A question about trophies/taxidermy. I'm planning my first safari and I'm not sure what to do with regards to saving all of the trophies. I don't think that I can get away with filling the house with taxidermy and to be honest I would be perfectly fine with a modest amount of taxidermy supplemented by some quality photos of the other successful hunts. I don't want to disrespect the taking of game by declining to bring home all of the trophies so I would like to know what is the proper thing to do. Furthermore, less money spent in the taxidermist's shop allows for more trips in the future. What is the common practice here?

Brian

That's really a personal decision. On my first trip to Africa I sent everything home and had several mounts done along with a few European skull mounts. Given the current high cost of shipping and taxidermy it's been pictures only for me since then. Like you said the $$ saved on the outrageous shipping charges goes along way towards another trip.

Taxidermy and shipping is very expensive. As much as another hunt!

My first hunt I mounted everything. The second trip...just European mounts.

The third trip.....I am just going take a good camera!

Bottomline: Consider European mounts to save costs or invest in a gooc camera.


dale

Brian,

There is no common practise but I recommend that you export your priority animals which can be dried stored by you until you make up your mind what to do with them. European mounts are an option and can look terrific if well presented.

Pictures are a great reminder and I know a number of hunters who no longer take trophies home, rather just the memories.

Andrew

Brian,
I had my first safari last summer. Shipped everything home and am mounting 1 or two only. The rest will be euro mounts. I've booked my next trip for 2013 and am not bringing anything back at all. What I have booked is to get my hunt videoed. Cost is less than shipping and tax work for my gemsbuck. You may want to consider this option.

Bill

The first trip, sent everything home and mounted them all,, taxidermy cost more than the hunt,, took 2 years before I could afford to go back,, next time,, mounted 90% of everything,, once again,, took two years before I could go back,, third trip really good photos and videos,, 4th trip only one animal mounted that was really something I wanted,,,,I built a bigger house,, a big man cave and barn,, no more room for mounts so rugs and skull mounts for me unless a truly excetional animal,, lots of video and pictures from here on out,,

Brian,

Welcome to the Board.

Some good advice here. Maybe it would help if you sort trophies into categories and decide what to do with them and where you have, or want to make, space for them.

I'd suggest you look at:

-- rugs first. That would be zebra for sure and cats and, maybe, some of the antelope.

-- bits (for lack of a better word). That could be wart hog tusks either done on a shield or turned into bottle openers/cork screws for you to use or to give away. Elephant tusks look good flanking a fireplace. I also have a set used as the base of a coffee table that has a rough walnut plank as the surface. Hooves done as pencil holders (zebra) are nice, but you have to be careful with bits not to turn them into kitsch of which I have a legendary example, an eland hoof with a copper ashtray mounted on the end of the fetlock. (I thought the taxidermist was going to hollow out the hoof itself to turn it into an ashtray )

Both of the above categories are compact and much less expensive to airfreight than a shoulder mount or even a European skull mount, much less a full mount.

Finally, you come to skull, shoulder or full mounts. I have some of all of them with a red duiker brilliantly done as a full mount and not taking too much space. Basically you've got some good advice earlier in the thread on picking and choosing what to mount. It's no disrespect if you choose not to mount a trophy, rather it's up to you how you decide to remember a hunt.

Regards, Tim

I am heading out for my first Safari in two weeks. I'll be in the Karoo, Northern Cape about two hours south southwest of Bloemfontein.

Planning on taking a Zebra, Kudu, Gemsbok, Impala, Blue Wildebeest, warthog and a Blesbok.

I was going to get everything mounted in RSA, I found a reputable taxidermist there, and saw some of his work here. BUT....Even though the taxidermy work was a lot cheaper than it is here, the shipping costs added up to near half the cost of the taxidermy! (estimate from T-
dermist)

So I have decided that I will get all European mounts, except for the Impala, which will be a shoulder mount.

Of course, that may change when the animal is on the ground in front of me, but thats the plan!

Maybe i am weird, but I have never regretted spending any money on taxidermy. I love my trophy room and find it a one of my favorite places to relax.

I have a mixture of life size, shoulder, rugs, and Euro mounts, along with dozens and dozens of 8x10 framed pics.

European mounts and hides on felt.

Sounds like everybody does it a little different as to be expected but it seems that the first trip is where people tend to bring more stuff home than from subsequent trips. Is that because the available space in the house fills up quickly or because of other reasons? Are there any trophies that you wish you would have treated differently looking back on things now - ie saved or not saved? I understand that this subject has more to do with personal preferences but I'm looking for a common thread to see how hindsight treats decisions made in the excitement of the moment.

Ten safaris under my belt, and agree that the inclination is usually to have too much stuff mounted. How many trips to Africa do you think you might do? How much room do you think you will have for display? At this point, you likely don't have a precise idea of just what trophies will mean the most to you, so be conservative.

You could have worse problems.
Best wishes.
Brice

I have beautiful 8X10's of all my African trophies but some things have to be mounted.

When you walk into the den/man cave/gun room, you need to have that thing that draws you back to Africa. Whether it's the zebra skin rug or the kudu pedestal or the big old buffalo head sticking out into the room. Pick your most memorable trophy and bring it back to mount.

The most economical way is probably tanned flatskins and Euro mounts.

Most outfits will have the skulls prepped enough for you to cheaply do your own European Mounts. You can then display however you want. If you leave them behind this option is gone and the incremental cost is small for bringing it all back. If your taxidermist does alot of african animals you might be able to barter or sell your unwanted capes since taxidermists are always dealing with damaged or unusable capes.

Brian
Good luck for your first Safari, savor every moment, I am sure it will always be one of your best trips. I would recommend you take your favorite trophy and have a full shoulder mount. He maybe your best trophy, or your best shot, or your toughest shot or maybe your luckiest trophy but every time you look at him it will bring back those great memories from your first Safari, enjoy. I leave in a weeks time for a tuskless Ellie hunt, no trophies on this trip, only memories, strangely it would have been tough if this had been my first Safari. To each his own, but savour every moment.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
The most economical way is probably tanned flatskins and Euro mounts.

I am going for my first trip to Africa in June and am looking at going this route with trophies (a few euro skulls and a dried hide or two)...can anyone give me an idea what kind of $$$ this might run?

sorry for the hijack...

I guess it all depends on the animals taken and what memories the hunt will recall. For the most part I've been happy with Euro shield mounts (which are about all that my house and wife will accept) but I do have a couple of shoulder mounts as well. Whatever you think it will cost, be assured, it will cost more than that.

A big Greater Kudu is pretty hard to resist not having done as a shoulder mount since it's such a handsome animal, a zebra makes a great felt-backed flat skin which can be used as a rug. But my Euro shield mounts (wildebeeste, gemsbok, impala, cape eland, etc.) are just as nice. If you get a sable then a shoulder mount should be considered part of the price of the safari.

I never put felt backing on any hides. Just tan them and throw them on the floor. They "flatten out" over time and look pretty good.

I personally feel that shoulder mounts are overrated, as well as very difficult to locate for display. On the other hand, most African antelope are rather impressive as European (skull) mounts, and are much more eaisly displayed. Our outfitter fully dried and bleached our skulls/horns for no extra charge. The shipping was high, but reasonable -- but look out for receiving/clearing agents who will rip you a new one (my advice is to avoid ABX of Houston.)







Skipping the expensive shoulder mounts also lets you have full backskins. Tanning is very cheap in Africa compared to the U.S., so have your backskins tanned there and shipped along with your skulls and horns. All of this will run you a fraction of what shoulder mounts will cost.

While I enjoy my skulls and hides, great photos are what will last forever and are the most readily shared.



Take a good digital camera and use some time and care in setting up your trophy shots. Investing a few bucks in professional, framed enlargements is probably a lot better use of your money than doing shoulder mounts, which in a few years will look like they came out of some museum's attic.

It is a complicated issue that depends on the individual, his spouse, the size of the house, and of course money. The first trip, you are going to want to bring everything back. European mounts are a great compromise. It DOES cost a lot of money. You could go on extra trips. On a personal note, I have pretty much filled up my house. I have no regrets even though I could have gone more and may never be able to go back. Think of it as a phase or the first stage of an African hunter. Once you have been a few times pictures are just as important and cost a lot less.

You asked about costs, Brian.

Go to either the web sites or FAX a question to your PH or directly to a taxidermist you might choose, and ask for their price list.

Then you have to pay air (or sea) freight and the customs brokering charges and shipping at the U.S. end. These charges, depending on how much you are shipping can go over $1,000 and often twice that if you're shipping a herd.

Regards, Tim

I love my trophies!
I have: 5 pedestal, 2 full body, & 7 shoulder mounts + 1 rug.
There are 6 more coming this summer.
1 shoulder, 1 pedestal, 1 full body, 1 tusk on a plaque, 2 rugs.
My taxidermist loves me, but these are my memories & the way I choose to show them.
I can't afford a trophy room as I spend all my $$$$ on safaris & taxidermy.
This is your safari & you should do it your way as best you can afford.
So far on 3 trips my shipping has run around 2300.00 ea. time.

GOOD LUCK & GOOD HUNTING