Cape buffalo European sells at auction for $225


https://m.proxibid.com/categor...l|22|134197|39595308

Dip and pack, shipping, clearing, taxidermy and transport to residence for an asset that retains little value in my opinion is a tough sell.

I have one shipment from Botswana and I am done.

Mike

When I'm dead, I won't care.

My trophies are for my memories.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
Cape buffalo European sells at auction for $225


https://m.proxibid.com/categor...l|22|134197|39595308

Dip and pack, shipping, clearing, taxidermy and transport to residence for an asset that retains little value in my opinion is a tough sell.

I have one shipment from Botswana and I am done.

Mike

If I ever decide to go to Africa again, all the animals will stay there. I have a camera and enough taxidermy in my house. I am running out of space. Besides, any room that I do have will be used for North American game, which I put a higher value on (just my opinion).

I leave my current taxidermy to my kids and/or donate it.

Mike,

Both Sadie and I will enjoy our mounts until we're unable to live in our own home. I still have a bunch that are not mounted yet and it's like Christmas everytime I get a couple done.

Mark

I just try and think about a guy like Biebs who does all this taxidermy and then has it crated and stored in this garage.

But then it is Biebs.

Mike

Not a fan of taxidermy...can't justify the money. I'd rather buy gear or hunts.

All mine is skull mounts and tanned hides
I only hay stuffed my leopard and mountain lion
Thinking doing my Spring teddy if his hair is OK
Shit, I’ll fill this damn place to the hilt
And who cares after we die anyway

I don’t have room for the animals I have mounted and I have seven yet to be mounted. Guess I need to build a new house.
After I’m dead, I don’t care what happens to it.

I'm going to enjoy all of my taxidermy mounts for as long as I can.

I currently have 70 mounts, 14 at the taxidermist, and I don't have any plans of quitting.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
When I'm dead, I won't care.

My trophies are for my memories.

+1

I would like to get the money back that I have spent. If I had it to do again, I would video more and mount less.

I just got the bills for pack, dip shipm,etc from Zim for out last safari. It was a short safari. The bill was between $3,000 and $4,000.' This excludes US charges for clearing. Further, I did not keep most hides.

Ridiculous!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I would like to get the money back that I have spent. If I had it to do again, I would video more and mount less.

I just got the bills for pack, dip shipm,etc from Zim for out last safari. It was a short safari. The bill was between $3,000 and $4,000.' This excludes US charges for clearing. Further, I did not keep most hides.

Ridiculous!

For stuff that has little asset value - the add on pricing has got ridiculous in my opinion.

But for a lot of hunters trophies and taxidermy are essential elements of a African safari. Kind of like going to the movies and having to have a soda and pop corn. You will end up paying movie theater prices for those items.

I will bet a lot of people will face the issue of what to do with taxidermy in their lifetime especially if one downsizes a house.

Mike

The IRS gave wonderful deductions but that stopped about 10 years ago. I donated all of my mounts the last few years I was able to. After that, I just keep skulls and horns/antlers. I have no appreciation for the art of quality taxidermy and have seen too much crap to care. I'd rather put my money into hunting as I don't have any family, etc., to leave stuff to.
Cal

My house is about full and I still have two shipments coming. I am just about done with Taxidermy. My daughter will inherent my Trophies and cherish them for the rest of her life. She will pass them down to my Grandchildren.

First reply nails it.

Best part of my day is before dawn, sipping the first coffee of the day and looking at my trophies and remembering the hunts.

Not all investments are measured in monetary units. Nor should they be.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I would like to get the money back that I have spent. If I had it to do again, I would video more and mount less.

I just got the bills for pack, dip shipm,etc from Zim for out last safari. It was a short safari. The bill was between $3,000 and $4,000.' This excludes US charges for clearing. Further, I did not keep most hides.

Ridiculous!

I would quit hunting and sell every one of my rifles if I had to hunt with someone following along with a video camera.

It appeals not to me.

I ignore it totally. I can have a DVD of the safari for a small fraction of the cost of taxidermy.

quote:

Originally posted by Ongwe:
First reply nails it.

Best part of my day is before dawn, sipping the first coffee of the day and looking at my trophies and remembering the hunts.

Not all investments are measured in monetary units. Nor should they be.

Amen brother. I get up at 5 every morning. Sneak in to the kitchen and get a cup. I wake everyone else up at 6.

My favorite time of the day!

It's all relative to your priorities in life.

I could argue a lot of things people spend money on are pointless and a waste of money, but if that's what makes you happy, go for it! You can't take it with you when you die, might as well spend it on what makes you happy while you're alive.

The difference with Taxidermy relative to African Hunting (a discretionary vacation) is a lot of hunters I know that are serious African hunters (3/5,4/4,5/5 big five, 5 plus safaris and who have spent serious $$$) regret the taxidermy. None regret the hunting.

Very few of the PHs in Africa I know have or keep any taxidermy. Most do have a rolled up leopard skin stored somewhere.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I ignore it totally. I can have a DVD of the safari for a small fraction of the cost of taxidermy.

African hunting is normally 4 people anyway. Adding 5th or replacing one of the trackers is not the end of the world.

In west africa normally there are 5 with a translator.

I would film my hunt if I did not spend most of the hunt taking pictures and video on my iphone. the quality of professional filming would be awesome relative to me bumbling around.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Heym 450/400:
Not a fan of taxidermy...can't justify the money. I'd rather buy gear or hunts.

New gear is also hard to justify

Funny... I was just in John Duploooy's house in Lusaka and he had some fabulous trophies mounted from Africa as well as the U.S.

And, seriously, if you are hunting and mounting trophies for the sake of an investment, well that's not really a sound reason to hunt. It's a bit like winning a bowling trophy for resale, it only has intrinsic value to the person who won it but little when it sits in a garage sale.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Funny... I was just in John Duploooy's house in Lusaka and he had some fabulous trophies mounted from Africa as well as the U.S.

And, seriously, if you are hunting for the sake of an investment, well that's not really a sound reason to hunt, It's a bit like a bowling trophy, it only has intrinsic value to the person who won it but little when it sits in a garage sale.

I like the bowling trophy analogy.

Mike

quote:

Dip and pack, shipping, clearing, taxidermy and transport to residence for an asset that retains little value in my opinion is a tough sell.

Personal enjoyment is the only "asset" available. "Come and get these deer horns," my mom-in-law says. My reply? "Hanging his trophies in my house would be like putting another ladies quilts up on your wall." (She found a taker without them winding up at the curb, headed to the dump or some bar.)

My wife and I have had this conversation several times. We are about ten years from retirement, and my game room was pretty darn full before my African safari. This week, my Kudu, Gemsbok, Nyala, and Impala mounts came home. My room is now bursting at the seams. I look around and see if there is anything I can part with, and for now, the answer is no. I did sell off a Caribou mount a few years back, but still have 2 more. When the day comes to downsize, 2/3 of my collection will have to go. I don't expect much of a return on my "investment", maybe 20% of the mount cost if I am lucky. The saving grace is that the quality of the mounts is top notch, with all of it being done by world and national champion taxidermists. I simply enjoy my mounts, and try not to think about what comes after.

I love the look of mounts on the walls of my den, and my office, and the things made from some of the tanned skins! However, the rest of my home belongs to my wife who is a fabulous decorator.

After my retirement back in 1996 we down sized, and now live in a modest 2000SQF home in the suburbs and there is no room for additional wall mounts. That being said, I have seen the price of dip and ship go through the roof and IMO the prices are nothing more than price gouging and is not justified by any stretch of the imagination. The last shipment I took of six animals ready to be mounted was only $150 for crating and dip and $800 for shipping all in.

Someone here posted he was charged $3000 for ship and dip for one cape buffalo scull and horns. IMO, that was a crime, no other way to say it!

Hell my first seven day safari only cost me $6K plus $1000 for tips all in, and that included the trophy fees for a Hippo, Cape buffalo, zebra, Cooksons wildebeest, wart hog, impala. Round trip air fair was only $1800 on BOAC. Certainly things are much higher today but this price gouging is going to put a lot of safari operators out of business if they don't get a fix on this! They have already priced me out of the hunting in Africa, so Alaska, Canada, and the Western states here at home will have to do for me!
....................................................................

..

I have quite a few trophies done, and only display a handful or so.

I give some to friends.

Years ago a friend who does not hunt or shoot asked for some trophies to display in his majlis - meeting room for his friends.

I gave him a sable, kudu, eland, impala and others.

I made sure to tell him the wrong names for them.

An impala became a sable, an eland became an impala, a waterbuck an eland.

We had quite a bit of fun when he was telling his visitors what the animals were

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I ignore it totally. I can have a DVD of the safari for a small fraction of the cost of taxidermy.

African hunting is normally 4 people anyway. Adding 5th or replacing one of the trackers is not the end of the world.

In west africa normally there are 5 with a translator.

I would film my hunt if I did not spend most of the hunt taking pictures and video on my iphone. the quality of professional filming would be awesome relative to me bumbling around.

Mike

I am not knocking those who choose to do it. Hunts are everyone’s to tailor to their own tastes.

When we are on a final stalk...we usually cut the number down to me, PH, and 1 tracker. I personally would not go if forced to have a video person...just not my cup of tea.

And...I don’t mount everything either...but I very much enjoy seeing my mounts hanging around my house...it is who I am.

They can pile them all up and burn them when I die for all I care...they can throw my corpse in with them if they choose...ashes to ashes...dust to dust. I just come from the old school, like the old ways, and usually opt for the dirt road...it has always gone where I want to go.

Man I love Saeed's sense of humor!!! Wow that Impala has massive bases! Haha! That's a true return on investment.

I enjoy all my mounts too - quality stuff makes a big difference and I won't care what happens after I'm dead either. All part of the hunt for me.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I would like to get the money back that I have spent. If I had it to do again, I would video more and mount less.

I just got the bills for pack, dip shipm,etc from Zim for out last safari. It was a short safari. The bill was between $3,000 and $4,000.' This excludes US charges for clearing. Further, I did not keep most hides.

Ridiculous!

No Wonder Hunt Safaris are down the entire Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by Ongwe:
First reply nails it.

Best part of my day is before dawn, sipping the first coffee of the day and looking at my trophies and remembering the hunts.

Not all investments are measured in monetary units. Nor should they be.

+100% I start off each day in my Trophy Room with a glass of orange juice, and just enjoy the views of the valley below and the memories of the mounts on the walls.

I also agree that the dip and ship costs from Africa are a total giant ripoff.

Last year I had one box containing just the horns and cape of the Sable that I shot on July 31, 2016. It didn't get to my Taxidermist until mid September, 2017, and the total cost was $1,918.56!!!

This year I brought a Dagestan Tur cape and horns home with me from Azerbaijan for just the cost of checked baggage.

Last month I brought a set of B&C unsplit Caribou antlers home with me from Quebec. Canada Air charged me $100 for the extra checked item and $150 for extra handling of the antlers. I left the cape with a taxidermist in Quebec for him to have it tanned then shipped to me for $275.

I went through this dilema starting a couple years ago in the run-up to retirement and a move to a sunnier climate. Wife and I were wanting to downsize and several dozen mounts just wasn't going to work so I chose to let go of 90% of my hunting trophies. I researched various ways of disposing of hunting trophies and learned there are limited choices. For me, burdening my sons/grandchildren with maintaining my 'hairy bowling trophies' was not one of them.

To keep a 'Yes, I hunted Africa' link a couple were kept to maintain a corner in my downsized mancave; elephant tusks, 'buff skull, and leopard hide. I also kept my best whitetail and mule deer racks. The rest of my stuff went to a live auction and I doubt that I got five cents on the dollar. But I'm okay with that as through the years I maintained a nice journal with photos and particulars of each hunt that keeps me in touch with my fond memories.

Two years later I'm very comfortable with the decision and don't regret it.

Kids grew up.moved out. Just wife and I in a large house with filled trophy room. Downsized. Sold or gave away most trophies.
Broke my heart, but life goes on. Done several safaris since, but bring nothing back, just photos.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
Cape buffalo European sells at auction for $225


https://m.proxibid.com/categor...l|22|134197|39595308

Dip and pack, shipping, clearing, taxidermy and transport to residence for an asset that retains little value in my opinion is a tough sell.

I have one shipment from Botswana and I am done.

Mike

This seems to be a favorite topic of yours - I wonder why...


Asset value of taxidermy? Hell what about the asset value of the hunts themselves??

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
Cape buffalo European sells at auction for $225


https://m.proxibid.com/categor...l|22|134197|39595308

Dip and pack, shipping, clearing, taxidermy and transport to residence for an asset that retains little value in my opinion is a tough sell.

I have one shipment from Botswana and I am done.

Mike

This seems to be a favorite topic of yours - I wonder why...


Asset value of taxidermy? Hell what about the asset value of the hunts themselves??

When someone puts a experienced/used/consumed hunt up in a estate sale or auction we can discuss the asset value of a hunt.

Mike

Here's the value. If your home burnt down, you cannot hunt again and nothing is left of your past life. Would you be glad you'd had it, done it, enjoyed it? Can't replace opportunity or joy. The rest is just minutia. Enjoy life/l'chaim!!

Hunting and taxidermy make no financial sense, so what. If monetary return entered into every decision life would be boring.

Dave

Hey, while your at it, get rid of all those crappy pictures of your kids growing up, your letter jacket, and the family Bible. They don't have any monetary value and they take up too much space!

I have quite a few. I had to furnish my gun store with appropriate decor. It still pleases me to look at them. They are for the hunter, not the ones that come after.