Highveld Taxidermy experience?

[ajamils]

Going to my first ever African hunt next month (SA) and looking for some suggestion on Taxidermist. My outfitter recommended Highveld. So I would like to get some opinions from people who have used them and there are any other company that can provide better service/better price? Trophies will need to be shipped back to Texas, USA.

 

[Adipose]

I have not used them, but visited there in June. Its a big operation with tons of animals and a big staff. Here are a couple pictures I took there. No matter what you can dream of, they can do it.

 

[FlyGuy]

Best taxidermist in Africa. Period!

 

[ajamils]

I have not used them, but visited there in June. Its a big operation with tons of animals and a big staff. Here are a couple pictures I took there. No matter what you can dream of, they can do it.View attachment 625918View attachment 625919View attachment 625920View attachment 625921View attachment 625922View attachment 625923View attachment 625924View attachment 625926View attachment 625927

Amazing !! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I had my first Buffalo done there. They did a decent job at about half the US price. My US taxidermist does nicer work. But tanning of hides takes forever here now. And is ridiculously expensive. Unfortunately shipping now eats up the price savings.

The taxidermy work there is a 10

10’ away it looks perfect.

 

[PARA45]

Run away as fast as you can. I used them in 2012 and was totally screwed. Received mounts that at best were mediocre at best. Purchased insurance that when it was time to use it, an insurance certificate was never issued, so it was wasted money.

Here is an example of what my impala looks like. The owner's suggestion was for me to ship the impala back, and they would fix it free, and then ship it back all on my dime (all the shipping was going to be on me). Not once did they try to make it right. The owner washed his hands and didn't care. The below picture is my $750 impala. You be the judge.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Avoid them like the plague!!! I had a skull mount done (kudu) and when I got it back, there were maggots in the horns! The "crate' that the shipped it in were not much better than thick cardboard, and the crate was damaged when I recieved it. there was a fracture on the nose of the kudu skull mount, which I had to have fixed here in the states. My blue wildebeest was obviously done by underlings, and is not what I would consider a "first rate" mount, and my gemsbok has multiple nicks in the hide which werent' there the last time I saw it.
I was EXTREMELY disappointed in what I recieved, esp. for what I payed.

.............and they would have "dip and packed" it, but they wouldn't "guarantee" that it would get to the states without "spoiling".........so in other words, they basically held my trophies hostage.

Poor quality, and poor business..........I would find somewhere else to go, and if I had to go with them. I would just say forget it and bring home pictures to avoid the disappointment.

 

[ajamils]

Thanks for details provided so far. Which taxidermist out of SA would you recommend? Don't need anything fancy just basic mounts.

 

[Mekaniks]

Thanks for details provided so far. Which taxidermist out of SA would you recommend? Don't need anything fancy just basic mounts.

Ship it all back to Texas and have @gizmo do the taxidermy in Amarillo

 

[ajamils]

Ship it all back to Texas and have @gizmo do the taxidermy in Amarillo

Haven't seen his prices but at least here in Houston things have become crazy expensive. Plus if I go that route, wouldn't I have to pay extra for dip and pack?

 

[Moe324]

Thanks for details provided so far. Which taxidermist out of SA would you recommend? Don't need anything fancy just basic mounts.

Have you looked at bullseye taxidermy in Vaalwater. They have a website and Instagram. I am having them do some work. I haven't seen the finished results yet. But the cape Buffalo and eland I saw at a lodge in 2022 looked really good. They were wall pedis.

 

[Mekaniks]

Haven't seen his prices but at least here in Houston things have become crazy expensive. Plus if I go that route, wouldn't I have to pay extra for dip and pack?

Yes you will pay for dip and pack.

You will also pay additional shipping costs if you have full mounts shipped from Africa.

If you have the Taxidermy done in the states you will have a lot more control and recourse if something does not work out to your satisfaction.
That does not work so well when the taxidermy is completed overseas….

Top of Texas taxidermy is a sponser here on AH and lots of folks have been sending him their safaris…
I recommend taking a look at their website and talking to Gizmo before making a decision. His price list is in the website also

Preserving Memories for a Lifetime

Top of Texas Taxidermy, in Amarillo, provides all your taxidermy needs. High quality mounts for North American game, African game, Exotics, Bird Mounts, Euro and Horn Mounts. We also provide home decorations such as animal skin pillows, lamp shades, spear

www.topoftexastaxidermy.com

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Thanks for details provided so far. Which taxidermist out of SA would you recommend? Don't need anything fancy just basic mounts.

Safari taxidermy -polokwane
Bulls eye- vaalwater
Nylstroom taxidermy- nylstroom

Lots of others

 

[Elkeater]

No experience with highveld. We are using Bullseye Taxidermy in Vaalwater. Won’t get mounts back til next year. Drastic cost difference between there and any taxidermist I’ve found in the states with a good reputation. They have been extremely easy to communicate with.

 

[ajamils]

No experience with highveld. We are using Bullseye Taxidermy in Vaalwater. Won’t get mounts back til next year. Drastic cost difference between there and any taxidermist I’ve found in the states with a good reputation. They have been extremely easy to communicate with.

Emailed bullseye for a quote.

 

[Areaonereal]

We used Bullseye in 2014. Very satisfied with the work and great communication

 

[HuntingFreak]

I currently am having some mounts done at Highveld. I’ll let you know how it goes once everything comes in. Their communication has been great up to this point and I have a link that has progress pictures which is nice. I’m having some taxidermy done there and some done with my main taxidermist here at home. They said they were just beginning the mounts so more to come!

 

[major hunter]

Would recommend having your work done in the states. Higher quality all day long. Even more concerning is freight rates these days. Shipping mounts will be a lot more expensive. Guessing savings achieved would mostly be eliminated (if not all) in shipping/freight costs. All depends on what you're doing (ex. Full mounts, shoulder mounts, etc).

 

[Elkeater]

Would recommend having your work done in the states. Higher quality all day long. Even more concerning is freight rates these days. Shipping mounts will be a lot more expensive. Guessing savings achieved would mostly be eliminated (if not all) in shipping/freight costs. All depends on what you're doing (ex. Full mounts, shoulder mounts, etc).

So I keep hearing this about how Much it costs to Ship and how any savings on taxidermy will be eaten up in shipping. while I agree shipping is expensive. My taxidermy quote was over $10,000 different between US and RSA for the same exact order, not counting shipping and dip and pack fees. I really can’t see my shipping cost being $10,000. Am I missing something?

 

[major hunter]

So I keep hearing this about how Much it costs to Ship and how any savings on taxidermy will be eaten up in shipping. while I agree shipping is expensive. My taxidermy quote was over $10,000 different between US and RSA for the same exact order, not counting shipping and dip and pack fees. I really can’t see my shipping cost being $10,000. Am I missing something?

It really depends on what you're having done but it can especially with life-sized, pedestal, or just a lot of shoulder mounts in general. Everything is bigger shipping mounts from the packing, crate size, to weight which all has to be factored in. Side note mounts aren't exactly sturdy and freight in transit isn't handled gently. Who wants to deal with repairs?

After you factor in everything (increased international / domestic freight, potential damages in transit, quality of work) would be surprised if the real difference is even 25%.

At that point only the owner can decide what they value or not.