Money Saving News from Top of Texas Taxidermy

[gizmo]

I am proud to announce that in a constant effort to bring better and more affordable service to our clients we are now a USDA approved taxidermy facility. The USDA has been in the process for quite some time to update the regulations on trophy imports. Keep in mind it's not just USFW that you are having to deal with. Before USFW ever even gets the opportunity to clear your trophies they must be cleared by the USDA. There is a huge push and has been for the past few years to make all imported raw trophies go to and be re-processed by a USDA facility before they can go anywhere. I saw the writing on the wall on this and started the process to get my certification quite some time ago. So what does this all mean to the average international hunter?
1. I am able to save you the client time and money.
How?- As of right now certain animals, and soon to be all imported raw animals if USDA gets its way, must be cleared at the port of entry and shipped directly to a USDA approved facility. This means that you will have the cost of dip pack and ship, shipping to the port of entry, clearing the USDA, USFW, and customs, and the shipping cost to a USDA approved tannery. This has been the standard for years. So you are paying shipping on an entire crate as was sent from the originating country to a USDA approved tannery. This means paying the extra weight, volume, etc... for things like horns, skulls, heavy wood crating etc.... This extra shipping cost can cost easily over a 1000 dollars paid by YOU. (Mine from 2015 was about $1300)
So.......... now with this certification I am able to pick the shipments up directly from the Port of Entry, DFW being the closest to me (sorry I can't drive to New York etc...) and bring the entire crate back to my facility for processing before the capes being sent to a USDA approved facility. This means I completely eliminate the above mentioned extra shipping costs. I also handle the shipping of the capes to the tannery and back.
This also saves time and your trophies are not in limbo being bounced around all over the place.
2. Better quality service
As soon as I get your crate and bring it to my facility I am able to unpack and inventory everything there. You will know if everything made it and if there are any problems immediately, not 6 months later when the tannery ships everything back to your taxidermist.
The biggie also is that it significantly cuts down on the risk of trophy parts being lost, stolen, or damaged. Aside from USDA and USFW I am the only person to open that crate since it left the country of origin. This means your horns, skulls, teeth, bones, etc... after being treated here by me will be inventoried and stored under lock and key inside a locked facility where no one but me has access to it but me. This as opposed to sitting in the corner of a building on the floor or on some shelf in some tannery for 6 months until the tannery tans everything and forwards it on.
Point being you have piece of mind knowing everything is safe and accounted for.
3. With this system in place I am able to better control the manner and care of your priceless trophies. Many of these things discussed go on unknown to the client and many would have serious heartburn if they really knew what the SOP of most taxidermists were in regards to storage and inventory of trophies. At any point one can call me and I can tell them exactly where there items are.

 

[CAustin]

Smart move Gizmo!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Smart move Gizmo!

+1!

 

[cpr0312]

Good for you bud!

 

[gizmo]

Thanks gents. I try very hard to build my businesses on quality and service. The least amount of hassle that ya'll have to deal with the better. I know what it is like to be on the receiving end and I didn't like it so I made a decision to make sure my clients don't have to deal with that nonsense.

 

[JimP]

If they do indeed go to the rule that your trophies need to go to a USDA approved site you my friend made a great move, likely ahead of a lot of the other taxidermist out there. But this would be a good move to any taxidermist that plans on doing any work on animals from outside the US.

I know that on my safari I had planned on all my trophies to go to the tannery that was USDA approved instead of the taxidermist that I had chosen. At one time my taxidermist had been USDA approved but got tired of all the regulations that he had to adhere to to keep the certification so he dumped it.

 

[gizmo]

If they do indeed go to the rule that your trophies need to go to a USDA approved site you my friend made a great move, likely ahead of a lot of the other taxidermist out there. But this would be a good move to any taxidermist that plans on doing any work on animals from outside the US.

I know that on my safari I had planned on all my trophies to go to the tannery that was USDA approved instead of the taxidermist that I had chosen. At one time my taxidermist had been USDA approved but got tired of all the regulations that he had to adhere to to keep the certification so he dumped it.

Yes sir, I feel that they will do this. I look at it that one is either serious about customer service and satisfaction or not. This is one more step to providing the best service I can. I do t mind the hoops you have to jump through, there are regulations in every business.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Congrats Erik!!

 

[gizmo]

Thank you Mark

 

[johnnyblues]

I continue to have more and more confidence in Erik. This was the procedure he used on my recent shipment that he is doing. He should have my capes back any day now so he can proceed with my work. Kudo's on looking ahead on this issue. You have to like a guy that is willing to help his business and clients in this process to save money. And now the hard part... The final product of finished taxidermy. Really cant wait to see the progress and have my trophies home.

 

[ScottG]

Should generate some business good for you.. Trust is a hard thing to come by in this day and age.

 

[1dirthawker]

well done, good on ya!!

 

[cagkt3]

Congrats!

 

[AZDAVE]

Good quality customer service is hard to find now days. Good Job!