Taxidery costs and shipping fees

[DaleT]

I have heard that getting your taxidermy work done in Africa results in better work at a better price.

Can someone give me an estimate for the Taxidermy costs for the following animals, and the shipping costs to get them home.

Oryx
Wildebeast, Black or Blue
Zebra (Tanned as a rug)
Wart Hog
Kudu

All of these except Zebra would be for shoulder mount.

Thanks, Dale

 

[Moosie]

Dale.. you planning a trip without me bud ?

 

[DaleT]

No official plans yet. I am just trying to figure what my dream hunt would cost, your basic feasibility study

. It will probably take a few years and a better economy. If and when I go, I want to do the whole thing and get them mounted.

 

[Moosie]

Well... I;m hunting Saskatchewan this year....Alaska next year (Just don't tell the wife I'm gonig again,. becasue I'm going this year too

) and Afte Alaska next year it's AFRICA !!! Keep that in mind. Economy should be back by then.. thats a '05 trip there bud !!!

PS, i don't know crap abou the taxidermy prcing.. sorry

 

[DaleT]

Moosie,

What all do you want to kill????????????

I have been wanting to kill those 5 animals that were listed in my first post.

A bunch of the stuff that people hunt, I have no interest in shooting. There are a few others like Eland, Crocadile, and SABLE that would also be very cool, but they are more pricey. These 5 would be great for a first trip.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-27-2003 15:44: Message edited by: DaleT ]</font>

 

[Moosie]

What do I want to kill ? Do you mean in Africa when I go.. Or during my life time

Because the answer is only a bit different

I also want a lioness sometime as well.. But not on my first trip.. And, I can't tell my wife untill I get back

She said NO dangerouse game.. Which will suck if I ever want a grizz with my bow

 

[Tom]

This is a cool web site, I don't know how much they cost. I heard its better to ship the work here for taxidermy?

http://www.antlertaxidermysite.com/

 

[Tom]

Here's where I heard that, huntersquest.com

"Shipping of trophies - This is the only cost I can not pin down. It varies from one hunt to the next, but you should expect to pay up to $1000 for the shipping of one crate (10-12 animals in a crate). Now, It is usually less than this. If two of you go together and combine your shipment, you can save a good amount of money. I imagine this is what most of you will do. I combined my trophies with another client of mine and we wound up paying about $700 for the whole crate. Not too bad at $350/person. Maybe you should budget $500/person if you plan on doing it this way.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about taxidermy? My friend went and had his trophies mounted there for about half the cost!
I would not have my trophies mounted in Africa. I do not consider the taxidermy in Africa to be a good value. They lack the skill required to adequately tan a trophy cape (hide). Their work is typically second rate and I would not trust any African taxidermist with my trophies. Bring your trophies home for taxidermy!

If you have them mounted there you will save around 35-40% off of what a US taxidermist would charge. However, the shipping charge for shipping mounted trophies can double or triple the amount of just shipping the capes and horns back to the US. You will loose any savings you realized by having the work done there. Shipping 5 mounted trophies back to the US would run around $1800 -$2500.

If there is a problem, you can not go to your taxidermist and discuss it. The trophies can be damaged in shipping....

It is not worth it. I would not even consider it. "

 

[Leanwolf]

Tom says the same thing my friend/hunting partner says. He's been to South Africa twice, and Zambia once. He says, do not have your heads mounted in Africa. He lives in Garden Valley, Idaho, about 50 miles north of me, and I've been in his home many times, admiring his stuffed African animals. They're extremely well done and lifelike. He's got about 20 or so.

My friend is actually in Reno, for the Safari Club International Convention, as I write this, setting up a booth with a couple of his friends who own a large ranch and concession and run a hunting outfit in South Africa. He's hunted with them twice, before.

His reasons for having the heads stuffed here in the U.S., are about the same as stated above. When he gets back next week, I'll ask him specifics and then post them here.

Best of luck on your African hunt.

L.W.

 

[JB Florida]

I brought back these in 2000

kudu
gemsbok
zebra
warthog
blue wildebeast
2 impalas
something is missing here, so plus 1
the shipping alone was $900US
I am having the taxidermy done here as I have had trouble with taxidermists here in the states and here I can put my fingers on their throat....you know what I mean.

So far, the life size zebra on a pedistal
for my bride cost 4,200 and the pedistal
kudu was about 800 and my brother is not done with the base yet.

The prices are much lower over there, but shipping is higher. If you get it done there use a shipper with a good rep like coppersmith and INSURE IT!
I have seen several at my VERY good taxidermists for repairs after they came back. Those guys can fix ANYTHING!

 

[DaleT]

I found a web-site for a Texas Taxidermist that does African animals, and most of these critters were about $500 to $600 for a shoulder mount. It looked like they did pretty good work, but pictures can lie. I would have to go check it out in person.

So far this is what the tab is looking like.

$4500 for the hunt.
$1500 for the Air Fare.
$800 for tips
$700 for shipping & dipping
$3000 for taxidermy

$10500 is the total so far. Then I am sure there will be some extra's. This is looking at it from the low side as well. I am sure you could tack on a couple extra grand real easy.

Ouch, It sounds a lot better when you just look at the guided hunt part.

 

[JJHACK]

My web site has the exact costs for Pack and dip by the bbiggest and best P&D in South Africa.

After that expect to pay 100-125 per animal for shipping on average 5 animals are 500-625 for example.

If you clear the trophies yourself that's all itr will be. If you hire a broker it could cost a couple hundred bucks more.

There are a few other options if you have them consigned to a tannery in the USA and they will broker the shipment as part of the tanning? depends on your taxidermist. In many cases the Taxidermist will broker your trophies as part of the work, just to get the big job. This is very common among the more successful and experienced African Taxidermists in the USA.

The Hunts I have for 4500 bucks and ten days include 5 animals. I have been getting Airfare for 1300 bucks RT from Atlanta. That is 5800.00 700 for tips on a plains game safari is a huge amount. You will hunt with me!

Taxidermy can be paid over the few years it will take get the work done it's not something you must pay for all at once. The shipping and broker fees will also be paid about 5-6 months after you come home.

It's in total about 10 grand if you figure taxidermy. Just take the best photo's and buy a great digital camera. Leave them behind or bring home one or two. We are after all hunters and the money saved in taxidermy can let you hunt a whole lot more game. Your going there to hunt right? or is it a Museum collection safari?

I say that a bit sarcasticly. I have plenty of Taxidermy but I do it myself. I think bringing home a great trohpy or two is wonderful but the framed and matted 8X10 photos are cheap, and take up little room. The money saved can get back there quick or let you shoot much more game the first trip!

Something to consider.

 

[cathunt-mt]

delw look at my web site and go to spec. hunts I am booking for Africa right now that will give you a good Idea....
www.mktaxidermy.com
when shipping you pay for the space your box takes up not if it is full or not so if you go with more people you can split the shipping and save a lot of money.....

 

[Moosie]

JB FLORIDA, FULL BODY ZEBRA !! HO-LY-CHIT !!!! A buddy here mounted a lifesized girraph, I think the bill was 13-15k for just the mount.... JUST the MOUNT !!! He also makes 1.7-1.9 MIL a year too.. .So it's all relative I guess !!!

JJHACk , Tom and CATHUNT-MT, ThaNX foe the help with the taxidermy links....

HELL, I'm pricing my do it yourself Africa trip right now.... 10k for 5 mounted critters and a trip to Africa seems alot better

BUT, Have t odo all the stuff and have a schedule... Africa in due time

I do like the Shot alot and bring little home Idea. HELL, I'm running out of room anyways. My house have 2 forked horned bucks a spike ek and a Feral goat.. What more could a guy want *WINK* HAHA !!

seriously though, Great info, LOOKs like DALE needs to save his pennies and Then lets go bud !!!! Helll, whats 10k

 

[Tom]

Maybe you could make a deal with a restaurant or a hotel or something. You'll shoot it, you'll let them display it, they pay for the mount. Then you could go see them at the place where they would be displayed and not have to put a new wing on your house to display them too. It happens.

 

[DaleT]

To me going to get trophies is the whole point. If I just want to kill a bunch of stuff, there is plenty of it right here in Texas. Infact, I could probably get twenty different species right here at a cheaper price.

But going to Africa and then having the actual animal on the wall of my study is what I am after.

I will go some day, but it will be when I am a little further along in my career. In the mean time I will be working on the North American collection

That collection is still pretty puny.

 

[Kraven]

For the Taxidermy,when I go I will just do skull mounts since they will be cheaper.Less money on Taxidermy means more money for hunting in my book.Then I will have a nice photo of myself and the guide next to mount.

 

[Shaky]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kraven:
For the Taxidermy,when I go I will just do skull mounts since they will be cheaper.Less money on Taxidermy means more money for hunting in my book.Then I will have a nice photo of myself and the guide next to mount.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kevin,

I sure hope you get a short PH. If not make sure you don't stand on the "shadow" side of the PH. LMAO, sorry Kev, it was there, I had to.

I hope everybody that wants to go to Africa gets to go, someday.

Have a good one all.

Don

 

[JB Florida]

Thats a good Idea.....do skull mounts of the stuff you bring back and have them ship the capes too! You can get your taxidermist to "Hold" them in the freezer or have tem tanned an you keep them and that will save a bundle.
Either way do as JJ Hack suggests and take a TON OF PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!
They will bring back MANY great memories
& stories. I have a good collection to look over when I'm older and have alhimers

Ignore the cost of the taxidermy, you do when you go anywhere in the states

 

[Tom]

Kevin, If Shaky went, he could be the scout, just standing there, looking over everything from above. He could also report on how the weather is up there. ha ha