What does good taxidermy look like?

[jeff]

I have been talking to highveld about my future trip. Glad to see that someone has good experience with them. Trying to get some kind of quote nailed down so I will know what to expect price wise.

I had very poor work from Highveld on dip and pack and wouldn't use them again.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

On a lighter note: Some Of My Favorite Taxidermy Mounts...: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/some-of-my-favorite-taxidermy-mounts.8071/.

 

[harden]

Going back to the Original Question...Taxidermy is suppose to be a creation that LOOKS like the real animal. If it looks stuffed and dead, the taxidermists truly has missed the mark and couldn't reach the bar ....not even close...

 

[akeate]

I have had all my work done in RSA. 2 different shops. While they aren't perfect, my Sable/Zebra pedestal mount won best large mount at the JHB hunting show. Unfortunately the taxidermist that did it is now out of business...... he was a taxidermist who could do good work but couldn't run a business.

 

[Roan]

I had very poor work from Highveld on dip and pack and wouldn't use them again.

Sorry to hear about the dip/pack issues.
I can only speak to the quality of work that I have had done and that was very good.

I use Custos taxidermy now cause they are closer. He and his team are also very good. He is a wildlife photographer as well so he really has a eye for capturing the lifelikeness? of the animals.

 

[cls]

I had very poor work from Highveld on dip and pack and wouldn't use them again.

Sorry to hear that as well. I had work done at Highveld and I was quite impressed with the work. But it is like everything else you need keep up with the work they are doing for you. I am fairly picky about my taxidermy work so I insisted on touring their facility and looked at the mounts they had in process as well as finished work. Then once I decided to leave them my animals I had them send pictures of every step during the process and if I saw anything I was unhappy with they would correct the problem, it's a little late once they arrive in North America. Even here in North America I wouldn't just leave my animal with the taxidermist without going by to check on it during the process.

 

[rookhawk]

This is the back of the bushbuck in the crate. The crating was excellent and all the mounts made it through with no damage, The front of the mount looks great. I just wasn't sure if I was being overly critical of the back stitching. It's not visible from the front. I'll submit a report on the taxidermist after he's had a chance to review my complaints and offered a solution.

View attachment 176635 View attachment 176636

@Rider717 your taxidermy is awful, about a 2.5 out of 10. I know this because I've had taxidermy suffer the same affliction. If it were me, I'd stomp my feet and get pissed and see if they would give you replacement capes. If they do, let an American taxidermist of some skill redo the mounts.

Option B, next time you hunt bring back capes and have horns transplanted to the better capes on better taxidermy.

Option C, send your existing mounts to Dennis Harris with a few hundred dollars and ask/beg him to intervene and see what he can do to improve the very sad state of affairs. I'm not sure he'll correct other people's mistakes but I'd ask him really nicely as it would never hurt to try.

Sorry for your loss. Been there, done that too.

 

[Sand Rat]

Me too.

Me three!

 

[Ryan]

What I think every Bushbuck that leaves my studio should look like and DOES for 695.00

Great work Dennis. Too bad you live nowhere near Alaska (or I lived closer to family in Michigan)to school a few up here on both the art and pricing.

 

[Rider717]

An update on my taxidermy. I contacted the taxidermist and sent him photos with my concerns. After researching my order here is what he found: while my mounts were waiting for final finishing they were sent to shipping to get the crate fitted. They were loaded into the crate and never sent back for finishing. Instead they were shipped out and I received them in the unfinished state. He has a partner here in the US and at their expense they picked up my mounts and transported them to the US taxidermist who repaired/finished the mounts. This was no small feat. As well as my bushbuck they had to repair a kudu, sable, mountain reedbuck, springbuck, common duiker and red lechwe. Some of the repairs were simply finishing the airbrushing. A couple needed much more extensive work. It took a few months but I got them all back and can say I am pleased with how they all turned out. The repairs including pick up and return cost me nothing! The taxidermy studio picked up the cost and made it right. This is a studio in SA with an associate here in the US so yes, you do have recourse if you have problems with your taxidermy

To lay to rest some questions. Splitting Image Taxidermy is who I used. I used them on my first safari and was pleased with the work. I visited their shop in Port Elizabeth before I decided to use them again for my second safari. I was impressed with what I saw and am pleased with how my mounts now look. I will use them again when I go back for my next SA safari. Doug Cockroft, the general manager and owner is a very upright person and made right what was wrong with my order. Communication with them was excellent throughout the entire process. The cost of my taxidermy is on a par with work done in the US so I wasn't trying to save a buck by doing it in SA. I did my research before my first hunt and again on my second so I knew what to expect. Poor work happens in any business. How a business deal with that poor work and the customer is what matters. I was taken care of promptly and courteously and had a very satisfactory outcome.

 

[Mekaniks]

Very good! Glad they made it right for you. And yes, the difference between a good company and a great company is how they take care of business when things go bad. Congratulations

 

[Jeffrey Masters]

This post shows how valuable this forum is for all of us. After reading every post end reply, it was great to hear that you were able to have your mounts fixed. Good for you!!

 

[harden]

Beauty "IS" in the eye of the beholder. All taxidermy looks good from 5 to 10 to 20 feet away. Would like to see some before and afters of these mounts you speak of, very interested to see what they accomplished in redoing them or finishing them and if you do please post close ups. Thanks

 

[jeff]

Rider, I'm glad you got your trophies repaired to your satisfaction, but I am having a hard time swallowing their story on the mounts not being finished when shipped. In the pictures it shows that they did paint the nose pad, nostrils, eyes and ears, it just looks like poor work plain and simple, the painting and clear coat is the last thing that I do in my studio on a finished mount.

 

[harden]

Rider, I'm glad you got your trophies repaired to your satisfaction, but I am having a hard time swallowing their story on the mounts not being finished when shipped. In the pictures it shows that they did paint the nose pad, nostrils, eyes and ears, it just looks like poor work plain and simple, the painting and clear coat is the last thing that I do in my studio on a finished mount.

Agreed , that bushbuck " IS" finished , pink inside nose, nice pad and eyes are painted no doubt.

 

[johnnyblues]

Glad they made it right. My experience with them was not that great. I won’t use them again.

 

[johnnyblues]

My last Safari is being done by Erik of Top of Texas taxidermy. There’s a thread currently running called Johnnyblues taxidermy in progress. Check it out for yourself and make your own assessment. I’m thrilled so far with what I see, and Erik is fantastic to deal with.

 

[MAdcox]

My last Safari is being done by Erik of Top of Texas taxidermy. There’s a thread currently running called Johnnyblues taxidermy in progress. Check it out for yourself and make your own assessment. I’m thrilled so far with what I see, and Erik is fantastic to deal with.

Not to mention it’s been one of the most entertaining threads I’ve read in a while.

 

[johnnyblues]

Not to mention it’s been one of the most entertaining threads I’ve read in a while.

Well thank you sir! Lol

 

[Bruce]

For what it's worth....GOOD RELIABLE taxidermists in South Africa :
Buck 'n Bass, Durbanville ( Cape Town)
Bulls Eye, Limpopo
Derek Robinson, Limpopo
Lifeform, Mpumalanga
Karoo Art, Beaufort West

I have used all of the above and NEVER had a complaint or screw up!!!
There are obviously other good establishments and a load of fly by night chancers....do your research as you would do it for your hunting outfitter.