My brother DHP who died in 2007 had shot a beautiful sable while in Africa in 2006 among other animals.the problem is this sable is still not completed by the taxidermist,Rick Leach who has promised it to me multiple times in multiple conversations but enough is enough,the last time we talked he said it would be done for sure in 2 months that was 4 months ago ,now he tells me that the cape was rejected at the tannery.I've been very patient as I know he has an illness.what do you guys think and what would be a prudent action to take.any advise would be great.

i had to find a new taxidermist this last year because my old one was 4 years behind on my stuff. sounds like you may be in the same boat

Yes, find a new taxidermist. From the sound of it the cape may be ruined by now.

Check his story out... Find out who he is using for a tannery, and then talk with them about your cape..

Don't give up.... that cape is worth a bunch..

If all else fails.. show up at his door with the sherrif and demand your property back..

Flight to Africa: $2,100 (round trip average with a connecting flight)
Sable hunt: $10,000 ($650/day @ 10 days, $3,500 trophy fee)
Gratuity to PH/Staff: $600.00
Pocket money spent: $250.00
Dip/pack: $300.00 (1 animal)
shipping home: $695.00
Taxidermy: $1,050.00 (shoulder mount)
Total Cost: $14,995.00

Value of your deceased Brother's Sable horns and cape: PRICELESS!

Take this information (maybe add two more estimates from Agents/Consultants or PHs) to a Lawyer. This guy is jerking you around and now has possibly let the cape ruin or ruined it himself trying to home tan.
LDK

You can post a complaint via the National Taxidermist Assoc. The Better Business Bureau is not much help on taxidermists.

Other than that and/or legal action - you are hosed.

I had the same issue with a "supposed" taxidermist, one that came recommended and that I talked to. I ended up getting the item back, and taking it to a skilled taxidermist who did the work in 2 months for less than the original cost. I lost about $1200 on the run around but ultimately got the project done. The person that hosed me is still in business but I have done a lot to steer business away from this "big promise - no do" person.

I know someone who has a commercially tanned bull Sable cape, (black phase), rehydrated and frozen for sale. If interested let me know.

David you are exactly right and thats how I feel about it,(priceless).I'm actually not a new member but I forgot my password and changed e-mail.So I signed up again.Thanks for your input everybody.I think this guy either screwed up the cape or is lying about it,I'm not sure which,the reason I have been cool to this point is he is an exceptional taxi(or was)but he's been yanking my chain for too long now and it's time to take care of bussiness,I'm just not sure how to deal with the legality's.I know I have a case,Wendell Riech is the booking agent for that hunt but being as it was'nt my hunt it's difficult.I am the executer of the estate though.Legally I know I have some rights,but did not expect this issue.

Even IF the cape is supposedly ruined, demand that you get it back from this guy to make sure with your own two eyes. If it really is at the tannery, call the tannery itself and demand your hide back from them, again if only to see if it really is unusable as he (they) says.
Sounds to me like this taxi knows the value of the cape (sable bull capes that are black and in good shape are worth coin) and is trying to bilk you out of a hard earned trophy to make a quick buck for himself.

Log onto Taxidermy.net and make this post. They'll either know where he is or what he's up to. It'll also put the word out in case there just so happens to be a nice sable cape come up for sale on there in the near future by him or one of his close associates.

Best of luck.

quote:

If all else fails.. show up at his door with the sherrif and demand your property back..

ABSOLUTELY DO THIS. RIGHT NOW. Your brothers cape and skull/horns are worth this effort.

I would go over to his place and play it some what nice but stern. Ask to get the cape and horns back. Dont go in threatning law suits and such.
If he cant produce the cape then make sure you know the value of one and discuss what he owes you and be very clear. Dont get in a pissing match with him just state your facts and back it up with paper work if you can.
If the cape fell apart during tanning then so be it, But make sure he gives you the bad cape back.
I dont know of any quality tannery that would not return a bad skin to the taxidermist. Most insist on it !!!
If he cant make good than I woould pursue other options that have already been listed.
FYI --I sold 2 sable capes from mature bulls last year,one sold for $1400, the other wasnt quite as dark and sold for $1250
Hope this may help

Dennis' Sitatunga was a remarkable specimen. Did you get it back?

Yes I did get that back when Dennis was still alive,I have received little satisfaction from this taxi since.It's A real nice shoulder mount,I see in the record books that another slightly larger one was shot which makes this one Number 10,I believe.

Thanks

We also had a sable hide come back from the tanner with a huge hole in it‘s face. Our taxidermist is also in the Portland area and he sent it to a big tannery in San Francisco, when it came back it was ruined. The tanner said it was bad when he received it but all pf our other hides were fine and everyone else in our hunting parties hides were fine. Just makes me wonder if it was sent to the same place. We also have to purchase a sable hide.

quote:

who has promised it to me multiple times in multiple conversations but enough is enough,the last time we talked he said it would be done for sure in 2 months that was 4 months ago ,now he tells me that the cape was rejected at the tannery.I've been very patient as I know he has an illness.what do you guys think and what would be a prudent action to take.any advise would be great.

Any type of specimen from anywhere in the world can and occasionally does blow up during tanning. And there can also be human mistakes and mechanical errors in the tanning process. So not all problems stem from the taxidermists....

The part I don't get is that if this sable was taken in 2006 and other mounts were delivered in 2007 "when Dennis was still alive" then why is this cape just now being rejected by the tannery?

Or stating it another way if 4 months ago you were promised it in 2 months and just now it has been rejected by the tannery where has it been all this time and why was it not tanned early on?

A mount can be completed and dried relatively quickly but it does not seem prudent to promise a mount within a 2 month time frame if it is not already tanned.

If... "a deposit was paid and the work order was made on all items from this safari at the time of its arrival" there does not seem to be a good reason to hold the hides raw, if for no other reason than that tanning costs go up regularly and once a price is quoted on a work order keeping costs fixed seems prudent. Additionally raw hides take up more space and are more susceptible to damage and deterioration.

Now if.... due to illness, and/or other mitigating circumstances there was a delay,a request to hold, or neglect in getting an order made on some items and they laid about waiting for a proper deposit and or work order or agreement the same suceptibility to deterioration and or damage would be there but the responsibility might shift.

Regardless it is very unfortunate to lose any trophy and also unfortunate for a client and business to loose faith.

Meanwhile additional info would be required to draw any fair and accurate conclusions.

Best regards
Mike Ohlmann
Mike's Custom Taxidermy Inc.
4102 Cane Run Rd.
Louisville KY 40216
502-448-1309
Mike@mikescustomtaxidermy.com
www.mikescustomtaxidermy.com

[QUOTE]Originally posted by madabula:


Meanwhile additional info would be required to draw any fair and accurate conclusions.

QUOTE]

I
m going to go find that out today and I will let you know.Thank you very much everybody

So,I went and talked with Rick and he produced paperwork showing that the tannery down in san francisco,took in the 8 animals of my brothers 6/29/07 which is the correct time frame and 2 of them were rejected(the reedbuck)and (the Sable).the sitatunga and the hiena were taken to A local guy who tanned them fast so Dennis could see them ,he does'nt do thick skined animals.I told him had he let me know of the rejection all this trouble could have been avoided,and he said was sorry and he knows he screwed up by not talking to me but his illness(parkinsons)gives him big problems.He said he wanted to give me a nice euro mount on pedestal for free and in the meantime he would find me a cape from some friends who owe favors in Africa.I said that would be ok and left it at that.What we have here is A failure to communcate.

Sad that he drug this out so long...

It would have been a great testimony to your brother's passion for hunting.

Make sure you do get the cape back, they are way too much $$$ to let it "slip away".

Sorry for your loss.

Rich

Sounds like he's trying to make reparations, and that's all a man can do. Parkinson's is no gift either.