Hope someone can help. I have received my capes, horns and skull plates from my May plains game safari. My taxidermist was surprised to see the kudu horns still attached to the skull plate. He said that all the kudu horns he has ever seen have been "popped" off of the skull plate after boiling. I e-mailed my dipper and packer in South Africa with my concern. He said that he boiled the horns and skull plate, but did not remove the horns. He also stated that the same goes for impala and wildebeest. I would hate to think that my mementos of a "once-in-a-lifetime" safari would be ruined. Are these horns going to be all right or will they be susceptable to rot? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
John

Impala and wildebeast horns are not removed from the core, but kudu normally are. If your taxidermist can't get them off the cores, he can seal the bases and they should be ok. I had this problem with a waterbuck some years age, they just wouldn't come off, but they came out ok. I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time and worry about it.

Good morning,

Some kudu horns do not come off. The younger bulls "pop off", the older guys can make you battle for a bit. Soak the horns in a power paraffin solution for 3 days. The solution helps neutralise the fat and oil in the horns. Closing off the base of the horn isnt always the best. Should your horns dry out, they may get a hairline crack which will allow the remaining oils and fat in the horn to start to breath. The smell will be horrific. Treatment of the horns on your mounted trophy will be very difficult.

We drill holes in the back of the wildebeest, impala and hartebeest horns so that the peroxide and paraffin can penetrate the horns. The holes are closed off on completion of the mount.

Regards,
Roland