Taxidermy References In South Africa

[LIFE-FORM TAXIDERMY]

 

[yhc]

@LIFE-FORM TAXIDERMY those look good.

Looking forward to have my buddies‘ and my trophies picked up soon and have you guys do your magic!!!

Regards,

 

[LIFE-FORM TAXIDERMY]

@LIFE-FORM TAXIDERMY those look good.

Looking forward to have my buddies‘ and my trophies picked up soon and have you guys do your magic!!!

Regards,

Good morning @yhc .. The feelings mutual. We will keeping you guys posted through out your experience at Life Form. If you have any further questions, give us a call.

 

[yhc]

Just received pictures of my trophies from Guy @LIFE-FORM TAXIDERMY and thought I would share some of the pictures with you.

He and his crew have been great with communication, keeping us abreast of the progress. Their turn around time has only been 5 months from them having possession of the trophies!!

They look great, thanks Guy.

 

[shootist~]

@yhc
That's good news - especially since they are working on mine right now.
Do you have the dreaded freight quote as yet?

 

[yhc]

@shootist my friends and I have priced out shipping and taxidermy cost, etc earlier this year when we were finalizing our safari plan. Since then we have not been tracking shipping cost. We shall see but regardless we are committed at this point.

We are working with Coppersmith Global Logistics to take care of custom clearing, etc.

 

[Brian]

We were cheated by Trophex. Kudu horns stolen and zebra hide had many holes.

Bullseye was excellent in every way. Brian

 

[Tundra Tiger]

yhc... Those look mighty fine to my eye, as far as the mounts - I'd be tickled with work like that.

I am curious, whereas I brought this up on a separate thread... were the horns of those animals actually that dark/black when you shot them? It seems like black/really dark is fairly common in mounts. I have analyzed the crap out of my photos, and that's not what mine were like, nor do I think I saw that much of it at all while over there. Mine are en route and I'll be doing my own euros. If they show up black, well, I know my way around an airbrush.

 

[yhc]

yhc... Those look mighty fine to my eye, as far as the mounts - I'd be tickled with work like that.

I am curious, whereas I brought this up on a separate thread... were the horns of those animals actually that dark/black when you shot them? It seems like black/really dark is fairly common in mounts. I have analyzed the crap out of my photos, and that's not what mine were like, nor do I think I saw that much of it at all while over there. Mine are en route and I'll be doing my own euros. If they show up black, well, I know my way around an airbrush.

Thanks @Tundra Tiger. My buddies and I are quite happy with how our trophies turned out.

As for the horns are concerned, they are a bit darker than what they were in the field but not by much.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Thanks, and I hope you didn't take me asking as a knock on your trophies. It most assuredly was not meant as that. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

 

[yhc]

Thanks, and I hope you didn't take me asking as a knock on your trophies. It most assuredly was not meant as that. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

@Tundra Tiger NOT AT ALL whatsoever. No worries

 

[chiefdale]

dip and pack and bring back to usa god forbid using highvelds .I could write a book on the nightmare using them kudu hair slip mount looks like came from a museum nylala with different colored cape all horns stained with looks like jet black shoe polish I could go on and on when contact them with issues response we will look into it .and african taxidermy fees actually are almost and in some cases higher than usa taxidermists and throw in extra cost shipping finished mounts local now my be cheaper in the end

 

[oahufish]

Anyone have experience with Splitting Image Taxidermy in Eastern Cape, or have any better recommendations?
Where I'm located there really are no Taxidermists who do African mounts, so my only reasonable option is to have the done in Africa.

Thanks
Lee

 

[shootist~]

Probably best to verify, but @LIFE-FORM TAXIDERMY will pick up from your outfitter.
Did that for us up in Limpopo.

You may want to look into freight to your home country though. It's makes a huge difference shipping finished Taxidermy Vs dip and pack.

 

[koodoo62]

Anyone have experience with Splitting Image Taxidermy in Eastern Cape, or have any better recommendations?
Where I'm located there really are no Taxidermists who do African mounts, so my only reasonable option is to have the done in Africa.

Thanks
Lee

I have used Splitting Image for my last 12 safaris. I have lost count but over 80 mounts. Full mounts, shoulder mounts, floor pedestals, euro mounts. I have been really satisfied with their work. I have also used very good taxidermists in Texas. I have not seen much difference if any in the quality of the work. Splitting Image has an affiliated taxidermy shop in the Houston area and can do any repair work there if it is necessary. They have been very helpful in assisting with shipment of restricted species (ie primates, warthogs, leopards, mountain zebras) for us. Take a look at their website. If you are in the vicinity of Port Elizabeth you should ask your PH to let you take a tour of their facility. It is impressive.

 

[johnnyblues]

Bring it home! Period!

 

[LWPhunt]

My stress level goes up every time I read this topic.
dip and pack makes sense However when I ran the numbers and my hassles here in the US and time and other factors. I for the second time chose to keep my funding in RSA
I had a taxidermist friend see the work of some mounts I had done in RSA and said well done.

shipping damage is scary. Insure it and use the best forwarders we know.

I have four big shoulder mounts on way now. Pray it goes as good as last time.

 

[buckshot85]

I’m curious as to slather some say dip & ship is a bad idea.
What about having the hides tanned and skills prepped in SA and shipped home for mounting?

 

[shootist~]

I'm very happy with the quality of work from Life-Form Taxidermy. These were received last month from my late July 2021 hunt. Freight to get them here was a killer, however. $4k JNB to DFW then another $1,100 ground freight to my residence.

I had seen their work covering several different safaris at a mutual friend's home in Texas first. Otherwise I would have done the dip & pack method and crossed my fingers. One outfit to handle everything just made sense to me.

Six of nine are in my office: