South African Taxidermy Guide: Preserving Your Hunting Memories

Nov 06, 2025 0

Embarking on an African hunting safari is an exhilarating experience, but the logistics of what happens to your trophies after the hunt can be daunting. From deciding on the type of mount to navigating the intricacies of shipping, there are several crucial decisions to make. Taxidermy of African trophies is often better conducted in Africa rather than in the USA for several reasons, ranging from the expertise of local taxidermists in handling indigenous species to cost-effectiveness and logistical advantages.

Opting for African safari taxidermy offers a combination of authenticity, cost-effectiveness, and logistical advantages. In this guide, we'll explore the key aspects of taxidermy in South Africa to help you preserve your hunting memories for a lifetime.

Initial Decisions After the Hunt

Upon harvesting your first trophy, you’ll need to make decisions on how it will be prepared. Most large African animals are typically shoulder mounted. If you opt for a full mount, the animal will be skinned in one continuous piece. Conversely, choosing a shoulder mount may involve deciding whether to keep the back cape, which can impact your dip and pack costs.

Alternatively, some hunters prefer to keep only the skull and horns, mounting them on a wall placard. For both alternatives, you need to decide which trophies you will be doing a shoulder mount (or pedestal mount) for and which trophies you will be doing a European skull mount for.

Space and budget limitations are common considerations. Based on the species you intend to hunt, you should think about where and how you want to display your trophies. Plan where you might hang a traditional shoulder mount, such as the classic shoulder mount style, including the direction it should face. The shoulder mount captures the head, neck, and shoulders of the animal, preserving its lifelike expression and features. Certain species, like the sable antelope, are particularly suited to wall pedestal mounts, while others, such as the Red Lechwe, look impressive when their front legs are showcased. Some species may be grouped together effectively in a cluster mount.

Read also: Lion Taxidermy Process

If you opt for European (or skull) mounts, consider using the hides or back skins as secondary trophies to create stunning rugs. The European mount is a minimalist style that showcases the raw beauty of horns and skulls, which is popular among many hunters. These thoughtful considerations will help ensure that your trophies are displayed in a way that honors your memories and fits your home’s aesthetic.

Field Preparation: The First Crucial Step

When most hunters think about losing a trophy it’s because of a poor shot or tough tracking conditions. Few people give much thought to the care and preparation of their animal once it hits the ground. Thousands of trophies are lost each year due to poor field preparation and taxidermy problems. My point of view is that the hunt is over only when my client hangs his trophy on the wall - nothing can leave a worse taste in a hunters mouth than a list of trophies that he hunted and didn’t get to enjoy as they were somehow ‘lost’ on the way to his house.

Proper handling of your trophy in the field is crucial to preserving its quality, especially immediately after the animal has been harvested. Hair slip, a condition where the hair falls out of the skin, can occur if bacteria infiltrate the skin within the first 24 hours after the trophy is harvested. To prevent this, it’s vital to communicate with your guide about the type of mount you desire so they can perform the appropriate skinning techniques.

As with most things in hunting, it helps to be prepared. Field preparation of a trophy is no different. It’s important to have the right plan and equipment ahead of time. 99 percent of trophy problems come from the field - not the taxidermist or the tannery. A little bit of knowledge and care in the field can help to prevent any problems down the road.

The basic idea is to get the skin off the animal and dry as fast as possible to prevent any bacterial growth from deteriorating the hair follicle and damaging the skin. Bacteria that cause hair slip need oxygen and moisture to flourish. Bacteria are everywhere and time is your enemy here. Blood on the inside or outside of the skin increases the chances of bacteria populations taking hold on the skin and damaging it. Salt is the best weapon you have against bacteria.

Salt basically creates an environment that stops the growth and spread of bacteria while dehydrating the skin and sealing the hair follicle around the individual hairs on your skin. When this happens correctly the skin can survive the tanning chemicals, mounting processes, and the test of time hanging on a hunter’s wall. Bacteria can also flourish in the thicker parts of a skin such as the mouth, nose, and thick areas of a skin. Salt works well, but it can only penetrate a skin for a few millimeters.

Once your buck hits the ground, it should be kept in the shade until it can be recovered and transported to the skinning area. Direct sunlight at this time is not good for the skin. High temperatures work against you as well - so the hotter it is the faster you need to get the trophy in the salt!

When the animal gets to the skinning area it should be thoroughly washed clean of blood and dirt. This also helps to cool the skin. Use as much water as possible throughout the skinning process. After the animal is skinned properly, I prefer to soak it in a saturated salt solution for 4 - 8 hours depending on the size and type of skin. The salt water solution should be mixed in a clean plastic container (I have also used bath tubs and sinks for this process). It needs to be a so called “saturated solution”. This means that it is not possible to dissolve any more salt into the water.

The skin needs to be submerged in this solution for the correct amount of time. I can’t really say how long is too long; it depends on the thickness of the skin and the surrounding temperature. This whole process is actually a science - but I wouldn’t call it an exact one! High temperatures and dry conditions will speed things up - cold temperatures and wet air will slow things down.

While the skin drip dries I usually write out the tags for the trophy. It is best to tag each individual item with two tags, each horn with one tag, and the skull with a tag though the eye hole. The tags should have the hunter’s name, the species of animal, and the identification of the skin part (cape, backskin, flatskin, etc.). It is time-consuming to identify a skin after it’s dried and folded as they are hard to handle when dried out.

Read also: Discover Thula Thula

After the skins are tagged, it’s time to get them into the salt bed. The ideal place has a sloped floor, is shaded with a breeze, and is sealed off from outside influences such as dogs, rats, people, sunlight and rain. Put down a layer of salt the size of the skin, then lay the skin hair side down on the salt. Cover it with an inch or so of salt, making sure that salt is touching every part of the skin. There shouldn’t be any skin to skin contact; the skin shouldn’t be crumpled up or folded over on itself. If this happens those areas will most likely decay. Pack salt into the face, ears, nose, lips, etc.

While the skin is in the salt it’s a good time to take care of your skull and horns. As you can imagine, the bone and horn is a lot more durable than the skin. The bottom jaw on horned animals is not needed in most cases. The meat around the skull should be trimmed off down to the bone. Some people will boil the excess flesh and brain out in the field. This is mandatory up in Africa because the time it takes to get the animal to the taxidermist is longer and it’s not nice to smell a 7 day old buffalo skull! If transport to a taxidermist is less than a week I will typically flesh the skull out and then pack it in salt to draw out some of the moisture.

Depending on the conditions and the type of skin I will leave a trophy in the salt for 3 full days. Obviously more time is needed for thicker skins such as buffalo and elephant. After the salt has done its work of drawing the moisture out of the skin and preventing bacteria growth. Thicker skins such as elephant take longer. The skin will still be flexible and somewhat damp as this point. It is best to hang the skin in the open air in a shady spot that gets good wind. This will evaporate away the rest of the moisture on the skin. A skin can typically be folded up after 2 days of this treatment. It should be like folding thick cardboard at this point - not brittle enough that the skin cracks but stiff enough that it takes a bit of pressure to fold it. I find it best to fold the skins with the hair side in - this protects it from abrasion and possible damage.

Once the skin is folded I leave it in the open for a couple more days if time allows, to dry the skin out even more. The skin can then be stored on wooden racks in the skinning shed where it is protected from outside influences (rains, rats, bugs, animals, sunlight, people, too much heat, etc.); the idea here is a cool dry secure place preferably with insecticide! If a skin is going to sit for a long time it is best to bring it inside as the changes in weather will bring moisture into contact with the skin. This skin is now preserved and can actually last a very long time before it is tanned. I know of taxidermists tanning skins up to 10 years after it was shot and properly prepared in the field and stored!

People have written books on the subjects of skinning animals, preparing trophies, and taxidermy. This little article is not even the tip of the iceberg. But it will steer you in the right direction on handling your trophy animal. You only get one chance to preserve your trophy after it is shot. So take enough pictures and then get to work on your trophy in the correct way. I believe that if you handle a few of your animals from start to finish you will be a more well-rounded hunter.

Choosing a Taxidermist: South Africa vs. the USA

You’ll need to decide whether to have your trophies mounted in Africa or shipped to a taxidermist in the US.

Taxidermy of African trophies is often better conducted in Africa rather than in the USA for several reasons, ranging from the expertise of local taxidermists in handling indigenous species to cost-effectiveness and logistical advantages.

South African taxidermists offer a wide variety of mount options and artistic styles, including shoulder, full-body, pedestal mount, and shield mounts, allowing hunters to choose the ideal taxidermy mount to best display their prized trophies.

Here's a comparison of the advantages of choosing a South African taxidermist:

Local Knowledge: African taxidermists have extensive experience and understanding of the local wildlife.
Freshness of Specimens: Taxidermy done immediately after the hunt ensures that the quality of the skins and other materials is preserved.
Lower Costs: The cost of taxidermy services in Africa is generally lower due to the lower cost of labor.
Simpler Logistics: Handling the entire taxidermy process in Africa simplifies the logistics of exporting the final product.
Immediate Processing: Processing trophies on-site reduces the risk associated with transporting raw, unprocessed specimens.
Efficiency: Completing the African plains game taxidermy in Africa can lead to a faster turnaround for hunters eager to receive their trophies.

Completed mounts are easier and often cheaper to transport internationally than raw, untreated trophies, which require careful handling to meet biosecurity regulations.

Taxidermy Specialists in South Africa

At Nick Bowker and Meyrick Bowker Safaris, we partner with two trusted taxidermy specialists: African Wildlife Artistry and Timoland Taxidermy.

African Wildlife Artistry (AWA) is a leading South African taxidermy studio specializing in premium trophy mounting and wildlife artistry. Renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail, AWA focuses on plains game, dangerous game, and custom-designed mounts.

Timoland Taxidermy (TT), founded by Tim Olwage in the Eastern Cape, is a boutique taxidermy studio dedicated to high-quality, realistic trophy mounts.

Here's a bit more about each:

African Wildlife Artistry: African Wildlife Artistry offers an exclusive, high-quality & comprehensive service to both local & international clients. Our South African taxidermy services include the mounting, dip & packing, and tanning flat skins of all animals, birds & reptiles to the client’s specifications. With the backing of supported staff members & using only the latest products & methods, African Wildlife Artistry has established a name for artistic innovation, quality & personal attention to detail to create life-like trophies. The National Department of Agriculture approves our premises & all items are checked & tagged before entering into our preparation process. African Wildlife Artistry is a leading South African taxidermist with a worldwide client base.
Timoland Taxidermy: Timoland Taxidermy (TT), founded by Tim Olwage in the Eastern Cape, is a boutique taxidermy studio dedicated to high-quality, realistic trophy mounts. Deep Passion & Authentic BackgroundTim’s early life on farms in Zimbabwe, involved in hunting, fishing, and even collecting wildlife specimens, shaped his lifelong appreciation for nature. High Standards & Artistic IntegrityTimoland is committed to meticulous craftsmanship, clear and honest client communication, and ensuring the final mounts truly reflect the hunter’s memories and the animal’s essence. The Taxidermy is operated under the family guidance of Rudolph and Caroline Ferreira. Being an avid outdoorsman & artist for so many years, Rudolph has found great pleasure in creating pieces that reflect the true beauty of African game.

Dip and Pack: Preparing Trophies for Export

Trophy Hunting: Towards A Potential Alternative For Africa | NC Features | 23-05-23

For those shipping trophies to the US, a Dip & Pack agent will prepare them for shipment, handling export permits and paperwork. After your hunting safari concludes, your trophies will be taken to a skinning shed for preparation. Many outfitters have affiliations with local taxidermists, offering to mount your trophies on-site or arranging for them to be mounted on your behalf.

Dipping and packing, often known as raw preparation, solution treated, or unfinished processing, is the essential minimum treatment that hunting trophies must undergo before they can be imported into the United States. This process ensures that all parts of the trophy, such as bones, hooves, horns, skulls, teeth, and tusks, are properly prepared for entry into the country.

Here’s a breakdown of the process:

Cleaning: Each component of the trophy must be thoroughly cleaned. This means removing all undried pieces of hide, flesh, sinew, or any other organic matter that might still be attached.
Drying: After cleaning, the parts must be completely dried. Hides must be thoroughly dried to the point where they appear brittle and could crack when bent.
Treatment with Solutions: The cleaned and dried parts are treated with chemical solutions that help preserve them and prevent the growth of pathogens. For the proper disinfection of hunting trophies, particularly the inner cores and horns, specific soaking treatments are employed to ensure thorough sterilization.
- Process: The inner cores and horns are submerged in boiling water.
- Process: Soaking the horns in a 5 percent formaldehyde solution effectively sterilizes them, preventing decay and contamination.
Packing: Once the trophies are cleaned, dried, and treated, they are securely packed for shipping. After the necessary treatments and drying, trophies should be packed immediately.

Professionally cleaned trophies should be free from dirt, blood, insects, and any putrid odors. This procedure is not just a regulatory formality but a crucial step in preserving the quality of your trophies while also safeguarding ecosystem health by preventing the international spread of diseases.

Tanning in South Africa: An Efficient Option

By starting the tanning process in Africa during the months it takes to prepare for export, you effectively use this waiting period to advance the preparation of your trophies. This means that once the hides and skulls reach your local taxidermist, much of the preliminary work has already been done.

Many taxidermists in South Africa now use high-quality original BASF (German) chemicals for tanning. Any damages to the trophies can be identified and rectified in South Africa before they are exported. In severe cases, parts like hides or skulls can even be replaced.

Opting for tanning and preparing the hides and skulls for mounting in South Africa, rather than just dipping and packing, can be more space and weight-efficient. Finished tanned hides and fully bleached and cut skulls take up less space and weigh less compared to dipped and packed cargo.

Shipping and Logistics

Shipping options include airfreight for unfinished taxidermy or sea freight for mounted trophies, with the latter being more economical. When exporting to the United States, dipped and packed trophies must be consigned to a USDA-approved establishment. This could be an approved tannery or taxidermist and not directly to the client.

Expect to pay a deposit to the taxidermist in Africa, usually around 50% of the total cost. Final bills for taxidermy and shipping to the US Port of Entry will be issued upon completion of the work. Payments are typically made via bank wire, although some may accept credit cards, albeit with additional fees.

Navigating permits and regulations is a critical part of the taxidermy process, especially when your hunting safari involves shipping trophies internationally. Every country, including South Africa, enforces strict rules to ensure the legal and ethical trade of hunting trophies.

To avoid delays or confiscation during the shipping process, it’s essential to work with experienced and reputable taxidermists who are well-versed in both local and international wildlife trade regulations. These professionals will guide you through the paperwork, including obtaining CITES permits and ensuring compliance with all export and import regulations.

Here are some key considerations for shipping:

Taxidermist Recommendations: Many taxidermists handle their own packaging and typically charge around 10 percent of the total taxidermy cost for this service.
Independent Quotes: Before finalizing the shipping arrangements, it’s advisable to get quotes from independent shipping agents.
Loading and Shipping: After ensuring all documents are in order, the crates are loaded onto an airplane or into a shipping container.

Protecting Your Investment: Insurance and Liability

Protecting your hunting trophies throughout the taxidermy process and shipping journey is vital, given their value and irreplaceable nature.

Many African taxidermy firms offer insurance options that cover your trophies against loss, theft, or damage during transit and while in their care. Liability coverage is another key consideration, as it protects you from potential issues that may arise during the taxidermy process itself.

Choosing experienced and reputable taxidermists with a proven track record of delivering high-quality trophies can further minimize risks. Investing in high-quality crating is an essential step to ensure that your trophies arrive in excellent condition, minimizing the risk of damage during transport.

Post-Arrival Care and Maintenance

Once your African wildlife taxidermy trophies arrive home, proper care and maintenance are essential to preserve their beauty and value for years to come.

Here are some essential tips:

After the taxidermy process, display your trophies in a dry, climate-controlled environment, away from direct sunlight, to prevent fading, cracking, or discoloration.
Dust your taxidermy mounts regularly with a soft, dry microfiber cloth or feather duster.
To ensure your trophies remain in pristine condition, consider implementing pest control measures to protect against insects or rodents, which can cause significant harm.
Periodically inspect your mounts for any signs of deterioration or infestation, and address issues promptly.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your trophies remain in pristine condition, preserving your hunting memories for generations to come.