I'm headed to Namibia this August for my first ever African hunt. I've had Reiser Taxidermy recommended to me and Wilko sent me a price list.

My question is about shipping and taxidermy in Texas. After reading other threads it seems like I should have my zebra rug completed in Namibia and shipped to me, but if I want kudu or oryx shoulder mounts I should have them prepped and done here. What are the right questions I should be asking the taxidermist? Where do the prepped trophy components need to be shipped? Who is good taxidermist in DFW or NE Texas for Kudu or Oryx?

Thanks in advance for help. I'm completely green at this and am trying to make sure I can work out the details and money issues before I leave home. I may not ever get to go back and want to make sure I have something to show for my trip along with my pictures.

We have excellent resources at the Taxidermy forum. Houston has B&B Taxidermy, Conroe has more. I'm sure Dallas Safari Club can recommend others...

I sent you a private message...

quote:

I've had Reiser Taxidermy recommended to me and Wilko sent me a price list

We had Reiser do our mounts from Nambia. I would call them OK. Nothing fantastic. Their airbrush work was so-so. Not in the class with most of the posting here. I had planned on using B&B switched to Reiser after seeing some of their work in their shop. Wish I had stayed with B&B.

I would say send all your trophies home. I have had some clients send me all their trophies to me and some have been talked into leaving their zebra in Namibia to rug out and after everything is back and on the wall almost all of them complained about a smell coming off the zebra rugs when it was good weather and after years,they still have a odor . I'm not saying if you have them done over there that will happen to you but I would just bring them all home.
Contact to the taxidermist you are using and they should give you ship tags and a hunting packet that will have all the info you need to get items home and other things as I give all my international hunters. Have a great trip...

Reiser did a great job dipping, crating, and shipping my hides and horns from Namibia to my taxidermist in Cameron, Texas. I would never have taxidermy done over there.

What about European mounts done over there?

Thanks for all the replies and PMs.
I will probably end up having my stuff prepped and shipped home. I'll get it finished in the states.
The PH replied to my email and filled me in on my payment options with Reiser. I guess they do a lot of business together. I'll call some of the people y'all have recommended and see what I have to do about a clearing house and taxidermy once I get my stuff stateside. This is all brand new to me.

What kind of luck do you have getting horns and hides shipped in recognizable pieces to be turned into a shoulder mount when it gets here? I know I've read some of your horror stories about completed mounts being smashed up.

I had my crate from Namibia sent from DFW to Jerry Huffaker and he did a great job.