Africa...

Thanks for a superb read Andy :thumbup:

I have been working away for a long time and not been able to get on so this was a bonus post! You have put a lot of effort into this and it is journalist quality.

Happy anniversary :D
 
It was worth it to draw you back out Peter...glad to see you mate !! Hope you are well in your endeavours ! You also missed me taking a short sharp trip to England !

Cray, likewise, thanks :D
 
Time flies Andy :) Why don't you embark on another trip or at least go through your rolls, films, plates, flashes, SD cards or whatever and post some more pics from that one? :)
 
I would love to be going back RIGHT NOW !!! The next trip out of Aus with a rifle is not till February next year...roll on February I say !
 
PeterPHWS said:
Thanks for a superb read Andy :thumbup:

I have been working away for a long time and not been able to get on so this was a bonus post! You have put a lot of effort into this and it is journalist quality.

Happy anniversary :D
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I agree--great read! Certainly deserving of publication as a current-day view of hunting in Africa. Still adventure to be had and trophies to be stalked, as Andy shows us first-hand. Thanks for sharing, Andy!
 
had friends in S.A. many are now dead... security is of the utmost importance and depending on the authorities is not really an option there.. be alert and safe..
 
Out of interest, I JUST received an email from the taxidermist in South Africa letting me know that the heads and skins have arrived to him from Mozambique !!!! The export process is handled by a Moz based company that is well versed in navigating the "intricacies" of their "bureaucracy" but yet it still has taken over a year for the export permits to be forthcoming and the transportation to SA to be undertaken. Oh...and a bit over $4K US in fees... :rolleyes:

I am guessing about another six months (maybe less) with the taxidermist and them a little more once the crate is loaded onto a slow leaky boat for the journey here... patience...if there is one thing Africa taught me it is patience...!!!!!! ;)
 
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Andy the Aussie said:
Out of interest, I JUST received an email from the taxidermist in South Africa letting me know that the heads and skins have arrived to with from Mozambique !!!! The export process is handled by a Moz based company that is well versed in navigating the "intricacies" of their "bureaucracy" but yet it still has taken over a year for the export permits to be forthcoming and the transportation to SA to be undertaken. Oh...and a bit over $4K US in fees... :rolleyes:

I am guessing about another six months (maybe less) with the taxidermist and them a little more once the crate is loaded onto a slow leaky boat for the journey here... patience...if there is one thing Africa taught me it is patience...!!!!!! ;)
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....we expect pics, when everything makes it home, of course;)
 
Yeah no doubt mate, it may be of me and a Croc skull living in the back yard in a tent ... ;) but I am sure I can manage a pic or two. I KNOW how i would love the mounts done but my home is probably a little small for a 4.5m full mount crocodile in the lounge room... ;)
 
Even just the croc skull is going to be really cool and a trophy in itself Andy (I know that's no revelation to you my friend). Having limited space here I've opted for a lot of European mounts and skull only, to the point where that's kind of my 'thing.' We have done some bear and lion rugs however, and they take up enough room. I can't imagine what a croc the size of that one you took would be like mounted. :eek:

I hope everything arrives safe and sound!
 
Funny you say that mate, euro mounts, that is exactly the way I am going for the Buff and Kudu (but I am having the capes prepared so I could have them mounted later if I buy a bigger place). The croc will be a skull cleaned up and flat mounted plus the belly and back skins backed. The Warthog will be the complete skull/tusks flat mounted as well. I had this discussed with the taxidermist before I let but it was lost in the intervening time so the quote (without shipping SA to Aus) for should mounts of the buff and kudu, full mount of the croc and the 'hog skull were somewhere around $6K US plus shipping.The croc was $3K alone.
 
Wow, it adds up quickly. My girl took a nice mountain lion last winter. We're having a rug done for her, and it's going to be at least $1250 US. I can see where it could run in the thousands on several animals.

I've got a real good male lion that I want to have something different done with. I might go with a pedestal mount for him, just head and shoulders to still keep it relatively compact. Still gonna keep the skull though :D
 
Those are beautifully done. The taxidermist who is working on my daughter's cat did this one:

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Andy, a whole croc diagonally across the ceiling should just about fit... then you could post pics of that massive gekko you had on your ceiling one time ;)...
 
Andy the Aussie said:
Funny you say that mate, euro mounts, that is exactly the way I am going for the Buff and Kudu (but I am having the capes prepared so I could have them mounted later if I buy a bigger place). The croc will be a skull cleaned up and flat mounted plus the belly and back skins backed. The Warthog will be the complete skull/tusks flat mounted as well. I had this discussed with the taxidermist before I let but it was lost in the intervening time so the quote (without shipping SA to Aus) for should mounts of the buff and kudu, full mount of the croc and the 'hog skull were somewhere around $6K US plus shipping.The croc was $3K alone.
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When the stuff gets to Aus do they send the trophies for irradiation before they are released to you? I would imagine that the Aus Customs must be very strict about importing trophies from SA.
 
Hard Knocks said:
Those are beautifully done. The taxidermist who is working on my daughter's cat did this one
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..... that is a great looking mount mate !!!

elof_alv said:
Andy, a whole croc diagonally across the ceiling should just about fit... then you could post pics of that massive gekko you had on your ceiling one time ;)...
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.... I get live ones "almost" that big now... ;)

Steven65 said:
When the stuff gets to Aus do they send the trophies for irradiation before they are released to you? I would imagine that the Aus Customs must be very strict about importing trophies from SA.
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..... I am just starting to navigate the quarantine service process now. It seems to depend on country of origin and certification provided locally. I believe they mostly want trophies processed before arrival here.
 
So almost two years and two months to the day since I arrived home...I finally have the OK to go collect the crate from my Customs Broker's depot tomorrow !!!! I almost refuse to add up what it has cost to get it all here (@5 MOABs as I cost everything in INFI these days) if I put my mind to it. Still have not figured out where it will all go yet but that is a problem I am happy to work on !!!
 
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