Having been a Taxidermist myself (retired from the profession in 1985), I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. I'm leaving in July for South Africa (13 plains game) and I have thoroughly investigated the Taxidermy issue. Generally, we get what we pay for. I have witnessed men spend $15-$20 thousand on African hunts only to return home (US) and look for the cheapest Taxidermy work they could find. Some chose "Taxidermists" that had never seen pictures of African game let alone mounted any. Those men lived to suffer the consequences; getting back horrible mounts that in some cases were placed in the garage and later infested with insects. You get what you pay for. Some halted all work after the first or second mount, losing deposits and having to take their game to professionals. Although Africa has some good Taxidermists, sometimes "stuff happens." A friend of mine left his game in Africa over 18 months ago and is still awaiting his mounts. Another received his "high ranking" Cape Buff mount only to have had the horns replaced with an immature set of horns. Calls to his outfitter and PH resulted in hard feelings and canceled return trips. He trashed the mount. His pics told the truth; he had taken a truly outstanding Buffalo. Other friends had excellent results, getting their heads home with no problems. You can save some money on having your mounts done in Africa, but shipping costs can run high. The cost of shipping the mounted trophies was more than they expected...ouch! They would have come out about the same if they had their work done in the States. My recommendation is this: no matter who does your work, closely investigate their reputation and quality. Check with the Namibian Professional Hunters Association for a list of professional Taxidermists, then ask them for US referrals. Myself, I use Foster Butt in Madison, TN. Foster owns Wildlife Mounting Service and has been in business for many years. He's one of the best on US and foreign big game. Jim Zumbo uses Foster, as many other professional hunter men and women. Foster just finished an Elephant head mount and it is a great piece of work. When it comes to horned animals, (all of them) they are subject to insect infestation...there are no exceptions. Dermestids love keratin protein, the base substance horn is made of. So make sure your Taxidermist understands each cape and horn(s) must be protected. Edolan U was banned by the EPA some years ago, so what we have in America currently works, but must be reapplied by you at least once per year to avoid insect damage. It has several names, but PROTEX Mount Care is what I use. It is inexpensive (around $20 a pint) and can be applied with any hand sprayer. Should be available from your local Taxidermist. You can email me if you have other questions, I'll be glad to try and help. Email me at:
dixiedetectors@aol.com/ Good hunting, grayghost