Quite honestly, I'm tired of trying to figure out where to hang yet another trophy mount. I'm sick of taxidermy bills and would rather spend that money on more hunts. I'm also concerned about just how the heck I'm going to move the trophies I already have if I should ever move out of state, which is something I'm seriously considering.

Who else feels this way?

AD

I can relate to that. I recall being absolutely crushed upon losing many of my earlier trophies but now I wonder where I would have hung them.
Pressure on the homefront has resulted in many trophies (African) spending the winter in the garage. I hope they survive, intact. Last few trips over, I left everything there. No pack & dips, no shipping, no taxidermy ... just pics.
I'm O.K. with it, now but I never could have done this as a younger man.

Several friends I have that have been more than once do that routinely. They are nice reminders of a place and time that once was but beyond that what are you going to do with them? I think the upcoming trip to Namibia may be a "leave em there" trip unless something truly spectacular comes my way.

Allen,

I got royally screwed over by the clearing agent on my last shipment of unmounted trophies from Africa. It's getting expensive just to get them here.

I have gone to more European mounts. This trip will be the last of my trophy collecting. I still am going to add a floor-shoulder mount giraffe, full mount bushbuck, European mount buffalo, pedestal sable mount, pedestal zebra shoulder mount and zebra rug. Anything else I take will be European mounts.

If I'm ever lucky enough to get back to Africa again, it will be just for dangerous game (no more plains game).

Regards,

Terry

I have exactly two shoulder mounts...both of them stone sheep. I also have a bear rug that dates back 21 years. That's it. I have kept almost all of my horns/antlers from 25 years of hunting, but the are boiled out "european mounts" at best.

I can afford to hunt or get taxidermy done. Not both. Mounts are nice, but I'd rather go hunting.

Cheers,
Canuck

For some strange reason I've been lucky. Except for shooting a second nice whitetail I have quit hunting the species after I had one mounted. If I hunt deer now it's for freezer meat and for pronghorns....same thing. I'll not shoot another Kudu or Gemsbok as I already have one of these and the next trip to Africa will see more hides than mounts.....zebra especially.

For those that want seventeen elands....great.....one is all I can appreciate at one lifetime. There's so many other species to collect.

As far as I'm concerned the taxidermy is part of the hunt but that don't mean everything has to be shoulder mounted. I absolutely couldn't just shoot something and not honor it by leaving it there.

Yep, add me to the list! With all the hassle its just not worth it.

Yeah, as much as I'm fascinated by big trophies, it is indeed getting to be a problem with the trophies. Wall space is limited, and it is not exactly cheap to have stuff shipped and mounted! So it is kind of tempting to only bring home pictures... Although, somehow I can't help feeling "guilty" about that - after all you take a life, take a few pics and go home (ok, ok I know the meat gets utilized). So, I suppose skull mounts is one way to compromise. Still fascinated by those big trophies, though.
- mike

Looks like I am going to place my home on the market and move to the ranch. Now...do I leave the animals in the house while it is being shown or do I go ahead and take them down and out to the ranch so some bitch will not be offended by "dead animals"?
Many of our visitors to our home are taken by them and then some balk at coming thru the front door.
I don't ever bring that many critters home and if I get a sable this time...it is coming home one way or the other!
The rest will just be photos.

Mims,

When we sold our house in Dallas. The real estate agent told us to take down the trophies and store them offsite. Didn't want to offend any potential buyer. I told him to go stuff it.

Regards,

Terry

I mounted most of my trophies from my first safari;
only a couple of trophies from my second safari; and haven't mounted anything from my last two safaris.

Between the exorbitant dip/ship/pack/document fees, the thieves who charge to ship the stuff as if it were Faberge eggs, and the outrageous taxidermy fees ($1700 for a lifesize klipspringer mount!), I am done.

Next safari, I am putting everything in a big pile, and burning it before I leave camp for the airport!

George

I hear all you guys who are fed-up, etc about issues relating to trophies but at the same time I would feel "gutted" as an outfitter/ph if I would allow you guys to shoot a rare/key specie (say gerenuk, leopard, etc) and not want to keep a trophy of it! A bit like offering something special to someone who in turn doesn't "appreciate" what they received.

My sable skull mount from last year's trip will be the last trophy I'll have done, simply because I won't have any more room to hang others. As it is my flat skins are rolled up and stored in a closet. Of course, I may not hunt in Africa again, so the decision may be moot...

quote:

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Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I hear all you guys who are fed-up, etc about issues relating to trophies but at the same time I would feel "gutted" as an outfitter/ph if I would allow you guys to shoot a rare/key specie (say gerenuk, leopard, etc) and not want to keep a trophy of it! A bit like offering something special to someone who in turn doesn't "appreciate" what they received.

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The hunt is the trophy; the memory of it long outlasts any mount or rug. Besides, if a client pays the daily rate and the trophy fee, it doesn't matter what he does with the hides, skulls, and horns.
He can certainly appreciate the animal with photos; he doesn't have to enrich the outfitter, local taxidermist, shipping agents, brokers, and his own taxidermist to appreciate it.

As an aside, and not directed towards you, any outfitter or PH who would steer a client to a lesser specimen because the client won't save the "trophy" is unprofessional, or worse if their motivation is because of the loss of the dip & pack fees and any kickbacks received.

George

I'm on board with most of the posts above. I already have a house full of animals, and like many of you are sick and tierd of the expense and hassle of bringing trophies home. I'm going to Zambia this July, and leaving everything behind (except maybe some smaller stuff like hippo tusks that might accidentally get packed up with my luggage).

quote:

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Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I hear all you guys who are fed-up, etc about issues relating to trophies but at the same time I would feel "gutted" as an outfitter/ph if I would allow you guys to shoot a rare/key specie (say gerenuk, leopard, etc) and not want to keep a trophy of it! A bit like offering something special to someone who in turn doesn't "appreciate" what they received.

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Bwanamich,

I think thats a very interesting perspective; I know that as a hunter leaving the trophy's some how does not feel "right" but I suspect that is what so many of these shippers ect are relying on..

George S,

Ok, heres a scenario for you...lets say there are two Kudu standing under a tree and one is about 8" longer than the other and is a real monster while the smaler of the two is a "cull" animal..

If you are not physically taking the trophy home and as the hunt/stalk is the same no matter which animal is taken, does it matter if you take the "trophy" animal or the "cull"?

Regards,

Pete

I personally would probably have a lot more european mounts or perhaps just some photos suitable for framing but Sadie REALLY likes the shoulder mounts etc. I guess I should really feel lucky as our whole home is a trophy room by her design.

I certainly couldn't blame anyone for leaving trophies in Africa particularly after you've been a few times. As Allen said the money saved on shipping and mounting could go for your next hunt. When you figure the shipping and taxidermy cost of even a fairly modest safari it would not be unreasonable to think you might have $10,000 in it. $10,000 would buy a nice plains game safari or cover a nice chuck of a more ambitious adventure.

As for moving them it is a ROYAL PITA! We moved this fall from bush Alaska to Cody. We bought a container van, built a framework in the van, mounted all the trophies in the van, had it barged to Seattle and then trucked to Cody. No mean trick I assure you!!! Actually it worked out with no damage to any of the trophies. I would be willinging to share my design if any were interested.

Regards,

Mark

quote:

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Originally posted by Pete E:
George S,

Ok, heres a scenario for you...lets say there are two Kudu standing under a tree and one is about 8" longer than the other and is a real monster while the smaler of the two is a "cull" animal..

If you are not physically taking the trophy home and as the hunt/stalk is the same no matter which animal is taken, does it matter if you take the "trophy" animal or the "cull"?

Regards,

Pete

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Pete,
I think I know where you're headed, so I'll ask you: is this a full price hunt? Is the trophy fee the same for both animals? Am I a 'trophy hunter'?
If the answer is yes to all three, then I am shooting the larger of the two kudus.
A good portion of the daily rate is predicated on the outfitter's ability to put you in an area with good trophy quality; the trophy fee usually reflects the quality of trophies generally taken. Outfitters with areas with poor trophy quality cannot charge high rates and fees.

Except while on a cull or meat hunt, taking the larger head will always make for better photos and fonder memories.

George

George,

I am not really going anywhere with this, except that shooting a really nice trophy and then "wasting" it does not seem right...Even before this thread started, this question had been going through my mind pending Chris and I's up coming trip to RSA...for me, its not just a case of economics, but lack of space for trophy's...

Perhaps I feel this way because I have not hunted Africa as many times as some folks here, but it is an issue thats got me thinking...

Regards,

Pete

Count me in the"if it's not mounted, you shouldn't have shot it" camp. I have enjoyed so much re-living the hunt of the mounted trophies I have.I am quite aware that no one will give a hoot in hell about a particular trophy after I'm gone but to look up at a particular mount and remember that special day and the way we took the animal means so much to me. I don't think I would shoot an animal unless I did something to commerate the trophy and the animal's death.

I have not ever been to Africa, and aside from a pig have not gotten anything yet, and that one I shot through the jaw so no point mounting it.

I would probably go European though on most of them. But some things I would say have to be mounted, at least after the first trip. something I always think about is, in the future will my younger relatives, be they nieces and nephews or my own kids, have an opportunity to go and hunt them, will they even get to see them up close? maybe that mount will be the closest they get.

of course all of you have already gone and have some mounted so leaving them behind makes perfect sense. pictures are great reminders and let you get a look at yourself too.

I'll worry about it all if I can ever afford the safari. :-)

Red

Pete,

I don't consider not mounting a trophy to be 'wasting it'. The outfitter, PH, skinners, taxidermists, shipping agents, and brokers might think so, but I don't.
A photo will suffice for me, thanks to the thieving ways of those associated with African trophy shipping and processing.
I'm not turned off to mounting animals from other parts of the world, although I've never had culls, bait animals, or does/ewes mounted.

George

George,

From what I understand, unless you have that big bonn fire, the trophy and capes won't be wasted as the PH will probably sell them on to a taxi anyway..

On a slightly different tack, can anyone prep your trophy's for shipping or does it have to be some sort of "licensed" taxidermist???

Regards,

Pete

I'm going to bring firestarting gel along as part of my kit.

The animal parts must be treated with pesticide and disinfectant, else US Fish & Wildlife and/or the Department of Agriculture/APHIS will not permit them entry.

George

Hi Allen. I still only have the proghorn mount from hunting with Kirk a few years back. Although I've taken a few deer here and there none have "mount worthy" I guess it's easier for me to be selective because of limited funds. I'm usually tapped out completely by the time I come home from a trip, even a local trip. Nothing in the book says every trophy must be mounted. Maybe being more selective and only mounting the really great ones from here on out is the answer. Like only mount it if it's bigger than one one you already have.

Gee I wish I had that problem of going on to many hunts in Africa and having so many trophies that I didnt know what to do with them. But I am a poor boy so I will probably only make it over there once in my life if at all.

It's not like I got a room full. I've only been twice myself, but I've yet to get any of them back to have mounted.

I've never heard such BLASPHEMAS talk. I know now for sure , YOUR ALL GOING STRAIGHT TO H@!*

Excluding the first trip to SA, where the taxidermy work was about as much as the trip itself (!) - in an effort to preserve hunting dollars and "ration" my available wall space - I have been selective in what I shoot...roan, leopard, lion, etc., I'd rather spend the money doing a high-quality mount on fewer animals. I agree that animals such as leopard, lesser kudu, sitatunga, etc. "deserve" mounting. When I budget a hunt, I factor in the mounting costs. A hunt with a higher day rate for more specialized game begins to look more attractive when compared to a whack-and-stack trip.

But this is a judgment call. I left one buffalo in Zambia for the learner-PH, brought back the skull of the other, as I already have two mounted. Even though the trophy fee was relatively cheap for other game (warthog, kudu. etc), I decided not to shoot as I already have these shoulder-mounted. Shooting a few more animals would not have added to the trip.

The digital pictures from the tuskless ele hunt is more then enough "trophy". No shipping, mounting, or related stress wondering where my trophies are.

On this year's ele bull hunt, I'm after the ele, bushbuck and maybe a bushpig if we relocate. My sons will hunt hyena, up to 4-impala, waterbuck and kudu cows, baboon...and I don't expect to bring much back (pot, pictures, experience & memories). I still "need" sable, waterbuck, eland and a few more, but want to ration these trophies over the years.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jerry Huffaker:
I've never heard such BLASPHEMAS talk. I know now for sure , YOUR ALL GOING STRAIGHT TO H@!*

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LMAO Hey I'm already going there ! In fact if you ask the right person I'm going to burn there as well. I don't see why not takeing the trophy is wasting anything. The meat should get used irrerespective and if the outfitter was paid in full then he needs to accept that its my choice to take a mount or a photo. I plan on photos only except for a select skull or two.

Jerry, I was hoping you'd be out of town or something and wouldn't see this thread!

AD

Should I be lucky enough to hunt Africa (without winning the 12 million powerball this thursday ) I would like to get a few mounts done. A buff would be good and a kudu, the rest will be Euro mounts. Space is no worry but cost is. As is for those to mounts here, I would think I'd be paying $1800-2000, just to much.

As I indicated above, I may not get them mounted but for my forseeable future at least, I will always intend to get at least the horns/skulls shipped back. Even if I eventually fill a garage with them, they are an important momento of the hunt for me. I am fascinated by them, and holding horns/skulls in my hands takes me back to the hunt better than the pictures. And shipping from RSA wasn't bad...7 animals - capes, backskins, skulls, horns and all - was only $1000 USD for dipping, packing and shipping to Calgary. Thats less than the trophy fee for a Kudu.

If I could afford to hunt Africa more than a handful of times in my life, I might look at it differently.

Cheers,
Canuck

Mark H Young,

I also have a wife that likes taxidermy and wildlife curios. Right now I have the skull from an elephant coming back from Zim. I worry what that shipping bill will be and then where the piece will go. Most of the time we argue about the type of mount pedestal, shoulder etc. or where it will go.

I am already thinking like most of you as my African list grows short with what I desire to have mounted and after that it will be for the sport. That is unless my wife tells the PH to put it in the crate.

BigB

Canuck.

Cheers. To hunt and kill trophy animals and not at least keep some momento is an awful waste. I am proud of being a hunter, but have a real problem with some of the opinions posted in this thread. Go to Africa. Enjoy. Arise and Kill. But do just a little more than kill, take a picture, and say Yeah I got that one! Atleast pay homage to the trophy. Who knows? Your trophy room may inspire a future hunter. Hugh

quote:

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Originally posted by T.Carr:
Allen,

I got royally screwed over by the clearing agent on my last shipment of unmounted trophies from Africa. It's getting expensive just to get them here.

I have gone to more European mounts. This trip will be the last of my trophy collecting. I still am going to add a floor-shoulder mount giraffe, full mount bushbuck, European mount buffalo, pedestal sable mount, pedestal zebra shoulder mount and zebra rug. Anything else I take will be European mounts.

If I'm ever lucky enough to get back to Africa again, it will be just for dangerous game (no more plains game).

Regards,

Terry

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Terry

Perfect setup for tuskless cows. Since they are a genetic freaks they need culling to supply meat to the locals.

No bad feelings about "waste" of a trophy animal by going that route.

quote:

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Originally posted by Hugh W:
Canuck.

Cheers. To hunt and kill trophy animals and not at least keep some momento is an awful waste. I am proud of being a hunter, but have a real problem with some of the opinions posted in this thread. Go to Africa. Enjoy. Arise and Kill. But do just a little more than kill, take a picture, and say Yeah I got that one! Atleast pay homage to the trophy. Who knows? Your trophy room may inspire a future hunter. Hugh

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Amen, Brother, have another Castle or whatever on that one!

quote:

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Who knows? Your trophy room may inspire a future hunter.

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I agree with this comment.

You know you don't have to keep all your trophies yourself if your trophy room is filled.

Select some and donate them to public institutions, hunting clubs, museums, schools or wherever they might look good and be appreciated. The gift could be on the basis they are displayed and cared for, otherwise they need to be returned.

Perhaps include with it a small framed printed story about the hunt, the characteristics of the animal etc. Educational.

Of course some will say these institutions absolutely will not accept them. Have you tried? The 'greenie' scum certainly shove their message down everyone's throat when they have a chance and certainly have infiltrated the school system. Instead of hiding our heads in the sand we need to combat that.

That way the message of hunting and nature in general will be spread that one bit more and many more people would be able to appreciate these grand animals.

***

For myself I am still at the trophy collecting stage. If I ever win lotto I will build a hunting museum & institute and stuff the shoulder mounts from then on. There will be major full mount collecting expeditions.

Eventually I will probably keep more and more skull and skull-cap mounts for the wall and if the skin is nice, flat-rugs for the floor. I love those European palaces and castles with thousands of skull-cap mounts on the walls and ceilings.

quote:

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Originally posted by mufasa:
Count me in the"if it's not mounted, you shouldn't have shot it" camp. I have enjoyed so much re-living the hunt of the mounted trophies I have.I am quite aware that no one will give a hoot in hell about a particular trophy after I'm gone but to look up at a particular mount and remember that special day and the way we took the animal means so much to me. I don't think I would shoot an animal unless I did something to commerate the trophy and the animal's death.

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Basically, I have to agree, but there are times when you need camp meat or bait to hang. In todays fancy camps need of camp meat is very limited, unless you want it, but I can tell you some of the trips in the '70's we ate "by the gun" so to speak unless you enjoyed canned meat three times a day.

quote:

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Originally posted by Pete E:
George,

I am not really going anywhere with this, except that shooting a really nice trophy and then "wasting" it does not seem right...Even before this thread started, this question had been going through my mind pending Chris and I's up coming trip to RSA...for me, its not just a case of economics, but lack of space for trophy's...

Perhaps I feel this way because I have not hunted Africa as many times as some folks here, but it is an issue thats got me thinking...

Regards,

Pete

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Maybe it's time for some to take up the camera rather than the gun if "wasting" bothers ones
thoughts.