The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Trophy Room Pictures Trophy of Hippo-BullGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Trophy of Hippo-Bull | Login/Join |
| new member |
Hi folks, as a german hunter I`m very interested in african big game hunting. Right now, I`m planing a hunting safari in 2006/7 for Zimbabwe, Tansania or RCA. I red much about hunting Hippo-Bulls but nowhere I could find anything about preparation the trophy. Are the "tusks" prepared same way like warthogs or european boars ? A piture of a good hippo-bull trophy would help, to close this gab. King regards | ||
|
One of Us |
Germanhunter I was lucky enough to shoot a Hippo last year and for trophys I am having the tusks mounted on timber "Europe style" the same as Warthog or Wild Boar are set. Also, I am having two Rifle bags made up with some of the skin. Send me an Email if you need some names of good hunters in Africa. Good Hunting, ozhunter | |||
|
One of Us |
I had my hippo's six largest tusks mounted on a wooden plaque. Here is how they turned out:  Every hippo full head and shoulder mount I have ever seen has seemed plastic and fake. They have always looked horrible, sometimes more, and sometimes less, but always pretty horrible. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
|
One of Us |
MR: I really like that plaque and I have to agree with RE Hippo mounts. Never seen a good one and I've had a chance to look at just about all the big name txidermists and none of them look right to me. You going over ths year? jorge USN (ret) DRSS Verney-Carron 450NE Cogswell & Harrison 375 Fl NE Sabatti Big Five 375 FL Magnum NE DSC Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
|
| one of us |
germanhunter, I've had a couple of hippos mounted as a European type mount. It is the full boiled skull with all the teeth in place. The jaws are pinned open to show the tusks. It looks very nice, displays the tusks well and people recognize it as a hippo. It also is a fairly inexpensive way to do the mount. As for your hunt a hippo/buffalo/crocodile can be organised quite inexpensively in Zambia. Send me PM or e-mail if you would like some details. Regards, Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
|
| One of Us |
jorge, Thanks, I like the simplicity of the tusks on the wood, too. As for hunting, I'm afraid that this year is the first in many that I will not be able to hunt. I am recovering from shoulder surgery - shooting shoulder, needless to say - and can't do it this year. But I have already booked in Tanz for '08 and if the mending goes well, I will hunt again in '07. But it is surely no fun to need surgery to shoot - or even reach for your wallet when the check is presented! Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Well I have nothing planned either. I have tentative plans for Aug 08 to hunt leopard (a month after my retirement from the "canoe club", but between finances (three in college!) and not knowing whether I'll have to go back t the "sandbox" one more time, I really can't commit to anything. We'll commiserate together! jorge USN (ret) DRSS Verney-Carron 450NE Cogswell & Harrison 375 Fl NE Sabatti Big Five 375 FL Magnum NE DSC Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
|
One of Us |
Hippos are difficult to mount for a few reasons; first and most obvious, skinning a hippo is a big job, second, its a pain to get the skin thin enough to dry out when its still in Africa so you end up with inconsistant thickness of the skin. Then it goes to the tannery. Most of them do a great job, but the really thin parts of the skin can get torn and that leaves holes in the hide. And the dermis or top layer of skin peels/sheds whatever leaving you with a checkerboard of small patches.(Warthogs and crocilgators do this too!) Theres only one or two hippo forms out there, so unless your a perfect fit, the forms have to be altered, or the skin needs to be comprimised to fit. Once you finally get the skin on the form and dryed, the whole surface needs to be repaired with something like apoxie sculpt to fill in the little patches. Then the mouth has to be rebuilt unless you use a drop in mouth. Now it needs to be painted. Unless you are really good at using your airbrush and blending colors, you end up with a very plastic looking hippo. But they look pretty cool in your living room! Pro Staff for: In Natures Image Taxidermy | |||
|
| one of us |
Here's a good way to display a Hippo, The skull-tusks on a pedastal:  "America's Meat - - - SPAM" As always, Good Hunting!!! Widowmaker416 | |||
|
| One Of Us |
I've taken the libery of copying this picture from another AR post:  As you can see at the bottom, the hippo tusks have been placed into a kind of picture frame, and IMO, this looks like an interesting solution. As I see nothing holding the tusks, I presume they are glued on somehow. | |||
|
| One Of Us |
A related question, what do you guys feel is the best way to keep hippo (and warthog) tusks from cracking as they get older? Any specific type of wax? | |||
|
| One of Us |
I filled mine with something called smoothcast. Its available from most taxidermy supply companies. Its mainly used to make casts from RTV silicone molds, but works well for tusks. I ran a 2" piece of tape around the outside of the tusk and set them lightly in a vice. You have to level out the gumline to prevent any spills. Smooth cast is a two part epoxie that you mix up 50/50. Then just pour it in and let it harden. Once hard, peel off the tape and youre all set. Im not sure you can wax anything to prevent the cracking. Hugh Pro Staff for: In Natures Image Taxidermy | |||
|
one of us |
Here's another option  Jerry Huffaker State, National and World Champion Taxidermist | |||
|
| one of us |
Oh, come on!  That's just weird! Looks like something from a cartoon my son would watch!  Just kidding of course, but it's not quite my taste... I think I'd go with the tusk-on-a-board approach... F. | |||
|
one of us |
Here's mine. I gave away most of the teeth at a 1st grade "show and tell". Gave my dentist the two biggest molars though. Jeff  | |||
|
One of Us |
Really nice set up. I will be hunting hippo next month in Zambia on the luwanga river valley and was wondering how to display the ivory. I like your display and will probably do something similar. Was thinking about adding a picture of the trophy and placing it between the ivory on the board itself. It's just hard to believe a huge magnificiant animal was harvested and the only thing to show is 6 teeth. Thanks for sharing. "How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do" -- Invictus | |||
|
| one of us |
john e There's really 12 teeth, I think Jeff said that he gave some away. If you feel that way, you should think about a shoulder mount, very impressive animal, when I get mine done I'll post a photo for you.... Then you have the feet, the hide, makes great leather. See there's lots to do with a hippo! "America's Meat - - - SPAM" As always, Good Hunting!!! Widowmaker416 | |||
|
| One of Us |
Looks like an old girlfriend of mine from SE Oklahoma. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Whiteeyetatto- The hippo has too many teeth to be a girl from SE Oklahoma.... | |||
|
one of us |
From a guy who lives in Oklahoma, no less. | |||
|
| One of Us |
John E, Who are you hunting the Luangwa with? We are booked with Johnny Du Plooy in '08. Andy | |||
|
One of Us |
I like that "Science only goes so far then God takes over." | |||
|
one of us |
Here are my hippo tusks from last September in Zambia:  "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
|
| one of us |
Scott, That is a neat way to do the hippo if you are displaying the tusks only. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
|
one of us |
| |||
|
One of Us |
Nice looking options. 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." | |||
|
| One of Us |
SBT, I really like your use of the tusks. Did you keep amy of the hide? Sorry we missed each other in Jackson in July, oh by the way I had already bought a couple bottles of wine, but we forced ourselves to consume them.  | |||
|
| one of us |
Thanks guys, I really like it also. Ed, no, I did not keep any skin. Other than some meat to the locals who helped recover it, all else went for lion bait. Hopefully you'll be out this way again and we can get together. I'm glad the wine did not go to waste! "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
|
one of us |
When I got my skull back it had these ropes and my tag on it. I wondered which of the boys back in camp roped it up. Somehow it looked fresh from the hunt.  Although all the trophies prior to my post are a better way of displaying the tusks, I have never been able to bring myself to cut these out so it sits on the floor of my reloading room. If little Gus (new lab pup) keeps licking on them he will eventually get them cleaned up and I might cut them loose. ALLEN W. JOHNSON - DRSS Into my heart on air that kills From yon far country blows: What are those blue remembered hills, What spires, what farms are those? That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain, The happy highways where I went And cannot come again. A. E. Housman | |||
|
| one of us |
That's interesting with the ropes and tag. I would love to see what is in all of those hunting photos though! I drove all over Missouri this summer for work. Probably passed by your place. _______________________________  | |||
|
One of Us |
Add a tutu and it would be perfect | |||
|
| One of Us |
Just got my Hippo skull etc, I am going to used SBT's as a guide, I am going to have replicas of the teeth etc and have them mounted in the skull and set the skull on the floor in the WIDE OPEN pose. | |||
|
one of us |
You could put a piece of glass over the top of the hippo skull and make a coffee table. ____________________________ If you died tomorrow, what would you have done today ... 2018 Zimbabwe - Tuskless w/ Nengasha Safaris 2011 Mozambique - Buffalo w/ Mashambanzou Safaris | |||
|
One of Us |
Here's yet another option:  | |||
|
One of Us |
Now that is a cool hippo mount!! | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia