Euro Taxidermy in Africa

[Bigugly]

First timer here. Sorry if this topic has been covered elsewhere.

Im going to Limpopo and am getting a Buffalo and 2 other Plainsgame animals.

I have selected these animals knowing in advance that i want them to be done in Euro fashion with a wood Plaque on the plains game.


Who should I use to do the euro work?

Do they offer a pick up service at the gamefarm or will it be my responsibility to get them to the taxidermist?

Im 18 mo out but how would i get a rough idea of how much to crate and ship them to the USA?

Sorry for all of the questions but any help is appreciated.

Sean

 

[BourbonTrail]

Pickup depends on your outfitters and who you are shipping with.

Shipping prices vary as a function of time and method (currently very high, but dropping).

Talk to Tom @TROPHY SHIPPERS about shipping.

Euro mounts…I will defer to others for recommendations.

 

[Rell]

Almost certainly they work with taxidermists already and the taxidermists pick up trophies at most places.

I’ve worked with 6-8 taxidermists and my favorite two are Karoo Taxidermy and Life Form.

Make sure to specify wood type on the plaque. Some African woods have very light and dark streaks that don’t look right to my eye. Just make sure you know what you want and specify it.

 

[Bigugly]

Pickup depends on your outfitters and who you are shipping with.

Shipping prices vary as a function of time and method (currently very high, but dropping).

Talk to Tom @TROPHY SHIPPERS about shipping.

Euro mounts…I will defer to others for recommendations.

I just reached out to Tom @ Trophy Shippers. I left him a message.

I also emailed my outfitter and asked about what Taxidermist they used.

We will see what they come back with.

 

[Bigugly]

Anyone care to guess or speculate how much in total it would cost to get a Euro Buffalo skull/horns, a Eland Skull and a gemsbok euro back to the west coast of the USA at todays rate? Im just looking at a neighborhood. $1500, $3000, $10000, what? trying to budget as best i can. Also, at what point do i pay Trophy shippers?

 

[Ryan]

I have skull mounts of four of my seven animals from a year ago done by Safari Taxidermy out of Polokwane, including a buffalo. From pictures I've received I'm happy. The shipper has them all and working on getting them to me. The buffalo has complicated things since Delta won't ship big five animals after the Cecil the lion hoopla. Anyway, there isn't a taxidermist over there that doesn't do them, I've had them done by three different ones. And chances are your outfitter will take them to the taxidermist if it's within an easy drive, or they'll coordinate a pick up.

Buffalo skull mount should be in the $400-500 range, the others probably $ 300-400. A couple hundred for crating. No idea on shipping right now, but that'll will be a relatively small box, so that helps.

 

[Bigugly]

I have skull mounts of four of my seven animals from a year ago done by Safari Taxidermy out of Polokwane, including a buffalo. From pictures I've received I'm happy. The shipper has them all and working on getting them to me. The buffalo has complicated things since Delta won't ship big five animals after the Cecil the lion hoopla. Anyway, there isn't a taxidermist over there that doesn't do them, I've had them done by three different ones. And chances are your outfitter will take them to the taxidermist if it's within an easy drive, or they'll coordinate a pick up.

Buffalo skull mount should be in the $400-500 range, the others probably $ 300-400. A couple hundred for crating. No idea on shipping right now, but that'll will be a relatively small box, so that helps.

Yeah, based on the websites of some places ive checked, the taxidermy should run about $1200 or so. Its the shipping that has me worried.

Question for Trophy shippers is; do i have an option of air vs Ocean freight?

 

[Ryan]

Ocean freight for something like this is a rare thing anymore. Ocean cargo involves containers of freight. It'll fly.

 

[Nyati]

I do dip and pack in Africa, polishing and final mounting at home.

 

[375Fox]

Anyone care to guess or speculate how much in total it would cost to get a Euro Buffalo skull/horns, a Eland Skull and a gemsbok euro back to the west coast of the USA at todays rate? Im just looking at a neighborhood. $1500, $3000, $10000, what? trying to budget as best i can. Also, at what point do i pay Trophy shippers?

After your safari you will make 3 separate payments. The first payment will be to taxidermy in Africa to prepare your trophies to ship shortly after your hunt. The taxidermy will then deliver your trophies to a shipping agent once they finish their work. You will then pay the shipping agent in Africa to ship your trophies to a port of entry in the United States. I’d estimate $700-$1000 for your crate. The next payment will be to a clearance agent in the United States (such as trophy shippers) when it arrives in USA several months after your hunt. They will clear your trophies and forward to final destination in USA. I’d estimate $700-$1000 again on this. There will be a clearance fee plus some miscellaneous charges that vary on each invoice.

 

[Bigugly]

After your safari you will make 3 separate payments. The first payment will be to taxidermy in Africa to prepare your trophies to ship shortly after your hunt. The taxidermy will then deliver your trophies to a shipping agent once they finish their work. You will then pay the shipping agent in Africa to ship your trophies to a port of entry in the United States. I’d estimate $700-$1000 for your crate. The next payment will be to a clearance agent in the United States (such as trophy shippers) when it arrives in USA several months after your hunt. They will clear your trophies and forward to final destination in USA. I’d estimate $700-$1000 again on this. There will be a clearance fee plus some miscellaneous charges that vary on each invoice.

This is exactly the info im looking for. Thank you.

 

[fte45]

First timer here. Sorry if this topic has been covered elsewhere.

Im going to Limpopo and am getting a Buffalo and 2 other Plainsgame animals.

I have selected these animals knowing in advance that i want them to be done in Euro fashion with a wood Plaque on the plains game.


Who should I use to do the euro work?

Do they offer a pick up service at the gamefarm or will it be my responsibility to get them to the taxidermist?

Im 18 mo out but how would i get a rough idea of how much to crate and ship them to the USA?

Sorry for all of the questions but any help is appreciated.

Sean

Hi there.
You are more than welcome to reach out to us at info@splittingimagetaxidermy.co.za for a quote.
We can collect and arrange shipping for you as well.
Kind Regards,

 

[Don Hinton]

Doing same mounts with buffalo and giraffe from this past September. Using Highveld in SA
don

Home Page - Highveld Taxidermists

At Highveld, we believe in attention to detail to create true to life reflections of your prized hunting trophies. We hand sculpt all our own forms and work

www.highveldtaxidermists.com

 

[Ryan]

After your safari you will make 3 separate payments. The first payment will be to taxidermy in Africa to prepare your trophies to ship shortly after your hunt. The taxidermy will then deliver your trophies to a shipping agent once they finish their work. You will then pay the shipping agent in Africa to ship your trophies to a port of entry in the United States. I’d estimate $700-$1000 for your crate. The next payment will be to a clearance agent in the United States (such as trophy shippers) when it arrives in USA several months after your hunt. They will clear your trophies and forward to final destination in USA. I’d estimate $700-$1000 again on this. There will be a clearance fee plus some miscellaneous charges that vary on each invoice.

If you're near a port with USFWS and CBP you can clear it there yourself and save a bunch. People did it all the time in Anchorage. I wish I cpuld this go around but mine will have to be cleared in Seattle before going on a barge up to Anchorage this time.

 

[PARA45]

Doing same mounts with buffalo and giraffe from this past September. Using Highveld in SA
don

Home Page - Highveld Taxidermists

At Highveld, we believe in attention to detail to create true to life reflections of your prized hunting trophies. We hand sculpt all our own forms and work

www.highveldtaxidermists.com

I used them, and I got totally screwed by them. Very unprofessional shop. When I get to my computer I’ll post a pic of the sh*tty work they did. Never again.

 

[PARA45]

This is the kind of work I got from them.

 

[oahufish]

Ocean freight for something like this is a rare thing anymore. Ocean cargo involves containers of freight. It'll fly.

Karoo Taxidermy has offered my Ocean Freight to Houston. Don't have a rate yet, but they say its significantly cheaper than air cargo!

 

[Firebird]

This is an interesting topic right now because of all the shipping backlogs and driver shortages etc. I would get general ideas from my ph-including who he uses as his standard taxidermist. Then I would find an importer-in my case to the USA and talk to them or at minimum e mail. Are you really only gonna kill two plains game animals-or might it turn into 3 or five while you are there? (It will I hope!)
Size of the crate and weight both matter and some animals must be cleared on entry (Buffalo?) even just pieces, parts or finished taxidermy. This is where an import company is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Ryan]

As an addendum to me mentioning Safari Taxidermy out of Polokwane. I got my shipment including four skulls back in March. I made it very clear they were not to paint the skulls white. Rianna Ligthelm (Co owner?) replied back they oiled the horns (they always do) and only boiled, cleaned and peroxide bleached the skull. I still have the email. The pictures I received were very white skull and dark horns but I assumed it was just a flash and some increased contrast in editting to show them off. Nope. When I opened the box I got four white PAINTED skulls. I sent an email to her with the old email of mine and her reply staing my disatisfaction. No reply back. From a recent Facebook posting it appears this is standard operating procedure of theirs and I was lied to. I will NOT use them again for skulls.

So if you want painted skulls, use them. If you don't find someone else. If you already have them there start talking to them and don't pay the final charges until they send you good pictures proving they aren't painted.

Here's a picture of mine out of the box with the residue I had to clean up. And another of the skull on the wall. It's not horrible, but it is not what I requested.

 

[buckshot85]

This is the kind of work I got from them.

View attachment 448283

This is just the opposite of what I have been reading.
Very disappointed to read this.
My outfitter recommended these folks as did his US agent, who’s mounted animals I have seen. A sable and a giraffe.
I hope this was a rare instance.
What did they say about it.