While we often get caught up in the excitement of hunting the perfect trophy, it is also important to consider what to do with it once you’ve taken it.

Poronui guests have two options, we can either assist you in expediting it to your preferred taxidermist with help from John Mitchell at New Zealand Expeditors Ltd (https://www.nzexpediters.co.nz/) or we can recommend a taxidermist in New Zealand and send it once finished. The whole expediting process from when John receives trophies from Poronui, until they are shipped to the nearest Designated US Fish & Wildlife Port can take up to 12 weeks.

With the popularity of good taxidermists, it is a good idea to be organised. Once you’ve booked in your hunt with the outfitter, give your preferred taxidermist a call and let him know your dates. It can take between 8-18 months to receive your prized trophy back, depending on how busy they are at the time.
This might seem like a lot of time, but recreating your animal takes a huge amount of work. Many hours of sculpture and artistry goes into mounting your trophy. A good taxidermist will take as much pride in working on the animal as you did in securing it. Each trophy is unique, and your taxidermist will take instruction from you about head positioning, eye gaze and whether you want a full-size mount with habitat, euro mount or shoulder mount.

Shoulder mounts are the most popular as they include the full head and some of the body, this gives a great representation of the live animal. If budget is a factor or you prefer the look, an euro mount with just the antlers/horns on a shield or skull is a great option. Otherwise, why not go all in with a life-size replica of your trophy?! We primarily recommend Mark Walker.

Remember, a trophy is not just a piece of art for the wall, it provides you with a tangible reminder of that special moment.