To hold costs down, I would probably have horned and toothed animals done in a european mount - skull bleached.

Any ideas on costs to have skulls boiled and bleached and perhaps a zebra hide tanned only (no rug) in South Africa? It is difficult to find hard info on the internet.

I think I have the shipping part down.

All recommendations I have heard is it is cheaper to have simple skull mounts and tanning done there rather than shipping green to the US for this work. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Two years ago my hunting partner and i went on our first safari to SA and had all our mounts done in euro style. We were in the Joberg area and used Highveld Tax. I had also been led to believe that it was cheaper to do the mounts there and send it back here to CA. I'm not so convinced anymore. Typical cost for euro mounts was about $100 - 150 US per big animal (kudo, gemsbuck, etc) and slightly less for the smaller stuff. We had 10 animals done and the tax. bill was $1,200 US +, Then you add on the air freight $400 +/- , customs clearing house $250, etc. We were right at 2 grand by the time we were done.

Crating and packaging was superb. United Van Lines could take a lesson from these guys.
Quality was another issue, it was nice but nothing to rave about. Wood shields weren't anywhere near as nice as what we use in the USA. Euro mounts were bleached out nice and then appeared to be whitewashed with something (plaster paris?). Highveld is very well known in business and I believe you can find them on the net. Have them send you there price list, it'll give you a good idea of basic costs, Then probably double them to come up with a more realistic cost to your door.

No matter what you decide there is still a fee to clean, dip and crate for shipment to USA. It's the crating, airfreight, and customs that really takes the savings out of it.

Have to admit they do look nice on the wall, but unless I really take something exceptional next time I'm just bringing back photos. That 2 grand goes along way towards the next hunt.

Also had a friend that had about eight animals shoulder mounted in SA. Prices were definately less, but the shipping and all was $3,000 to CA. So much for his savings.

I owned a taxidermy shop for several years and just sold it last year. Now I have time to go hunting!!

I just got back from my first African safari (to Namibia) last month. I'm having all my tanning done there. Also, the skulls I'm having done are being done there because they were only about $40.00 each (US) and for that I would rather let them do it.

I'm not sure what has been applied to the skulls you got. The taxidermist I'm using in Windhoek did excellent work on the skulls I saw.

The tannery I'm using is at www.kwiktan.com

Good luck!

JDS

I just got back from SA with three friends. We are having the capes tanned there, the skulls cleaned and shipped to me for mounting. I am having a Kudu, 1 Impala, 1 Blesbock, 1 Blue Wildebeest and a half body Bushbuck done. The total cost to Dallas is only $695. We are dealing with the tanner direct and not thru a taxidermist. Thats is much cheaper than having things dipped and shipped here and then tanned.

My trophies are att the moment at Safary Taxidermy. They have a pricelist at their homepage. Also som photos of various mounts.