDONE as for damage that occurred in the first shipment so they were already paid for...Tho they are listed as IN CRATE they are not charged for on his invoicing for this safari.
Here we go..........................

In the crate are:
2 Kudu wall pedestals (One paid for from last safari and returned)
2 Blue Wildebeest wall pedestals
1 Black wildbeest wall pedestal
1 Waterbuck wall pedestal
1 Zebra wall pedestal
1 Gemsbok wall pedestal
2 Impala wall pedestal ( One paid for last year from previous safari sent back to repair/redo)
1 impala euro
1 springbuck euro
and a few back skins

Total for all work (crate, documents, etc), minus the redo of one impala and kudu was $9900, shipping was 3200, and clearing $500. Total cost all in for work, shipping, and clearing at $13,600. And THIS just get hod crate to Chicago NOT to his home in North Carolina......Total Paid out trophies in Chicago $13,600.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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IF He had gone thru me, read it all......
Kudu wall pedestal , no extra charge as they make for form commercially 1500
2 Wildebest Wall pedestals. no extra charge as they make for form commercially 2@ 1250 each
1 Back Wildebeest wall pedestal ,no extra charge as they make for form commercially 1250
1 Waterbuck wall pedestal no extra charge as they make for form commercially 1250
1 Zebra Wall Pedestal , there is an extra charge of 10% as we have to make the form in shop 1500 +150
1 Gemsbok Wall Pedestal ,no extra charge as they make for form commercially 1150
1 Impala wall Pedestal , no extra charge as they make for form commercially 795
Euro Mounts if no repairs are needed to skull or cleaning 50 on panel x2 100
Springbok backskin and Impala backskin 50 and 75 wholesale cost no add ons 125
Taxidermy charges TOTAL $9,070.00
+
Dip and pack costs per Johan Price list skull and cape
Kudu 125
Wildebest 125
Wildebest 125
Black Wildebeest 125
Waterbuck 125
Zebra cape only 65
Gemsbok 125
Impala skull and back skin 85
Springbok skull and backskin 80
Crating of dip pack 395 per price list from where is was done ( 1-9 pieces ) more pieces "slightly" higher
Nature conservation fee 95
Veterinarian fee 105
Courier fee to recover permits from Province IF APPLICABLE 85 I'll add this in anyway
Shipping small crate of dip pack to Chicago from S A $1,000.00
Import brokers fees per Trophy Shippers as AH member $400
Total dip pack and Import TOTAL $ 3.060.00
+
Ship crate to My tannery 150 miles from Chicago to tannery TOTAL $175.00
+
I pick up from there skull and horns and capes when tanned and completed for mounting.
After mounting we deliver IN COMBINED shipments to our clients to the door or ship by crate to faster away clients. This shipment to North Carolina would have been no more that 750 total. Even less if we have deliveries arranged in nearby cities or states. ALL clients mounts SHARE the milage costs amounts the entire load no matter the numbers of pieces.
Total Delivery charge of finished SAFARI Average has been $500.00 to North Carolina
Three clients last month with larger safari's than this paid 450 each to deliver to their homes.
See how the combined shipments work.......

Add it up for MY quality of work. $12,805.00
Personally , I don't thing Johan gave him such a deal !
It cost him $800 more to get Production African Taxidermy DONE IN AFRICA by a company that has been doing taxidermy for just a couple years and is priced about the average of all studios on Africa and shipped to Chicago and not home.
Still think your money is best spent in Africa for Taxidermy
Think again, Number DON'T LIE