Vote: African Taxidermy VS a week in Cape Town

[Mallardsx2]

Unless you’re filthy rich and can take multiple trip, go there on one trip, shoot a dozen animals, have them stuffed, and ship them home.

 

[Justindrader]

I worked as what the South Africans call a PH for an outfitter one summer in the eastern cape. Pay wasn’t great but it was a super experience taking clients on several species and taking 5 myself. I’d recommend 5 or more species (especially Kudu and bushbuck) and getting euro mounts. 3-4 days in Capetown is plenty, but be careful.

 

[Justindrader]

It would have simplified our lives and traveling stress to use the outfitters rifles. They have plenty. Taking your own is fine but not with the risk and hassle in my opinion.

 

[jt13]

Unless you’re filthy rich and can take multiple trip, go there on one trip, shoot a dozen animals, have them stuffed, and ship them home.

Unfortunately, this ain't that trip. I'd have to sell both my truck and a kidney to pull that off.

Wish I could though! A Cape Buffalo would look great in my living room

 

[jt13]

3-4 days in Capetown is plenty, but be careful.

Any specific concerns in Cape Town or just the general rules like not going out at night, traveling in groups, avoid seedy areas, be wary of pick pockets, etc.?

 

[BirdManMike]

Euro plus trip w/ wife. Taxidermy is stupid to begin with.

 

[MTGunner]

Have your trophies shipped home as in my experience I did not care for the mounts.

 

[Justindrader]

Any specific concerns in Cape Town or just the general rules like not going out at night, traveling in groups, avoid seedy areas, be wary of pick pockets, etc.?

Just general care like knowing where you’re going (probably much better now with smartphones than when we were there 14 years ago pre widespread smart phones). Staying together, having a plan and getting local intel that you trust is good. We were just a couple dumb Americans wondering around. Looked at our surroundings a couple of times and we’re like “We better get out of here”.

 

[jt13]

The poll was a real dog fight, not nearly the landslide of @DouglasR has going on over there about being hot young cougar arm candy. Kinda how I expected it to go to be honest, it's a tough call.

I got some interest from a buddy and his brother which got us up to 6 people. After some negotiations with the Safari, we're looking at about $1000/person, all inclusive, including rental guns for 6 hunters, 24 animals, 3 PHs.

 

[Corax]

Before you go, think carefully about what you really want on the wall, and what your wife will put up with.

I did a hunt in Namibia in about 2005 with a friend and his son. I took 2 springbok, 2 gemsbok, and a zebra. When it was all over I realized that the taxidermy cost was more than the ground cost in Namibia. Never again. The one trophy i really wanted going in was a zebra rug. When we moved to a new house my brother got that, because it would not fit. Similar stories for all the other stuff except a gemsbok shoulder mount and a gemsbok tanned skin on the floor in my office. The guide recommended against tanning the gemsbok skin because "it makes a shixxy rug". True, but I like it. My buddy and his son spent serious bucks on getting almost all of it into shoulder mounts and high on the walls of a new house. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

 

[Robert N]

I enjoy the taxidermy from my three African Hunts quite a bit. Today though, I would do CapeTown and not worry about the taxidermy…just take lots and lots of pix…maybe buy a couple electronic picture frames to put them all in (I recycle my old iPads that way).

In the end, no one I know is going to want my taxidermy…it will be given away at some point. Bummer…but those are my memories, not someone else’s and won’t have the same value to them as they would to me.

 

[Mountain Man]

So what did you decide @jt13 ? Have you already gone on the safari?

 

[jt13]

So what did you decide @jt13 ? Have you already gone on the safari?

The trip is in August. We booked a week in southern SA after the safari with a couple days each in Cape Town, Boulder's Beach, Stellenbosch, and Franshoek en lieu of adding additional animals to the hunt.

Regarding taxidermy, we will either be doing the bare minimum, euro mounts & hides, or leaving it all there. Since I started this thread I have come to find that leaving it all there isn't free. Animal prices and daily rates incur a 15% VAT (tax) on all unexported trophies. For my wife and I, we'd be looking at about $1500 to leave it behind VS approximately $3000 to have the euros cleaned/hides tanned and then shipped home.

 

[Mountain Man]

For the extra $1,500 I think it is worth it to bring the Euros/hides home as long as you have room for them in your house. Who knows if you’ll ever get back on another safari.

My warthog euro on the wood backing is one of my favorite trophies from my two safaris. I wish I had done more Euros instead of so many shoulder mounts.

 

[Moserkr]

Great to know about the costs of leaving taxidermy. Hope you guys going on an African hunt have an amazing adventure.

An African safari has always been a dream hunt of mine. Specifically for warthog, crocodile, gemsbok, and cape buffalo. Never had a desire to shoot (and pay the huge fee) an elephant. But if I have that much money one day, Id actually consider it now due to this thread. Seems necessary and helpful for the locals. I could care less about ivory, although the tusks ive seen are pretty cool, but the hunt itself must be an insane adrenaline rush. Getting that close to a massive animal and then hitting the brain - crazy.

 

[Salmonchaser]

My better half has worked on every continent except Antarctica. Spent a lot of time in cities around the world. Thinks Cape Town one of the best, stay in the waterfront area, trust your instinct and probably not a good idea to walk from the waterfront to Table Mountain. We did it and I won’t do it again. Some of the neighborhoods were a little sketchy. Three or four days in plenty. Must see is the penguin colony south of Capetown.
Not sure where you’ll be but if you’re any where near Durban to start Imfalozi national park is pretty damn amazing. Addo elephant preserve down south is also worth a stop.