Gents:
After stirring the pot a bit with my last post about tipping (and many didn't read my words completely and/or made assumptions) I would like to get your opinion on taxidermy: should it be done here in the USA or in Africa? Rugs, shoulder mounts, skull mounts, full mounts, and everything in between.

One side of the story is African taxidermy will be better as that is all they do and they know the animals. The crate will be bigger, yes, but lighter in weight so freight charges are a wash, and the cost is less. The turn around time is far quicker, too. The down side is if the work is shoddy, there is absolutely nothing one can do once the box arrives in the USA.

American taxidermy is just the opposite. A long wait, more money, more recourse if the work is poor, and many say the quality is as good or better.

I won't voice my opinion until many of you have put down your thoughts. So, what say you.....
Cheers,
Cal

Well Cal, I will stir the pot on this one with apologies if I took your previous post the wrong way. My great regret in hunting Africa is having had too much taxidermy done. If I had it to do all over again, I would skip the taxidermy or do euro mounts and plow the saved money back into hunting. If I was going to have taxidermy done, I would have it done here. I had the mounts from my first trip done in South Africa but believe the work done in the States is better.

For me I would rather have it done in Africa unless the State side taxidermist is very versed and experienced with African Game. Then again I doubt you would want even the best Africa based outfit to do your whitetail nor elk...

Africa gets my vote.
Aaron

All of my taxidermy work has been done in Africa and I have never had a bit of a problem with any of it. Of course, a majority of it has been done, and continues to be done by Life Form Taxidermy. I have not regretted any of it, as it makes our home a showpiece and people love to come and visit and "check out the animals".

I think that for Euro mounts and flatskins I would get it done in Africa. It is usually much, much cheaper and shipping costs are the same.

Alright I'll bite.....I think this a no brainer (but of course I'm a US taxidermist)!!!!! Here's why I think you should NEVER leave your trophies to be mounted in Africa...we have easy access to the BEST forms and supplies available in the world!!!! We have easy access to the best tanneries in the world!!!! I love this theory that because they live around the African game they can mount them better....that is absolute BS....any talented, artistic,taxidermist who truly takes pride in his work can mount any animal with the use of REFERENCE(pictures, casts, measurements). I have never been to Tajikistan but I would bet good money I can mount an Argali or an Ibex better than 99% of the taxidermists in that country!!!! It's all about reference and studying the animal your mounting. I will admit there are allot of HACK U.S. taxidermists that have no business mounting anything besides a whitetail deer, BUT there are very talented taxidermists around the US capable of turning your African and/or Asian skins/horns into trophies you will be proud to display and show your friends and family. The last very important point is you have the ability to go to your local taxidermist studio to take care of any problems or changes....every year there dozens of horror stories of trophies that get uncrated from Africa and are absolute garbage....when that happens GOOD LUCK getting any kind of refund when you are in the states and the taxidermist is in Africa. This might not be a big deal if you travel to Africa hunting every year but for the guy who is on a once in a lifetime trip he is just plain screwed!!!!!

like most things in life, it depends on who does the work. i have a lot of mounts done in both places. if you are using taxidermists of equal skills( and that's easily done), the result is the same but the cost is less when done there, even after paying the increased freight. Life Form, Trans Africa, Derek Robinson willl do work that is GENERALLY equal to what i have had done here(although no better for sure). HOWEVER, i never found it to be any faster and in fact was often slower, probably due to the permitting process. i must say though the absolute best work i have ever had done was by Chris Krueger and his lovely wife Mary who sometimes posts here in the taxidermy forum. they are in Az.

Great taxidermy work can be done in both Africa and the US. The deciding factor for me was the fact that if a problem arose, I would have an easier time addressing that problem with a US taxidermist. It is difficult to clear up problems with a taxidermist half-way around the world compared to my taxidermist only 50 miles away.

quote:

Originally posted by Bakkentaxidermy.com:
Alright I'll bite.....I think this a no brainer (but of course I'm a US taxidermist)!!!!! Here's why I think you should NEVER leave your trophies to be mounted in Africa...we have easy access to the BEST forms and supplies available in the world!!!! We have easy access to the best tanneries in the world!!!! I love this theory that because they live around the African game they can mount them better....that is absolute BS....any talented, artistic,taxidermist who truly takes pride in his work can mount any animal with the use of REFERENCE(pictures, casts, measurements). I have never been to Tajikistan but I would bet good money I can mount an Argali or an Ibex better than 99% of the taxidermists in that country!!!! It's all about reference and studying the animal your mounting. I will admit there are allot of HACK U.S. taxidermists that have no business mounting anything besides a whitetail deer, BUT there are very talented taxidermists around the US capable of turning your African and/or Asian skins/horns into trophies you will be proud to display and show your friends and family. The last very important point is you have the ability to go to your local taxidermist studio to take care of any problems or changes....every year there dozens of horror stories of trophies that get uncrated from Africa and are absolute garbage....when that happens GOOD LUCK getting any kind of refund when you are in the states and the taxidermist is in Africa. This might not be a big deal if you travel to Africa hunting every year but for the guy who is on a once in a lifetime trip he is just plain screwed!!!!!

alright. i'll bite. how many taxidermist( good or bad) in Tajikistan?? to assume there are no good taxidermist is Africa is absurd! and exactly how do i go to my local taxidermist in the US when he is hundreds( or perhaps thousands) of miles away. i had a buffalo pedestal mount done in Baltimore and 2 full body pygmy antelopes, shoulder mount sable, crocodile rug, bushpig shoulder done in Az and i live in CA. VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULT BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD DROP BY THEIR STUDIOS WHENEVER THE MOOD STRUCK. unless you are fortunate to live within a few hours drive of your taxidermist( highly unlikely in most cases), you make decisions based on reputation and expect a good result. every time this comes up, a few American taxidermists pop up with the ( mistaken) opinion that they are the only ones who know what they are doing. PURE UNADULTERATED HORSESHIT! and i have a trophy room( WITH AN EQUAL MIX OF ANIMALS DONE HERE AND IN AFRICA) to prove it.

Cal,

I agree with you.

I have had taxidermy done in Zimbabwe, South Africa and the US.

I've had more headache about them, in the US than any where else, add to the fact that it takes much longer.

I have decided I will never have any more taxidermy done in the US.

my taxerdermist movede from Denmark to RZA. So now i had to do the taxerdermist in africa. But he is good very good .was the best in denmark.
www.dianataxidermy.com

hunt safe wisent

Different country but same dilemma. Up till my last trip have always had my taxidermy done back here in Australia, with which the quality of the work has been very good, just wish could say the same about the TIME DELAY!!!!
After having a small 'dummy spit' with my taxidermist I am getting the last hunt, including my prized 45' buffalo, mounted at Taxidermy Africa in RSA. I have previously used them for tanning and a couple of flat skins. The communication that i have had with Natalie and Tristan has been amazing, have been kept in the loop right through, even when they were waiting for permits and shipment from Zimbabwe.
Regular updates are supplied, including pictures of what stage the mounting is up too. Time period was said to be eight months from delivery. Quality from the work I saw at their studio very high. Satisfaction, well I will let you know in Approx six months time. Scott

I have a bit of an unusual situation in that I live literally 12 miles away from my taxidermist, who is of world class quality. Truelife Taxidermy of Granbury, TX, Roy Holdrige. But with his quality work comes a steep price tag.

I'm more selective on what I have mounted these days. I tend to do European mounts on species that are duplicates of what I already have mounted, unless the new one is exceptional.

For European mounts and tanning, I find it cheaper to be done in Africa. All traditional mounts are done by Roy, here in TX. I have no doubt that there are quality artists in Africa, but I really like the convenience of being able to go by the shop and see exactly what the issue is should a problem arise. Addressing a problem face to face is just superior to relying on pictures and emails sent over the net.

Another reason I like the local option instead of Africa is that I seldom give the order to "Mount it all". I tend to string it out after paying for the tanning work with my initial deposit. For instance, I still have a Warthog from 06, another Warthog, Bushbuck, and Steinbuck from 07, etc., waiting to be mounted. Just a quick inventory tells me I have 19 animals at the taxidermy with 3 being worked on currently

Like anything else, you can find the right person to do the work and meet your expectations in either location. But the face to face explanation and handling of problems is the deciding factor for me. For someone who doesn't live near the shop, I doubt there is much difference between a good artist here in the US vs Africa.

After 12 years in africa i will say just one thing!yes you can get good work done there (sometimes)but all of my is done here home in Norway! cause i hate to see my nice trophiees coming back looking like somthing from outter space.....i rather pay extra too get a good mount that looks like the proud animal it onse looked like...to try to save some dollars on your taxidermy!! wery ofen goes wery wrong...

I am reading Peter Flack's book about his top 25 African trophies. The book is very good and well illustrated with pictures from his personal museum/trophy room.

Being an amatuer taxidermist (birds only), I know the business somewhat and have an educated "eye" for quality and technique.

Seeing the many pictures of Flack's work, I question the overall quality of the work. He has dozens of mounts and rugs. He can easily afford the best available and may be perfectly happy with the work in his collection but I would be disappointed in the work.

I do not vote for or against the US vs. Africa work. I vote for the individual taxidermist. I have seen very good work in Africa and very good work in the US.

Each person judges what he thinks is good or bad. For instance, I hunted in RSA several years ago. Our group brought home 50 mounts to be done. The group chose an outfit in Texas to do the work. I chose someone else for mine. When I saw the quality, I thought it was very poor but the other hunters were very pleased.

I also had a very bad and distasteful experience with a taxidermist in the US - to the point that I considered action - due to the misleading communication and poor work done. This person came to me recommended and I saw some of the work prior to hiring that person. The service and quality I got was pathetic. I paid the price and moved on. Thankfully, I found a taxidermist who un-did the damage and made the piece acceptable. I paid double to the get the work done right.


Beauty is in the eye of the owner is the moral to the story.

So - pick whose work you like, pay the price, and be happy with your decisions. You are better spending too much for great work than taking a cheap deal that does not look as expected.

On my first trip to RSA, I had the taxidermy done in the USA; it took almost 3 YEARS to get my mounts. On the next trip, I had the work done in RSA. The taxidermy done in RSA was better than that done in the U.S.A., it cost me a little less and from the time the taxidermist got the trophies until they were in my driveway in a BIG box was about 1 year.

I would say, wherever you have the taxidermy done, get several recommendations on the taxidermist you wish to use.

When "African" works out you feel very smart. When you get double-dipped on freight, flatskins folded wet look like checkered picnic table covers, the horns are burnt black, Sevin-dust covers shield mounts, they ship in a cardboard box (NOT a crate!!) and you have to pay for everything sight unseen -- not so much.

How about everyone post some closeup photo's of thier trophies and tell us where they were done.
This could be interesting!

Taxidermy is like hunting, its a very personal decision.

Just like hunting you need to research your taxidermist, get referances and go and look at his work.Like Outfitters one bad African Outfitter doesnt make for Bad hunting in Africa.

Many SA outfits are starting their own taxidermy studios and giving the PHs commoision to talk the hunters into a "in house " job.TERRIBLE DECISION.

So no matter where you go do your homework and support the the Taxidermist you most want,and who does the best job for the money available to you.
South Africa has some very good taxidermist just like the US.

P.S Karoo taxidermy of South Africa had a fork lift go through a crate (somewhere in shipping) and they flew a US taxidermist out to do the repairs on site.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Well Cal, I will stir the pot on this one with apologies if I took your previous post the wrong way. My great regret in hunting Africa is having had too much taxidermy done. If I had it to do all over again, I would skip the taxidermy or do euro mounts and plow the saved money back into hunting. If I was going to have taxidermy done, I would have it done here. I had the mounts from my first trip done in South Africa but believe the work done in the States is better.

I can remember I took some photos a few years back in Reno of the leopard/hyena mount you did. Really great piece of art but I can imagine the picetag..

With special animals that are not so easy to do like cats, goes to US. I have two leopards with Phil Soucy and I have never thought about having them done here in Sweden some in Africa are ok but very few IMO. All the other animals I mount in Europe or Africa.

I have used lifeform also and they are good but you cant really compare them to the best in America.


Ask me again in 30 years if I regret to have too much taxidermy done and I will probably say YES!

Cal,

Another consideration about taxidermy is whether you believe someone local can do the quality work on African game that you desire.

I'm not trying to step on any Alaskan taxidermists toes but the African mounts I have seen done here as displayed at the SCI local Chaper show leave a bit to be desired on average. There were a couple of decent mounts but some were just terrible.

So now you need to factor in the fact you may have shipping of the final product to you either from Africa (where you have no recourse should you not like the result) or from the lower 48.

Whoever you decide to use I suggest you check references, try and see samples of their work, and when you check references find out how accessible the taxidermist was during the process. Did they contact the client and go over choices, make suggestions, and give updates.

My taxidermist altered my buffalo form 3 times in order to make sure the Buff would fit in the spot we had picked out. I wanted him staring at the couch. He nailed it.

The Hyena was a total custom done off a photo posted on this forum by Andrew Baldry long ago. I always liked the body position. Again he nailed it.

You are certainly welcome to come back over and take a critical look at mine and see if you would be happy with it.

quote:

I do not vote for or against the US vs. Africa work. I vote for the individual taxidermist. I have seen very good work in Africa and very good work in the US.

When you ask Africa or USA you will get equal answers on each side. It needs to be more specific.

Mr. Dogcat has the best advice in my opinion. The country they live in isn't what's important, it's the individual who is doing the work.

You shouldn't even go by just a reccomendation, everyone sees taxidermy through different eyes , just because someon else says "they do good work" doesn't mean you will feel the same. You need to look at the work yourself, speak with the taxidermist and check them out, so that YOU can decide who you want to use.


There are 1 man shops and there are 40 man shops. There is good and bad work being done at all levels of the industry. I've seen beautiful work come out of garages all the way up to the 20,000 sq ft businesses doing millions of dollars of taxidermy.

Quality is all about the man standing at the bench mounting your trophy not the country.

well said Jerry !

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

quote:

Originally posted by Bakkentaxidermy.com:
Alright I'll bite.....I think this a no brainer (but of course I'm a US taxidermist)!!!!! Here's why I think you should NEVER leave your trophies to be mounted in Africa...we have easy access to the BEST forms and supplies available in the world!!!! We have easy access to the best tanneries in the world!!!! I love this theory that because they live around the African game they can mount them better....that is absolute BS....any talented, artistic,taxidermist who truly takes pride in his work can mount any animal with the use of REFERENCE(pictures, casts, measurements). I have never been to Tajikistan but I would bet good money I can mount an Argali or an Ibex better than 99% of the taxidermists in that country!!!! It's all about reference and studying the animal your mounting. I will admit there are allot of HACK U.S. taxidermists that have no business mounting anything besides a whitetail deer, BUT there are very talented taxidermists around the US capable of turning your African and/or Asian skins/horns into trophies you will be proud to display and show your friends and family. The last very important point is you have the ability to go to your local taxidermist studio to take care of any problems or changes....every year there dozens of horror stories of trophies that get uncrated from Africa and are absolute garbage....when that happens GOOD LUCK getting any kind of refund when you are in the states and the taxidermist is in Africa. This might not be a big deal if you travel to Africa hunting every year but for the guy who is on a once in a lifetime trip he is just plain screwed!!!!!

alright. i'll bite. how many taxidermist( good or bad) in Tajikistan?? to assume there are no good taxidermist is Africa is absurd! and exactly how do i go to my local taxidermist in the US when he is hundreds( or perhaps thousands) of miles away. i had a buffalo pedestal mount done in Baltimore and 2 full body pygmy antelopes, shoulder mount sable, crocodile rug, bushpig shoulder done in Az and i live in CA. VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULT BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD DROP BY THEIR STUDIOS WHENEVER THE MOOD STRUCK. unless you are fortunate to live within a few hours drive of your taxidermist( highly unlikely in most cases), you make decisions based on reputation and expect a good result. every time this comes up, a few American taxidermists pop up with the ( mistaken) opinion that they are the only ones who know what they are doing. PURE UNADULTERATED HORSESHIT! and i have a trophy room( WITH AN EQUAL MIX OF ANIMALS DONE HERE AND IN AFRICA) to prove it.

There's a great taxidermist right up the road from you in Ceres, CA. Anthony Maxwell (MaxArt here on AR) mounted my buff and I couldn't be any happier with the quality of his work.

To me one of reasons to get your taxidermy done in the US is the relationship that you establish with a taxidermist. Atcheson Taxidermy has done the majority of my work for nearly 20 years now. Tom Hardesty that owns the business always goes the extra mile to make you happy and just handles everything from providing your tags to guaranteeing payment to your shipper so no money had t obe sent overseas. Tom is coming to my home when I move, take down my mounts, mount them in his trailers and deliver them to my new home with minimal cost. That is what you call good customer service. Your African taxidermist is not going to do that.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
When "African" works out you feel very smart. When you get double-dipped on freight, flatskins folded wet look like checkered picnic table covers, the horns are burnt black, Sevin-dust covers shield mounts, they ship in a cardboard box (NOT a crate!!) and you have to pay for everything sight unseen -- not so much.

I agree 100%.

Flatskins and euros, Africa. Shoulder/full body mounts, US, but only with a top quality taxidermist. However, I gotta say that for me, the euro/skins are the only way to go and not have so many $$$s tied up in taxidermy



Mad Dog

USA (five years later mt. reedbuck)


USA (three years later)


USA (two years later, horns macerated from another taxi, in his trailer for years, sold to me so I wouldn't have black horns)


RSA (rec'd a year later, double-dipped on freight, no savings. Timon from Target)


RSA (2005 hunt rec'd in 2006)

I only do Euros and flat skins and get them done in Africa, saves on taxidermy bill and shipping is about the same. I prefer to put my money back into hunting.

As many others have said it depends more on who does it more than where they are.

As for me I'll have mine done in the US, unless someone moves from Abilene to Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

quote:

Originally posted by Bakkentaxidermy.com:
Alright I'll bite.....I think this a no brainer (but of course I'm a US taxidermist)!!!!! Here's why I think you should NEVER leave your trophies to be mounted in Africa...we have easy access to the BEST forms and supplies available in the world!!!! We have easy access to the best tanneries in the world!!!! I love this theory that because they live around the African game they can mount them better....that is absolute BS....any talented, artistic,taxidermist who truly takes pride in his work can mount any animal with the use of REFERENCE(pictures, casts, measurements). I have never been to Tajikistan but I would bet good money I can mount an Argali or an Ibex better than 99% of the taxidermists in that country!!!! It's all about reference and studying the animal your mounting. I will admit there are allot of HACK U.S. taxidermists that have no business mounting anything besides a whitetail deer, BUT there are very talented taxidermists around the US capable of turning your African and/or Asian skins/horns into trophies you will be proud to display and show your friends and family. The last very important point is you have the ability to go to your local taxidermist studio to take care of any problems or changes....every year there dozens of horror stories of trophies that get uncrated from Africa and are absolute garbage....when that happens GOOD LUCK getting any kind of refund when you are in the states and the taxidermist is in Africa. This might not be a big deal if you travel to Africa hunting every year but for the guy who is on a once in a lifetime trip he is just plain screwed!!!!!

alright. i'll bite. how many taxidermist( good or bad) in Tajikistan?? to assume there are no good taxidermist is Africa is absurd! and exactly how do i go to my local taxidermist in the US when he is hundreds( or perhaps thousands) of miles away. i had a buffalo pedestal mount done in Baltimore and 2 full body pygmy antelopes, shoulder mount sable, crocodile rug, bushpig shoulder done in Az and i live in CA. VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULT BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD DROP BY THEIR STUDIOS WHENEVER THE MOOD STRUCK. unless you are fortunate to live within a few hours drive of your taxidermist( highly unlikely in most cases), you make decisions based on reputation and expect a good result. every time this comes up, a few American taxidermists pop up with the ( mistaken) opinion that they are the only ones who know what they are doing. PURE UNADULTERATED HORSESHIT! and i have a trophy room( WITH AN EQUAL MIX OF ANIMALS DONE HERE AND IN AFRICA) to prove it.

There's a great taxidermist right up the road from you in Ceres, CA. Anthony Maxwell (MaxArt here on AR) mounted my buff and I couldn't be any happier with the quality of his work.

luckily for me my entire house is completely stuffed( forget the trophy room itself) with trophies. i now bring hime nothing but pictures, videos, and MEMORIES! CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH MONEY I AM SAVING.

I've had a total of only about seventeen animals done in Africa, and when all was said and done, I saved about 35% over doing them here in the US. As to quality, even if one cedes the point there are better ones here to my eyes the ones in Africa were superbly done.

Here's another thought though. Is it true the chemicals used in Africa for taxidermy make your trophies less succeptible to dermestid infestation? I sure would like to know as that would add even more value in having them done over there. jorge

I agree with the posters that said do less taxidermy and hunt more. By the time I have finished waiting and having taxidermists mis-apply deposits and payments because of their outrageous backlog I am left wishing I just left them all as skulls only.

My new approach is no (or limited taxidermy) and more hunting. I have trophies from 2007 that aren't back yet. I know I could just get a different taxidermist but I am soured on taxidermy and will DIY the trophies after they come back from Africa. A little bit of peroxide and the skulls as shipped can be put on a skull hooker for $25 and I have thousands left for another hunt.

I too am at the point of no more mounts, skins and horns only and have them done over there. When I had mounts done I had them done here and I know it was the right decision. My hunting partner had all his done in Africa. My shipping cost was $1000, his was $5000. This is about what he thought he would save, it ended up a wash. We got our trophys within a few weeks of each other. If you didn't have anything to compare them to, his are fine. When you see both there is a definite difference. I have a room full of live animals and he has a room full of dead ones. Having said that I would only have one of two Taxidermist do mine, Jones Brothers in Denver, Co. or Mike Dingus in Omaha, NE. Both do primarily African animals so they understand them. Mike has done all of mine, he is a real artist. Animal Artistry in Reno is also good..........Tom

so your shipping costs was $1000 to get them( raw product) from SA to Omaha and finished product to Iowa/Denver?? man you got a bargain. who did you use to get that much stuff for that cheap?

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Here's another thought though. Is it true the chemicals used in Africa for taxidermy make your trophies less succeptible to dermestid infestation? I sure would like to know as that would add even more value in having them done over there. jorge

Hmmm... interesting, I had not heard that! But I have thought it odd that I have only had bugs in the taxidermy I had done in Texas, and never in the stuff I have had done in South Africa.

Is there really something to this theory?

Les

Some have talked about relationships with your taxidermist. I have a great relationship with my South African Taxidermist; every time I go over I visit to deliver my new animals. She has a lunch prepared for me; we go over every one of my mounts walking her shop to pick out the forms and custom work I want. I send her pictures of what I want, when I see an idea I like here in the US. They ship all my items within a year, she checks with various shippers to get me the best rate. They send my items in a WOODEN CRATE; they answer all my emails within 24 hours. The pricing is fantastic and even US taxidermists that see the work cannot believe how well it’s done. I think there are great taxidermists here and there. I also think there are poorly skilled taxidermists there and here. I know when I walk around a sportsman shows in the US there are many whitetails and bears I would be embarrassed to display. We also have some truly amazing taxidermists or artists like Jerry that do an amazing job on African work, and hope someday to have a piece that he does for me. Find someone you like and can work with and stop throwing an entire country into a stereotypical situation.

quote:

Originally posted by BearCountry953:
Some have talked about relationships with your taxidermist. I have a great relationship with my South African Taxidermist; every time I go over I visit to deliver my new animals. She has a lunch prepared for me; we go over every one of my mounts walking her shop to pick out the forms and custom work I want. I send her pictures of what I want, when I see an idea I like here in the US. They ship all my items within a year, she checks with various shippers to get me the best rate. They send my items in a WOODEN CRATE; they answer all my emails within 24 hours. The pricing is fantastic and even US taxidermists that see the work cannot believe how well it’s done. I think there are great taxidermists here and there. I also think there are poorly skilled taxidermists there and here. I know when I walk around a sportsman shows in the US there are many whitetails and bears I would be embarrassed to display. We also have some truly amazing taxidermists or artists like Jerry that do an amazing job on African work, and hope someday to have a piece that he does for me. Find someone you like and can work with and stop throwing an entire country into a stereotypical situation.

Sounds like the same experience I had with my Taxidermist in RSA. Is her name Erika? Very pleased with her!

She pours he own forms and has her own tanning facility. Not very many taxidermists do that.

quote:

Originally posted by LHowell:

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Here's another thought though. Is it true the chemicals used in Africa for taxidermy make your trophies less succeptible to dermestid infestation? I sure would like to know as that would add even more value in having them done over there. jorge

Hmmm... interesting, I had not heard that! But I have thought it odd that I have only had bugs in the taxidermy I had done in Texas, and never in the stuff I have had done in South Africa.

Is there really something to this theory?

Les

When I thought I had an issue with dermestids (and I didn't, my son took the offending impostors to the lab at the University Of Florida and they were dead and tanned little bugs from Africa!) I called that outfit that specializes in getting rid of them (is it Miller?). Anyhow nice folks and he's the one that told me that observation due to the chemicals used over there that the tree-hugging democrap EPA bans here.