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Guys, I need some opinions please (do people have opinions on Accurate Reloading???) I hunted Tanzania in Sept 2006 and took a variety of game. The 2 trophies I was most proud of were an exceptional reedbuck (and talk about good eating!), and very nice, old (40 years +) hippo bull. The buff was nothing exceptional, but decent (we needed it for lion bait)...decent waterbuck, etc. Okay, trophies arrived this past week at my taxidermist's. None were animals that I shot. The hippo I shot was brain-shot, but NOT the one that arrived here (it was smaller too). The reedbuck that arrived was average at best (small in my opinion), small waterbuck, and the buffalo that arrived was a juvenile. Okay, here is the question: What should I expect from the outifitter to make this right? Thanks for your suggestions, Garrett | ||
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Don't ask me how I know this cause I'm too old to cry. Take photos immediately of what you received. Send these, along with the happy hunter and dead critter photos, to the outfitter and taxidermist/dipper he used. Ask for an explanation and demand yours. If you hear nothing contact TAHOA and file a complaint. Let the forum here know what happened in the end and who you got screwed by and who you received satisfaction from. In one case of mine this year, somehow a huge nyala and very nice duiker got misplaced. The outfitter immediately called me and he's picking up the tab for the return next year. Dan Donarski Hunter's Horn Adventures Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 906-632-1947 www.huntershornadventures.com | |||
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OUCH!! I'd be on the phone and email immediately with your outfitter, PH, dip & pack service provider and booking agent. A very real possibility is that your shipment was accidentally mixed-up with someone elses. We can all hope this is a simple mistake which can relatively easily be corrected. Please keep us updated on how this situation unfolds. | |||
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Good luck....I have had tropies lost or stolen from two different shipments....never got anything but a run-around. I believe the problem us with the taxidermist and the shipping agents. ****************************************************************** R. Lee Ermey: "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle." ****************************************************************** We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, Which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a President, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!!!! 'What the hell could possibly go wrong?' | |||
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N. G. Did you have plastic tags made out by your taxideremist and give to you to take and have your ph hand out to your skinner to put on with plastic locking eletric ties??? Was hippo head shot like yours? Did you take photos of your animals skulls to be able to verify which are yours??? Or even write your name on the skulls??? Did you get your own ivory from you hippo? Or was that substituted also??? You should have signed for in the presence of the ph in camp of how many pieces??? Mike | |||
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I photographed everything in TZ. The hippo that arrived here in the USA has a normal, intact (i.e. no bullet holes) calvarium. I don't think my original trophies will ever be found, and for sure I'm not interested in paying to having things re-shipped. My question is more like, what should the outfitter do to make this up? Another hunt at half-price? Or should I just report it, contact Hunting Report, and let it go? I don't see myself as having too much legal recourse. BTW, I was planning a trip to Uganda with this outfit in 2008. Garrett | |||
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Personally, I think large trophies are being hi-jacked, especially those that are record book specimens. There are too many reports of this going on to be coincidence. I'm sure sometimes they just get mixed up, but that doesn't replace the trophy. And many times you get no replies to your inquiries. All you can do is contact your PH/Outfitter and the Taxidermist. There should be no one opening the crate at the shippers, so between camp and the Taxidermists, there's your problem. I always advise my clients on the best way to mark trophies and how and what to insure. I would take pictures and compare with your safari pictures, sending copies to both your PH and Taxidermist. Sorry about the problems but best of luck with it. LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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LD, I'm afraid, is spot on with the hijack/theft comment. Do go through your outfitter/agent/ph first. Between them something may be able to get done. Problem is the taxi/dipper side of things, and then the shipper itself-- that's a whole lot of hands handling your treasures. I wouldn't look at a hunt at half price, though that may be a good start point in negotiations. Seeing as the trophies were taken in TZN maybe a reduced rate on trophy fees for a next hunt in TZN. 10 days for the price of seven? If they want your business I'm betting they will make some sort of plan. Dan Donarski Hunter's Horn Adventures Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 906-632-1947 www.huntershornadventures.com | |||
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The reedbuck is what bothers me the most. It was a nice reedbuck. Garrett | |||
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I just got an invoice from Fauna & Flora for almost $1900 for no more than 6 plains game heads. This is about 50% more than I paid for shipping in 06 for 6 heads from a different company. The problem is I don't think my animals have left Africa yet. I have shipment coming from two countries so I will have two shipments. Just last week one of the African Companies told me he had not received my money so I am sure he has not shipped any thing for me. Fauna and Flora did not even say what animals they have so I think there could be a screw-up and this may have been what happen to your shipment. | |||
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Also, unfortunately, sometimes other later hunters are the crooks, changing name tags on trophies in the skinner's hut. The dishonesty can exist at every opportunity/ point of transfer, and we can't be there to prevent it. Steve "He wins the most, who honour saves. Success is not the test." Ryan "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." Stalin Tanzania 06 Argentina08 Argentina Australia06 Argentina 07 Namibia Arnhemland10 Belize2011 Moz04 Moz 09 | |||
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I've been a victim of this as well...my beautiful old eland with big red ruff on top that I loved dearly got swapped out with the cape of a younger male or female eland with no sign of the rough. Didn't find out until got it back from taxdermy. It was an expensive pedestal mount...and beautiful...but NOT MINE. "In these days of mouth-foaming Disneyism......"--- Capstick Don't blame the hunters for what the poachers do!---me Benefactor Member NRA | |||
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You're all making me most nervous as I wait for a shippment from Bulawayo. I have seen pictures of the mounted bushbuck so I know that one is mine. But I'm afraid the cost is going to be obscene. This is the third safari I've had mounted in Africa, but I think future ones will be dip and pack only. Then, if the trophies are lost or stolen, at least I won't be out the taxidermy charges. Additionally, since you don't get shipping quotes until the taxidermy is done, you never know to compare the costs of having the stuff mounted there as opposed to dip and pack. | |||
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Its not a coincidence how when the wrong trophies are received they are always smaller or lesser than the ones which were shot. For example I received a "brown" zebra flat rug instead of the black one I shot. | |||
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Sadly, this figures into the situation as well. And very probable. Take good photos, keeping in mind that after boiling the horns off their skull, shrinkage will happen. Also, the drying process will rob just a little of each horn. However, they should still retain their original shape and unique form. It's rarely possible but anytime you can deliver your trophies in person to the Taxidermist in charge of dip/pack or mounting, that narrows down who handles your game. Once trophies are packed (and this is done at the Taxidermist) they are rarely opened until the USF&W and USDA agent opens the crate (raw skins). LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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When I opened my crate my Whorthog turned into a female. The beautiful cape on my kudu had become a scraggly looking thing. My trophies were highjacked. I believe that the taxidermist in Pietersberg took a portion of my trophies and sold them to people like "Skin and Bones". That way he doubles his money! This happened to at least one other person I know of. His beautiful Eland Cape disappeared. Be careful who you deal with. Lots of shady folks waiting to take your money and sell your stuff too! I hate to say this, but you will probably never see your real trophies. I haven't seen mine! Rusty We Band of Brothers! DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member "I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends." ----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836 "I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841 "for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” | |||
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Bad news for sure, I had a 29 inch nyala taken in the past. The outfit and PH refused to refund my trophy fee. ~Ann   | |||
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Who was the agent, outfitter and taxidermist? | |||
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File a detailed report with The Hunting Report. | |||
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Had a good friend who shot what was a possible record book eland in 2006. Not only did he take photos, but cut a notch in each horn in a "secret" spot. Got the head back a year later from taxidermist; clearly not his head, just an average trophy. I think if a hunter books through a US outfitter & pays him for the hunt, the outfitter should stand behind the hunter. If it is booked through an in-country outfitter, it is their responsabliity to make it right.Leaving the hunter out to dry should have a $$ consequence. The hunter didn't pick any of the people/businesses in the chain of custody, yet those same people were very quick to take his/her $$. Hunters, vote with your wallet. Let's post the outfits you hired! | |||
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