Here are two pictures of the finished elephant ears that I have had Life Form Taxidermy do for me from my last elephant hunt. They are hand-painted.

Great looking wall hangers! I have an elephant ear, given to me by a friend, that is still dry cured, and has never been tanned, but I can't find anyone who is willing to tan it! I want to make ammo belts out of it.

Use Enough- Those are really COOL!!!!


John

Where is Life Form? Can a Botswana Elephant go to them for tanning, etc.

I had a painting done as well, see my post "African stuff all hung".

Contact Lions and O'Haver Taxi in San Diego (they have a website) for tanning of ele hide. They had some done for me and it is outstanding.

Brett

UEG,
I like 'em both but the top one with the Rowland Ward map of Africa is way cool!

Those look GREAT! That is some really good art work. Congrats.

Here is an ear in a PH friends home in Bulawayo. This was done by Don Reeve at Matabeleland Taxidermy in Bulawayo. He now has a shop in Port Alfred SA, Wild Africa Taxidermy. Does really nice work.

Looks great! I hope I have one some day.(or should I say two)

BigBBear: Life Form Taxidermy is located in White River, South Africa and their website is www.lifeform.co.za The contact that I have used there is Bridgit. I am sure that they can take elephant ears from Botswana for taxidermy work. Contact Bridgit and find out what you need to do. By the way, that lion painting by Don Reeve is awesome too!

I really should have pic of the other 4 that go with it. One of each of the Big5. Can't find the file though. They may be on film and I haven't gotten them to digital yet. The Leopard and Buffalo are equally as nice as the Lion. Don does a very good job.

The map is cool but I think I like the wildlife shots the best.I gotta get me some of those.

Need some help from you guys with experience at this. I have a very short time to plan. I am leaving on the 2nd of August for Botswana. Hope to get a good bull and that is most likely the only animal I will hunt. I most export tusks and most likely would like to bring back ears for items similar to this post as well as the feet, legs for bar stools. Question is how can I get my Bots bull tanned, etc, in Africa whether Bots or SA, and then import all as one? I assume the outfitter will have ideas as to this but would be interested in any and all experience doing this and or using taxidermists in Africa. Not only with costs lower there but weight of skin would be much reduced after thinning, tanning, etc. Comments please?

Thanks,

Larry

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
Here is an ear in a PH friends home in Bulawayo. This was done by Don Reeve at Matabeleland Taxidermy in Bulawayo. He now has a shop in Port Alfred SA, Wild Africa Taxidermy. Does really nice work.

The thing is beautifully done, but am I seeing things,or is the shape of Africa backwards! The lion seems to be painted on the wrong side or the ear.

Larry: Get in touch with Bridgit at Life Form. They can have ALL of that done for you. I am shortly to receive from them, my elephant tusks mounted in beautiful bases, my painted ears, my elephant feet made into stools, my tanned elephant hide and my trunk made into a floor lamp. In addition, if you have your hide made into items like gun cases, ammo belts, purses, etc. while there, it too can be shipped, together with the other items to you. However, I also called Coppersmith and they informed me that the US wants to change that to declare anything that you have made from your hide to be commercial goods and subject to duty/tax. They have not done that as of yet, but have proposed a rule change for that. As long as you have your foreign Cites permits and paperwork, you can get all of that done over there and they do beautiful work.

Thanks Use Enough. I will call her. I tried today but they were not in. PM me your real name if you wish and I will pass on our association. May be good for others in the future. Curious what they charged you for taxidermy, mounting tusks, etc. if you would share.

Thanks,

MacD37, They have 2 ears you know and they are the reverse of each other one being on each side. The PICTURE is a Lion not a map of Africa.

Zimbabwe-I appreciate what you are saying but as Mac states,if they turned tha ear around and painted on the other side it would serve pretty well as a map of Africa.

Regardless.If you have a link to this taxidermist please post it.I would like to talk to him about obtaining some of his work.

Use enough gun and zimbabwe, thank you for posting the photos, fantastic.

Zimbabwe, I really like the lion painted on the ear. The first thing that I noticed was that the ear looks like a silhouette of a lion. To the right side of the painting resembles a lions head and mouth. I do not know if the artist wanted to do that on purpose, but it could not have come out better.

NEED ELE EAR !!!!!
I would like to commission an artist for such a project, except I do not have the proper canvas....AN EAR !!! Does anyone have a tanned LEFT ear they could sell/trade/barter?????

PLEASE PM

Larry: I will send you a PM. Prices may vary as to the work performed (actual picture because they are hand painted by an artist) and I would hate to quote you prices that I have no authority to quote you. Kathi: Very perceptive! Are you one of those that can look at those cartoons in the newspaper and pick out all of the missing or different items?!

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
MacD37, They have 2 ears you know and they are the reverse of each other one being on each side. The PICTURE is a Lion not a map of Africa.

NO S*&T, one on each side? Well damn you learn something new every day!

Does anyone have experience with an elephant from Botswana going through SA for taxidermy processing. For that matter any other country such as Zim would probably have the same rules. Or does someone know of good taxidermy, tanning, etc. in Bots. I leave Wed. and will alter my plans to bring back to the US if there are better options. I am a bit concerned that the ivory will need to accompany the hide and all be together for US import. Could the Ivory be at risk while in SA taxidermist? Appreciate all comments.

Eyedoc and Kathi,
I think the ear is split and the skin glued to a hard backing. Don Reeve has a web page at Wild Africa Taxidermy that has a lot of pictures of his work and Information about his operation.I met him about 10 years ago and have hunted with him a couple of times on a friends property. Last time I saw him was 2 years ago and he was living in Port Alfred and only spending parttime in Bulawayo.

I've had these folks tan elephant leather. It seems they said they could do ears too and I know they'll do feet.

Specialty Leather Processors

They did a find job in my book.

Kyler