When my trophies arrived from South Africa, all initially proceeded as to plan. I had no problems getting them in the country and through whatever custom's processes there were. A few days later my taxidermist calls me as tells me there is a problem with the 1 of the hides and the backskins. The tannery has rejected a complete blesbuck hide, a kudu, warthog, and impala backskins. One implala was accepted and a blue wildebeest backskin were tanned. The blue wildebeest is slipping hair and the impala is less than satisfactory. I emailed my outfitter about the problem and he called me back from RSA within 2 hours expressing his dismay and with assurances that all would be made right. The taxidermist ha s disavowed all responsibility saying that it is the tannery who made that decision. When I talked to my outfitter at one of the major shows, he asked me why the capes were accepted and tanned/mounted beautifully and the backskins were rejected. Frankly I am in a quandry, my out fitter says he will make it right(after I spent several hundred dollars for dip/pack and shipping). He says re-placing the hides is not a problem, but getting the hides into the USA may entail shipping my relpacement hides with another hunter's shipment. Since the hides were not tanned,is it my responsibilty to pay for that? I am thinking that the best way out of this situation is to have the outfitter replace the hides, I pay for the tanning process in RSA( at his cost) and he ship the finished product to me. I cannot see where I should pay twice for dipping, packing and shipping. Am I out of line on this? Thanks, Jerry Hoover

You already have it figured out Jerry, just buy some backskins from a tannery in SA and have them shipped to you already tanned. This way you will by pass all the , dip and pack and clearance problems.

Agreed.

Yup. Have all my backskins tanned locally then shipped (or carried back on the next trip).