My Studio VS African Studio A Match Up... COSTS

[harden]

I really wanted to compare this head to head and my friend here on AH that most of you know him had and told me he would send all the costs of his last safari taxidermy to me to compare my studio to a African Studio.

For those that think they can’t afford my studio , please think again….

I put my studio and costs of getting your safari done here up against a well known African Studio.

Here is the result….THE MEMBER may comment…I hope he does so you guys know I’m real about this.

If I’m called to on this and you really don’t believe me, I’ll ask him to pm you personally or post here. Thanks.



Killed on his safari…for shoulder or pedestal mounts

Buffalo

Grysbok

Klippy

Duiker

Oribi

Stienbok

Kudu

Porcupine

———————————————————————————

And these skulls

Wildebeest , Warthog, Impala ,Springbok, Kudu and Hippo Just skulls dip and pack

The dip pack for these with capes would have been 800, for the capes and horns, and approx another 250 for the skulls dipped and packed by the african taxidermist price list plus documentation 350

Plus packing and crating pick pack orders. Total dip pack approx $1500.00 maybe 1700.

I would as I do al clients tell them if they want flat rugs without heads or buckskins have them done in Africa they are cheaper and take a lot of weight off the shipping an no dip pack fees for them.

He had the following tanned at the taxidermy studio in Africa, Never tan the skins for mounting,

Zebra 541, Springbok 100, Wildebeest 278, Hippo pieces tanned 576, Buffalo Scrotum 50

Total $1545.00

Shipping to my studio, my way with me taking care of your contacts on this end 1800 plus 395

Shipping from Port of Entry Chicago to My Tannery in Leslie Mich 185.00

Total shipping and import $ 2,380.00

Now I have your trophies to mount at my door for 5,425.00

I put your tanned skins that came with your crate and send them to you next day.

My prices for the work he had done in Africa

Buffalo pedestal 2500 includes base

Grysbok pedestal 595 plus 100 base

Klippy Pedestal 650 plus 100 base

Duiker Pedestal 595 plus 100 base

Oribi Pedestal 595 plus 100 base

Stienbok Pedestal 595 plus 100 base

Blesbuck Shoulder 695

Kudu wall pedestal 1575

Porcupine Life-size 1995

Spring buck Euro 125

Wildebeest Euro 200

Warthog Euro 225

Stienbok Euro 125

Hippo clean and bleach 250

My work total $10,570.00, AH Member I had forgot you had more than 7 shoulder mounts and could have taken advantage of the AH special “ONE FREE ONE" with more than 7 shoulder mounts so I take off one little guys 595.00 Actual Taxidermy cost is $9,975.00 CLICK the banner on the right >>>
My tannery would have charged you final USDA fees of 75.00 and reboil wartog 50 per USDA requirement.
He also had to pay $1,095 to import some of these Zimbabwe trophies to get to taxidermy studio he used so we have to add this to his total costs…

If he had used me, and used my way to do his safari….all in with all costs…$16,820.00 and delivery to his door 500.00 from my studio, by me in my truck and trailer.

He sent me an email stating his total costs of ALL HIS taxidermy and TANNING , crating, overseas shipping , US shipping, Clearance to his door were $19,172.00

Even if it were the costs were the SAME, the quality of my work isn’t , it speaks for itself….

I know it’s not a lot of savings. SO is getting work done in Africa at a Africa taxidermy studio Really Cheaper?????

Work with me. You get my quality, My workmanship You have me on US soil if anything should go wrong. You support American Workers, Guys like you that hunt and I am Africa Hunting Advertising Sponsor.

 

[enysse]

I would say it's a very honest comparison.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I would say it's a very honest comparison.

I think the same as you Eric.
Witold

 

[UKHunter]

Interesting comparison.

I know I didn't have any shoulder mounts done, but I had 2 skull mounts on shields, 1 set of warthog tusks mounted on a shield and 2 back skins done. That cost me $200, including shipping to the UK. Note that my share made up a small part of everyones trophies in one create.

The cost of having everything shoulder mounted does make me wonder if I will ever do it. The cost of the above you could hunt Buff for.

Im not knocking anyones prices, I've seen Dennis' work and it speaks for itself. However, for me photo are probably the way to go with the odd skull mount.

 

[Buckdog]

dennis your work is beautiful and I have never questions your fees as good work I have to look at is worth a few dollars more than ruined trophies. BUT How many do get get free for my 20 critters I am having you do??? Is that one free per 7?

 

[Royal27]

I would say it's a very honest comparison.

You would be right. It is.

The quote is mine. I told Dennis probably a year ago that it came down to price for me. That I didn't mind paying a little more but that I just couldn't afford the delta for his musuem quality work. He told me then that I was probably wrong and I told him I'd share costs and we could compare.

Well... The numbers don't lie. As you see the shipping and extra import costs eat up the taxidermy "savings" quickly. I understimated shipping and import and overestimated D&P. There are other little differences and they all add up.

There is nothing wrong with doing mounts in Africa, but don't do them there just because you think it is less money. To me, taxi/shipping is one of those black holes that is hard to figure as good information on total cost is so hard to put together until after you are done. So point being, I hope this helps others to decide in the future.

I've really enjoyed working with my African taxidermist and he has done what I've asked (I'll finish that review in another thread once everything is home here in a few weeks). That being said, @The Artistry of Wildlife earned my business and has educated me, big time. He will handle my next trip. Don't be afraid to give him a call!

 

[Royal27]

Im not knocking anyones prices, I've seen Dennis' work and it speaks for itself. However, for me photo are probably the way to go with the odd skull mount

This is such a personal decision.... Honestly, sometimes I wish I would cut back and always swear I will. I'm just like a junkie, "OK, after this one mount I'm going to quit..." I try and do some skull mounts to save money too. Maybe there will be more pictures only for me in the future. You know, after this trip!

 

[billc]

Put the numbers side by side and then we will see. Can not be a fair comparison when one had to use who you picked for export paperwork and clearing and the other picks who they want. We all know coppersmith is much cheaper. Then either way there would have been extra shipping from zim to dennis also. The hided fees are known now on the order shipped like it was but you don't have any idea what it would have been if done through someone else.

Plus all your tanning is on your bill don't see were dennis shows that cost.

The right person doing working with the right people will save money. I have done the math and did it side by side and all in on my animals with shipping I saved thousands and I don't mean as in 1 thousand. To some saving a thousand may not be worth it to get done over in SA to others that 1000 is worth it. Neither is wrong pick which you like and know it is your choice.

I don't care who anyones uses be it dennis or a place in SA just do your homework and stay in touch with them. Get prices and all cost in writing and enjoy the work when you get it home.

 

[Royal27]

Can not be a fair comparison when one had to use who you picked for export paperwork and clearing and the other picks who they want. We all know coppersmith is much cheaper. Then either way there would have been extra shipping from zim to dennis

All equal and my actual costs Bill. Zim shipping included in both too - nothing unequal there. Tanning included too on both. Want to assume I used Coppersmith instead of SSI? OK. Take out $500. I didn't use them though. These are MY costs based on MY decisions for the SAME total service.

Can you have saved by doing the way you did? Won't argue, not without seeing the numbers. With what I did these are the costs though. All is equal and fair. I'm not unhappy with what I did at all. People need to know all costs though. Then they can make their own decision. Some will choose to go a cheaper route and others will go expensive, many will land in the middle.

Feel free to put all of your costs in this thread. Show how you saved. Make the same comparison I did. Full lion and a giraffe shoulder mount could change things in a hurry. No doubt. Most people don't do that though.

You're missing the point of this entire exercise. It is to show real and actual costs of my particular case ns decisions instead of someone just saying that they crunched the numbers and a particular way is better, which is what we usually hear.

 

[harden]

HI Bill the Tanning IS included in the pricing you have to see it's added in and would have been done in Africa as he had it done so it's added into my total and I would recommend flat skin get done as they were and it's all there.
The 1085 IS also included in my total.
My total bill includes everything that Royal had done and had to pay for the way it was done
Thru me he would have gotten tanning, mounts, shipping, clearance, extra fees everything and all the items he had done BUT in my view better product for less money.


The Zim fees ARE in my billing , it was all sent to dip pack in S A juts like he had done

 

[Lee M]

I'm not sure what I will be doing with my trophies on this years hunt, (assuming my arrows find their mark LOL) but I am certainly open to comparing my options. I have my full costs from last trip and 2016 prices , so I can come up with my true costs if I use the same SA outfit. I'm running out of space at home but would like to get a well done combo pedestal kudu and waterbuck. Depending on other animals mostly skins and skulls. My list is flexible as you have to be with a bow, so who knows...

 

[harden]

It comes down to REAL experience. I've beed in this business over 40 years. I save them money, tell them what to do in Africa what not to do, recommend dip packs, now working with my shipping brokers here in the states for better air shipping rates from Africa. I'll even contact your PH and try to get the skinny on their dip pack try arrange pick up for your trophies so they go to the right place. Not everyoen can use the same dip pack Africa is a huge place. Use my experience at this. I want to save my clients money. If anyone wants to give me a copy of every receipt from there safari and willing to put it on the line like Royal did I'd be happy to run the numbers as I did Royals. We are not talking saving money to get a lower quality service or mounts. But quality mounts by a World Championship Studio.

 

[Royal27]

I'm running out of space at home but would like to get a well done combo pedestal kudu and waterbuck

Pretty obvious that you're goong to need to include cost of adding a new room onto the house into this next taxi bill.... That makes kudu and waterbuck very expensive... I recommend you mount more in order to defray cost.

 

[billc]

dennis I understand you try and do the best for your customers. Many like your work and I think it is art work for sure. I like my mounts a certain way and it is not like art to me. I don't like certain things and have my taste in mounts. I don't think I can be wrong since I will be the one looking at them every day.

Juts as you do I try and help others to save and get the best work for there money. Because you think your work is the best that makes it the best to you and your customers. To others it maybe not there style and the work you think is less maybe more to them. Neither is right or wrong as long as the client is happy in the end.

This is just one of the subjects not everyone will agree on. I think royal was right when saying depending on what animals get done will make the difference if it is worth it cost wise or not.

Yes royal I know you did not use coppersmith and your happy with who you picked but trust me you would have saved more the 500 by using coppersmith.

 

[harden]

Bill Thank You , my works has the credentials and awards to speak for itself, And your right just as much as I am, but don't give people the impression that I don't care for their tastes, you have mentioned this two or three times before that you don't like some of the things I do . Well those were clients requests wanting them that way..not me. I mount everyone's trophies different and exactly to their tastes Your right again about looking at it for the rest of your life and countless times I sound like a broken record to my clients I say all the time" It's your mount how to you want it to look, it's going to be in your home not mine"? I put in or take away musculature on their say so, they want muscles they get them, they don't want them they don't get them. I don't choose for them. They want the natural scars and bug bites left on they get it and hair loss if they don't want it repaired I don't. They want it pristine in it's perfect form they get it. They want plain standard mounts they get it, They want custom they get it, they want ears a certain way they get it. I don't decide on what they want, they do...Airbrushed to make them perfect or not I do what they want. Yes I mount every piece and I don't to it my way. I do it the client way with him totally involved in the process with pictures and his wants and needs. You have your guy and recommend him, that's between you and him. I offer a service that gives the client exactly what they want.

 

[Royal27]

Yes royal I know you did not use coppersmith and your happy with who you picked but trust me you would have saved more the 500 by using coppersmith.

I trust the math. Here is mine. Please correct it if it is wrong. I want the REAL numbers in this thread, not the "trust me" numbers that we always hear.

• SSI - $1030
• Coppersmith - $500 (assumed)
• Difference $530

I'm also assuming that Coppersmith doesn't get it through same day and that there was some holding charge with them too. If not, then add $225 as that is my holding cost. There is nothing else.

You keep mentioning being happy or liking a particular style. Again, that isn't the point here. I'm simply trying to show numbers. THEN people can decide what style they want, how much service, or if they want the extra "insurance" that some services provide. Please stop assuming what I'm happy with and what I'm not. You don't know. And again, not what this is about.

 

[enysse]

Thanks Royal for the information. I have to go to work or I would comment more.

 

[Royal27]

Thanks Royal for the information. I have to go to work or I would comment more.

Surely!

I'll be here when you're off! well, unless you work straight to Wednesday. Then I'm leaving for Afirca. (as close as there is to rubbing salt in wound )

 

[Jfet]

This is great info to start researching on.

Royal thanks for being willing to provide this information. One of the strengths of this forum has been people like you who have put out real information about hunting. This allows all of us to make better decisions about future trips.

 

[cpr0312]

Dennis thanks for putting up this side by side with specific examples and thanks Royal as well