What should a sport hunter do with his elephant skin? Is it split and tanned? What type of tanning? Which sections are prime and what are the best uses of each? Other than becoming Will's competitor, what are some use ideas? What costs are involved?

sbt,
expect about 12 to 15 dollars a square foot ,split and tanned ... belly panel is best ... best tanned in africa they do four colors, tan, a brown, grey and black.

the leather is great , very tough and the sky is the limit as far as what you can do with it ... shoes , guncases, bags and any other things that catch your eye ...

Scott, I have skin in the grey color but they cut my skin to thin and that bothers me... I am have some tanned here in buckskin color... Here in the USA..
May make some vests from the skin I know have...

Mike

Ivan,

That must be 12 - 15 dollars in Africa as I think they hit me for 35 per square foot in USA.

BigB

Since nothing is being made from the tanned skin, I am assuming that it is still being considered a "sport hunted trophy" by USFWS. There should be no problems importing it, right?

I know that they have started enforcing their new regulations that they issued last August, and some have had problems with items being re-worked into braclets or other things.

quote:

Ivan,

That must be 12 - 15 dollars in Africa as I think they hit me for 35 per square foot in USA.

yes thats correct , 35 is about right for here

Get Lucchese to make you a nice pair of custom boots:

Lucchese Boot Co.

Scott,

One of the advantages of a ele hunt is that taxidermy is very cheap if you bring home only the tusks. Here you go again.

Actually I took just 2 belly panels from my Bots elephant. It added little to shipping. I got 5-6 belts and 2 gun sleves from it plus still have some left. When you get into boots, feet made into trash cans etc. Things start to ad up quickly. One thing I thought of that might be neat is to display the tusks as each being free standing with the hide as covering for the bases.

Mark

I have owned quite a few Elephant skin cowboy boots. They are very tough! "I think" they said they used the ear for boots. Perhaps it is a thinner skin.

EZ

HHK had the ears of my husband's elephant tanned by Barry Price from Bulawayo. The ears were split so we received four large pieces. He did a really nice job, cost was $588.75.

Shipment arrived in January and no problems clearing Customs/USFWS.

a friend wanted my ele skin so i had it tanned in triangle, cost was about $2500 to do the whole thing