Taxidermy

[MAdcox]

This guy has a personal beef with me because he got his panties in a wad over an Obama joke a year or so Back.

Ok @gizmo, got to give us the joke, never too late for an Obama joke!

 

[Royal27]

Had my taxidermy done in SA, for the "savings", but by the time it was all said and done, it still cost me an arm and a leg! No real "savings", and I was disappointed in the end result, to boot!! Next time I will bring the trophies home to the States to be done, whether it be skull mounts, hides, or full shoulders. Dennis does exceptional work, but I've seen other work by American taxidermists whose mounts look better than those I had done in SA. Do I think that all SA taxidermists are poor? No, not at all......but as someone else said, if you are disappointed, I'd rather have them close by than half a world away to complain.

Great post and very true. The "savings" just seem to go away. It's kinda like buying a Chevy sedan and being totally happy with your decision and then six months later finding out you could have gotten a brand new Lexus at the same price. Oops....

Another thing you'll notice if you read a lot here is that many first timers use SA taxidermists. But the more times a guy has gone to Africa the less likely he seems to be to get taxidermy done over there.

 

[gizmo]

Ok @gizmo, got to give us the joke, never too late for an Obama joke!

Lol I don't remember it exactly. It was something about bungee jumping no strings attached. It actually wasn't my joke, I was just standing up for the person who said it after Ruger threw a temper-tantrum. It was in a hunt offer by one of our African PH's. I laughed my rear off, kinda one of those you'd have had to been there type deals.

 

[Dragan N.]

Great post and very true. The "savings" just seem to go away. It's kinda like buying a Chevy sedan and being totally happy with your decision and then six months later finding out you could have gotten a brand new Lexus at the same price. Oops....

Another thing you'll notice if you read a lot here is that many first timers use SA taxidermists. But the more times a guy has gone to Africa the less likely he seems to be to get taxidermy done over there.

Another point worth mentioning is to shop around with US taxidermists. You can sometimes find taxidermists who are of the same caliber, yet what they charge for mounting a certain species maybe noticeably different.

As an example compare Rick Carter and Dennis Harris' price lists:

http://www.cartertaxidermy.com/cartertaxidermy_011.htm

http://www.artistryofwildlife.com/uploads/2/6/6/3/26634456/pice_list_na_.pdf

North American

Life size bison (Carter @ 6000 and Dennis @ 9500) or life size coastal brown bear (Carter @4500 vs. Dennis @ 6000).

African

Life size eland ( Carter @ 9750 vs. Dennis @ 11,500- 12,500). Life size giraffe or hippo (Carter @ 27K vs. Dennis @ 30K).

However for most shoulder mounts their prices are pretty close. Also for some life size too, i.e. a life size cape buffalo at both places is around 11,500.

I'd say these are a valid comparison as they are both world class taxidermists and also they mount all of the mounts that come into their studio personally. I would imagine that any differences in quality from both would be so small that to the untrained eye it would not be noticeable.

 

[tedthorn]

Get it done here in the USA and use @The Artistry of Wildlife / Dennis Harris

There is nobody here that can match his quality.

 

[johnnyblues]

Another excellent taxidermist isWes Goode of kanati taxidermy in PA. Has done work for me as well as other members here.

 

[harden]

LOL I'm friends with Rick... But my African Cape Buffalo shoulder mount is $$$$ 350 CHEAPER than his. 1950 vs 2300 ...LOL Guess I should raise my price.
http://www.artistryofwildlife.com/uploads/2/6/6/3/26634456/price_list_aow_2015.pdf

90% my life size are custom rodded with make female slide pins on legs, not threaded rods that need nut and bolts. There is still a lot of difference in the mounts. And include mots of my custom alterations for pose. Only extreme alterations to life-size are really charged.

 

[Eeleel]

Thanks everyone on the comments, sorry to have opened old wounds. As to your comments I have a Wyoming antelope mounted by my guide, he said their goats differed from others. I concur this mount was excellent.
My Colorado Muley mounted by the outfitters preferred ( as in connected ) stuffer accomplished just that he stuffed it poorly.
I will bring my animals home.
Thank you.

 

[archerman]

Hi,

I have a guy here in California that is really an artist and particular about where the capes are sent to tannery in the states ... dowes not use local tanneries.

here is my kudu he did in 2013:

 

[Cam Moon]

I'm wondering if anyone has any first hand experience with Umlini

 

[Cam Moon]

I'm wondering if anyone has any first hand experience with Umlini

Sorry. It's Umlindi.