Christmas in June!

[Dinsdale]

I vowed I'd never bring anything home from hunts anymore and caved as soon as things started hitting the salt.

Slow gov't approval in Zimbabwe, lost wire transfer funds for shipping, misque by airlines, PIA US Fish & Wildlife hold, FEDEX not picking up crate......

This wasn't the fastest turn around at 8 months (hunt was last Oct); but at least no bugs; so-so field boil on plains game.....But didn't over boil the Buffalo or Hyena (YES!).....and I have shot LOTS of Baboons and finally got a skull home!

Worth it? Probably not. But I'm still pretty excited anyway.

These are covered in Sevin dust and need to be finished simmered, degreased, and bleached yet; normally all this the hunter never sees and crate goes strait to taxidermist; but I like doing the skull work and the Buffalo is going to be an interesting project due to size. Salted Hyena, Bushbuck and Impala skins will go to taxidermist and off to tannery. Not sure what I'll mount, see how skins do first.

Lens cap din't retract proper, but gives some of a idea of scale for skull.

Lots of canine teeth

Washed up a bit

[moog5050]

Interesting, I figured they did all taxidermy there rather than send over parts.  Hides stay ok just salted?

[Pygmy]

WAAY cool, Dan....I'll bet Wooly would help you with those skulls...When he got done they would be a lot LIGHTER, too...Hehehe..

[Dinsdale]

25 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Interesting, I figured they did all taxidermy there rather than send over parts.  Hides stay ok just salted?

This is whats called Dip&Pack. Salted skins last a long time. I know where there is a full mount Lion lost for years that is stunning.

Some folks get taxidermy done overseas.......some is lets just say amateur at best. The average American taxidermist is MILES ahead on skill and technique. Most outfitters there won't agree with me, but my mounts are my memories and I like good work. Tanning for flat skins (think rugs) is often OK, but I don't know a single taxidermist that will use a mounting tan from there. 

Its a real wash up cost wise; used to be dirt cheap mounting in Africa but now shipping fees are eating up the bills. But there are hunters who do use taxidermists there and have stuff shipped; its not for me.

I have a pile from April 2016 hunt waiting at my taxidermist, and I'll wait to add this tanning and have everything done at once. Thats my choice, he'll sit on them as long as I want.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Dinsdale

[Pygmy]

I agree that good taxidermy is worth the $$..I  hate  crappy mounts...

Since many of my hunts have been DIY, I have had to learn to do my own caping, salting, etc. in the field to keep the  trophies in good shape...Spent a lot of time  turning ears, splitting lips , fleshing etc. but it was all part of the wilderness hunting experience, along with the meat care....Good memories.....  SALT is your best friend when preserving trophies...Always take too much rather than not enough...

[Dinsdale]

8 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

I agree that good taxidermy is worth the $$..I  hate  crappy mounts...

Since many of my hunts have been DIY, I have had to learn to do my own caping, salting, etc. in the field to keep the  trophies in good shape...Spent a lot of time  turning ears, splitting lips , fleshing etc. but it was all part of the wilderness hunting experience, along with the meat care....Good memories.....  SALT is your best friend when preserving trophies...Always take too much rather than not enough...

I jump right in on my hunts, considering the reaction I get, I think a few hunters on these trips don't even know which end of the knife is sharp.  Same as you doing Caribou especially got my learning how to cape a shoulder mount proper.

But its often made me friends with camp staff like skinners and the trackers being involved in recovery/ skinning/ quartering/loading/etc.. No guide has shooed me away yet for being involved.

My pants and boots smelled so bad from that Elephant field work of blood and guts I hung them in a tree that night. Next day PH was surprised Leopard didn't take them,  camp Hyena walked around the tree that night. 6 guys, 6 hrs strait of cutting and 4 truck loads worth of skin panels and meat. Best hunt ever.