Ok guys and gals I have all of the normally butcherd parts from my elephant. I need lots of suggestions for things to do with it all
Thanks, Mike

Mike,
What kind of expense was it to have all the normal parts shipped?

I have six front legs skinned out for barstools. I'll use a couple of ears as the leather for the tops.

Rear feet make a good ice bucket or a good waste basket for the office, library and den.

One ear will be painted with a map of Africa.

One set of tusks is already mounted on a set of teak bases, the others will be placed on brass "hooks" and displayed on a wall, parrallel to the floor, in my "testosterone zone" otherwise known as a "man cave", along with other trophies and near the billiard table, dart board, poker table, bar, 60" TV, where one can watch the DVD's of the hunts, and near my London style gun desk, which will receive a new natural tanned top "insert", and where some of my finer rifles and shotguns reside for easy access and loving attention...

The eithteen pannels of skin will be tanned natural, brown and black for various purposes. Two wing chairs will be recovered in natural (or brown?) elephant hide and an ottoman in the same. My briefcase will be done in black. A two rifle double rifle case will be done in natural for my pair of double rifles, a couple of rifle and shotgun cases will be done in brown with a couple of paired cases for pairs of shotguns or rifles...

I haven't exhausted the possibilities yet.

JPK

Man, some of those items look awfully familiar! Like, in my house familiar! Anyway, you won't regret having any of them made up as they all become useful and are great conversation pieces with visitors to the house.

Lifeform in SA e-mailed them too me. If you have used them it could probably be your things.

I have used them for the last 5 safaris trophies and yes, some of them are indeed mine! Thanks.

Have also done the footstool thing with feet. Used tusks from the second ele to form the base of a coffee table. Gave my dentist a molar and kept some vertebrae for display.

On skin,have had wallets, belts, large purse and jewelry rolls, nice vests and guncase made. But, beware of sticker shock because working elephant leather is a costly business. NOTE: strongly suggest dying the skin dark charcoal which proved to be a more interesting color than the normal, unimaginative gray.

Regards, Tim

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
I have used them for the last 5 safaris trophies and yes, some of them are indeed mine! Thanks.

It is a small world.

Anton

I would have a bracelet made from the tail hair. It's what I wanted most from my Ele, but unfortunately he had very little hair remaining after so many years in the bush. Gun cases, ear paintings, briefcases, wallets and carryalls, I've had them all made in Africa. Boots and belts done by Loveless in OK from my hides.

It is my understanding that the USF&W Service changed the rules this summer and no finished elephant products can be imported, even with a CITIES permit. So, the tanned hide can come back, but no guncases or wallets or any other finished product.

JPK

JPK - That's news to me. I know there were some issues about finished goods but never heard a ban was put in place. Do you have a USF&W reference/citation?

LionHunter,

It was news to me this last trip also. I don't have the citation, just passing on what my PH and taxidermist told me. I had hoped to have some of this year's elephants made into products in Zim, like the barstools and the guncases, etc, and was told of the recent shift in policy or rule making.

BTW, check your PMs.

JPK

Trophy Hunting Queen (Carol Rutowski) of Coppersmith can tell you, but I believe that as of a year ago this last September, there is a ban in place on having these items made over there and shipped to the States. Maybe she will see this post and comment. If not, I would suggest a PM to her. I still have elephant hide over there that was supposed to be made into gun cases, ammo belts,etc. Now I am not sure what I can have done with it over there.