Reimbursement for rotten hide

[Frank Cavallo]

Has anyone been reimbursed for a rotten hide that was improperly cared for? I assume the exporters have insurance against such claims(?).

Importer is in Zimbabwe.

These pics are after the first rehydration soak, before agitation or shaving.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Sorry to see your troubles. That is horrific.

The biggest problem with any claim is the time honoured .
(Outfitter, D&P, Shipping, Taxidermist)
Who do you make the claim against?

 

[buck wild]

Yes and No is the short answer. But whatever the outcome, it will take a great amount of concerted effort to get a replacement.
Is is grease burned or acid rot? Is it a hyena skin maybe lioness? I've seen small cats/predators from Africa tear like that alot. It's still possible that it might mount up but with a certain level of frustration and difficulty.
Are you a taxidermist or is the report you are getting from the taxidermist/tannery?

 

[Frank Cavallo]

I spoke to the taxidermist and tannery who thought either grease or heat/sun damage. PH thought water damage. Anyway, the guy handling my elephant importation told me to speak with speak with Kanati taxidermy who do (synthetic) reproductions.

All 3 guys said to continue the tanning process and see what comes out and go from there.

Bottom line is I need to go shoot another lion. Instead of just doing a non importable lion with a bow I’m just going to have to pony up more $$$ for (at least) another importable one.

 

[rookhawk]

Sorry for your misfortune. It appears the hide is salvageable and that the issue is the hair? A world class taxidermist can save anything. Heck, I've seen world class taxidermists make entirely synthetic specimens that looked alive.

In the case of Africa, I would suspect that the calories burned to get a claim for a "pound of flesh" will exceed the best-possible-case reimbursement you might achieve. (with the largest likelihood you gain nothing anyway)

I'd put all your energies into getting that hide turned into a magnificent taxidermy. The Maneaters of Tsavo are at the field museum fully mounted and they were once moth-eaten rugs. With time and money, you could turn half that hide into a full body mount with the right artisans hired.

I spoke to the taxidermist and tannery who thought either grease or heat/sun damage. PH thought water damage. Anyway, the guy handling my elephant importation told me to speak with speak with Kanati taxidermy who do (synthetic) reproductions.

All 3 guys said to continue the tanning process and see what comes out and go from there.

Bottom line is I need to go shoot another lion. Instead of just doing a non importable lion with a bow I’m just going to have to pony up more $$$ for (at least) another importable one.

 

[buck wild]

Yeah my next suggestion was to send it through the process and see what comes out at the end of tanning.
Kanati does some very nice replica loins but for what they get for them, you could hunt another one .

It's not easy getting a lion into US either.
I wouldn’t give up on this hide just yet.

 

[Philip Glass]

I spoke to the taxidermist and tannery who thought either grease or heat/sun damage. PH thought water damage. Anyway, the guy handling my elephant importation told me to speak with speak with Kanati taxidermy who do (synthetic) reproductions.

All 3 guys said to continue the tanning process and see what comes out and go from there.

Bottom line is I need to go shoot another lion. Instead of just doing a non importable lion with a bow I’m just going to have to pony up more $$$ for (at least) another importable one.

Oh I’m so sorry. I didnt know it was a lion! I’d be asking for a free hunt or highly discounted

 

[Philip Glass]

You need to let us know who the hunt was with and the taxidermist that prepared it for shipping.

 

[rookhawk]

I asked a world class taxidermist friend of mine to jump into the thread and provide some advice. I hope Kyle Schmidt can jump on. He said to me when I asked: "100% I would proceed with tanning that lion and make it work as long as it literally wasn't dry rotting apart. If it was shot in the past few years that shouldn't be the case. We've made some terrible skins into mounts over the years. "

In short, I don't think the OP is really in dire straits, it just means he needs a seriously talented artist to help him out and he's going to pay more than anticipated to get a great mount. He was probably going to use a world class taxidermist anyway so this is just more work for the artist, not a crisis for the customer.

The right pose with the right habitat or other game animals can cover a multitude of sins!

 

[Hunt anything]

It does look salvageable, is the skin already in the states?

 

[Frank Cavallo]

Hide is ruined. No integrity. Those were the pics after the initial rehydration. When the hide came out after the second (agitation) stage it got worse as you can see below. After speaking with my taxidermist today we’re gonna try to save the mane and then maybe do a replica.

Lion shot 09/16/18 at 0430 hrs. At the skinner 0800. No excuse for heat. I was told either grease degeneration or too much sun. Leather has zero integrity. Arrived in Houston 08/28/21.

Since it is the skinners fault (or at least most likely given the grease consensus) I’ve WhatsApped my PH to tell the ranch manager and owner what happened. I’m going back in October to an adjacent property so I’ll let him start working on it.

I had wanted to do the big 5 both with a rifle and bow and am starting the bow this year (looking into darting the rhino with the bow to complete it for both- 2 for 1) so instead of doing a non importable lion I’ll have to spend 80 more for an importable one. God willing I’ll do the big 5 with a double as well.

PS Restrung two bows yesterday and wouldn't you know I fucked up and cut a strand while adjusting my peep.........when it rains.......

Today’s pics.

 

[Hunt anything]

Man that really sucks, 3 years sitting in Africa in the heat and humidity is a recipe for disaster. Hopefully the US house will carve out the ban on importation of lion and elephant from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. Good luck on your quest.

 

[sestoppelman]

Yeah, I dont see how that mess gets saved, its in tatters!

I had an nyala hide get here looking a little sad, but nothing like that!

 

[buck wild]

Given the areas it seems to be falling apart, I'm going with excessive sunlight. Either way a damn shame.
PHs: getting the hides dry is important BUT DO NOT LAY THEM IN THE SUN to achieve it. They need to be AIR dried over racks in the coolest area possible with maximum airflow.

So sorry to see this.

 

[BRICKBURN]

That is a disaster.
I hope you get it worked out with the Outfitter.

 

[CAustin]

Damn what a shame! Sorry this has happened to you!

 

[outwestidaho]

That is a complication from the hide being salted and left to long at high temps.
We had this discussion on here a few months ago about storing hides if you weren't going to mount them right away. (I know that wasn't your problem)
If the temp on greasy skins ,cats etc. reaches high temps ( 110 degrees or over) for extended times, the soluble grease melts and enters the the open fibers in the corium (dermis) layer of the skin. The grease then proceeds to rot and produces free formed acids. These acids starts the wet toilet paper like decomposition of the skin. Like battery acid on a shirt. The longer and hotter it is, the worse the falling apart issue. Your tanner or taxidermist cant stop this. Its a hot temp long storage problem. Some times if one has the storage history on a skin and suspects this may be an issue it can be rehydrated in a solution of 20 % soda and 50 % salt water solution , so as to try and neutralize the acids as it soaks up. But this one is to advanced in condition for it to help. Sorry.