Anybody have recommendations for a taxidermist in Windhoek? Looking to have the trophies prepped and shipped back to the States. I have a name of one place, "Profi", but no other info. I'm sure the outfitter has somebody, but wanted to do my homework.

Thanks!

I hunted Namibia last summer and all of my animals went to "Trophaendienste c.c." in Windhoek. (I'll let you figure out how to pronounce it!!)

I can't tell you if I'm happy with them yet because my items have not arrived. They indicated that it would take 8-10 months and it has only been 6 so I'm still patient.

Their taxidermy business is HUGE! Even though I'm a taxidermist I let them clean and bleach several skulls because they did excellent skull work and they were cheap. I also had them tan all back hides.

They use a Lutan-F tan which is an excellent tan for mounting. I tried my best to have them go ahead and tan my capes too but they refused - saying that I would not be able to soak the hides back up without losing hair. That's cr*p as far as I'm concerned. Soaking up the hides is standard in the taxidermy industry. I think they just didn't want to do the tanning because I wasn't getting the mounts done there.

I would not let them do any mounts. There mounting work was not very good at all.

I was very impressed with how they will package everything for shipment. They showed me how they wrap everything in plastic and then pour expandable foam in the box around the contents. With that there can be no shifting around and damaging of trophies.

I'm also told that there is a Reiser's Taxidermy in Windhoek. Do a search on this site because I remember that there was good and bad things said about them. I have no personal knowledge about Reiser's.

Good luck.

JDS

jds,

[ 12-18-2002, 19:43: Message edited by: scrappy ]

Bill - I wouldn't let my trophies mount in Namibia!
My statement is only based on one visited with a major taxidermist firm near the airport. I can't recall the name, but they had a lot of plastic animals outfront painted in NEON colors.
I saw their work - and some of it was very fine but alot of it was very terrible. The answer to the question - why such differens - well there was 10 to 20 people working at that taxedermist. And some of the workes could their handwork but most of them couldn't!
Therefore I would fell like playing the wheel of fortune if I let my trophy mount down their.
All the people I know how like good taxedemist work and don't think with their wallet, get their work done at home.

Regards

Mads

JDS - Thanks for the info, Trophaendienste was a name supplied by the outfitter my father-in law is going with, but I couldn't find any info on them except for a phone number...I'll call them. If you think of it, pls shoot me an email when you get the capes/trophies back with what your thoughts are.

Mads - yea, I'm hoping for leopard, and want to have the work done in the States and close to home if possible.

Follow-up question...what's the downside of not getting the capes tanned in Africa prior to shipping?

Thanks!
Bill

Bill,
Like I said, Trophaendienste wouldn't tan the capes so if you use them for the trophy clearance, they have to ship them somewhere else to be tanned.

I would not have had them do this except that I took a giraffe and the tanning bill in the states is heartstopping!!!!!! I'm afraid it's still not going to be real cheap from South Africa but it's gotta save a few bucks. Also, the tanned hides will take up a lot less space and weigh much less for shipping.

Other than that, for the "standard" animals, there is no real advantage in getting them tanned there.

hope this helps!

JDS