anyone have any experience with a Zim taxidermist. I'm looking mostly for info on dip and pack services, maybe get a few euro mounts and simple tanning (without any felt backing) of some hides, especially for a giraffe. I would like to shoot a giraffe on my trip next year but I also don't/won't spend several thousand dollars on getting a giraffe hide tanned for a simple unlined rug/memento of that.
what about simply having hides done in salt and then tanned here in the US?
Thanks,
Willi

I have had business dealings with Tax. Enterprises. I think they are honest people to deal with however I am learning getting anything out of Zim makes snails look like racehorses. Anything you do with the entire giraffe skin will be an expensive venture. Just the frieght on a salted giraffe skin can run over 1000 dollars because of its wieght. Tanning of the hide would probably run in the neighborhood of 2000 dollars also. Maybe this isn't a lot of money to you and if so let'r rip. Whackin a giraffe can be a hell of a lot of fun. Good luck over there. Where will you be?

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth. I have a giraffe at Taxi. Ent. as we speak. Having the entire hide(less neck) tanned for $500, the neck made into 2 directors chairs(giraffe seats and backs), a leg bone scrimshawed with the big five($175.) and the other leg bone raw to make some knife handles etc here in the states. All that would cost you a fortune in the states plus the weight shipping home.
I shot a huge bull at Lemco last year and hunted on foot with open sights is truly a poor man's elephant hunt. Don't cheat yourself by potting one from the road, get out and hunt them on foot and you will have a blast.

A friend and I were just talking about this last nite. Love the giraffe hides. Wouldn't it take all day to just skin and prep a giraffe? Those things are huge. I like the director's chair idea and the scrimshaw would be a beautiful addition. You're getting all that for under $1K? Sounds like you're getting a great deal.

I had Taxidermy Enterprises recommended to me while investigating options for my July hunt. I even got a freight estimate done with a giraffe, buffalo, kudu and zebra rug; $5000 to Canada finished and $2000 as skulls and skins. For me price is a concern, if shooting a giraffe upped the ante to that of a elephant hunt I'd rather do that. So far the giraffe is still a go!

http://www.taxidermyenterprises.com/price.htm

When you consider the trophy fee of $600 the whole hunt/trophy items is a bargain!
Bluefin, I'm just down the road from you, I'll notify when the stuff comes in. The scrimshaw work is very impressive at any price.

Sevenmag,
I'd like to hear from you. Not only about the giraffe but also your hunt in general. PM me when you get a chance.

I'm also waiting for my giraffe to get back from Taxidermy Enterprises. I had them do the Giraffe and two Zebra hides for me. My taxidermist here recommended that I have all of the skins I wanted made into rugs done over there. He said that the tan they use makes a better rug than the tan they us in the US. But it's not as good for mounts.

I just got the shipping quote. Getting the giraffe, two zebras, and capes and skulls from 15 other animals shipped to the US is going to run me about $1800. The tanning on the giraffe in the US was quoted to me between $3500-4000. I think it's well worth getting the flat skins done over there.

bisonhunter 1
Used Tax. Enterprise in 05, mounts-full Leopard,Cape Buff, Kudu, Impala shoulder mount,Zebra rug. All came back good. Problem was shipping cost $6100. Size/weight caused this price.
bobga

thanks for all the input,
question on the director chair pieces, is that just for the hide cut and shaped to fit a cahir frame u have here in the states or actually made into a chair by the taxidermist with all the parts of a chair.

trophy fee for agiraffe where Im going to Hunt (Acacia Safaris in Zim) is a bit more than $600.00, but still low enough that a giraffe is on my list, just not one of the top priority animals on the trip next June.

When they carve the leg bones, how is the picture or carving part seen against what I presume is the white of the bone itself? Filled with a dye, painted, ink brushed in, etc (just gueesing on those ideas).

plus the hide, I'll probably keep the skull also.