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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39845
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Walking on game skins
      #48879 - 02/02/06 05:04 AM

I have a question for members who have game skins on the floor.

I recently was reading on the net a comment by a taxidermist and he claimed skins such as zebra skins should not be walked on "like you would walk on a carpet".

This is news to me, do you walk around your zebra or other skins?

Is this a nuisance and defeats the purpose of a game skin rug?

Obviously one avoids putting skins in heavily trafficed areas and avoids walking on them with dirty shoes, boots etc. I also avoid walking on the manes of my zebra skins and usually position the skin to avoid this.

Cat skins may be more fragile which is probably why most are hung on the walls instead of the floor.

And if a zebra skin wears a bit too much, I think this is a great excuse to go and get a couple more.



--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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MRobinson
.275 member


Reged: 29/01/06
Posts: 66
Loc: New England
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: NitroX]
      #48884 - 02/02/06 06:20 AM

In my experience, zebra skins wear very well as rugs. That is no doubt why they are so popular. I have them in high traffic areas, and apart from the tails, which rapidly get sparse, they have held up quite well.

I have not put my lion or leopard skins on the floor, however, for fear that they would not wear quite as well. Of the two, I think the lion would wear better because of its short, rather stiff, fur, very like a zebra. The leopard's fur is longer and softer, and the skin seems thinner, too, so I would think it would be too fragile to walk on regularly without rapidly becoming worn out.

I do have a kudu skin rug--which is something of an oddity, I gather--and I am sorry to say that it has not worn very well at all. After about three years, it is in a sorry state, with hair missing and the skin worn to the leather in many places. It is, however, in a fairly high traffic area, and I'm sure that is a big part of the problem.

--------------------
Mike

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8x56mn
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Reged: 26/02/04
Posts: 149
Loc: Wine Country, Finger Lakes Wa...
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: MRobinson]
      #48886 - 02/02/06 06:57 AM

I will be getting my trophies back sometime soon and wondering about how my pets will react to the skins on the floor. I have a Zebra and Wildebeast rug. I have 4 cats and my dogs (retrievers) do come in as well. Does anyone have any advice or concerns that you could share.

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DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2437
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: 8x56mn]
      #48891 - 02/02/06 09:27 AM

My pets tend to ignore the animals. The will usually sniff them one time and move on.

My smallest oldest Rat Terrier will sniff my Rio Grande Turkey , Yellow Bellied Marmot "Rock Chuck" and Badger every time she goes by. They all three sit on the floor. If one of the other two Rat dogs come near her when she is sniffing the Chuck or Badger she will growl at them. She has a history of aggresivley hunting both animals The other two dogs have experience hunting those animal but know to get away when she growls.


As to walking on the hair. That hair is going to get rubbed, scuffed and broken if you walk on it. I wouldn't do it.


--------------------
DD, Ret.

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AspenHill
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Reged: 08/01/03
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Re: Walking on game skins [Re: DoubleD]
      #48896 - 02/02/06 10:16 AM

I have some cow hide rugs that are probably 14 years old now and look good as new. I vacuum them, walk on them, pets lay on them. They are fine.

Certain animals, like deer species, have hollow hairs and are not sturdy for walking on.

I have a waterbuck back skin on the floor shot in 2001 and it is also good as new looking. Nice mountain reedbuck hide also in great shape.

My dog ignores the rugs.

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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zimhunter
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Reged: 05/02/04
Posts: 388
Loc: Southern Arizona
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: DoubleD]
      #48899 - 02/02/06 10:42 AM

One of my Zebra skins has been down 3 years and seems to look as good as ever. I also use one as a bed cover and its folded often and it's good also. Interesting thing about dogs. I shot a leopard many years ago and they draped it over my shoulders as they do for pictures. I was wearing a green sweat shirt. For months after even after many washings my son's Queensland Blue Heeler would growl and back up when I wore that sweatshirt. Somehow she still smelled the Leopard I suppose. Never growled at anything else I wore but would NOT come around me with the green sweatshirt on.

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mikeh416Rigby
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Reged: 24/02/03
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Re: Walking on game skins [Re: NitroX]
      #48902 - 02/02/06 10:48 AM

I have both Zebra and Blue Wildebeest skins on the floor of my trophy room. Aside from the tail hairs pulling out on both of them, they are none the worse for wear, and yes they both get walked on.

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Taos
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Reged: 09/05/04
Posts: 169
Loc: Nevada, U.S.A.
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #48907 - 02/02/06 11:09 AM

My dogs love the bear hides and have worn out several over the last couple of years. Time to get another now again!

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39845
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: Taos]
      #48922 - 02/02/06 12:51 PM

I've had feral goat skins down in hallways for years and they wear very tough.

Fallow deer skins I avoid putting on the ground as said by someone earlier they will loose their hair.

My zebra has lasted well so far.

I brought impala and bushbuck skins back from Africa but these have not been tanned. The taxidermist claims they were spoiled.

Cattle skins are ideal as rugs.

I once examined a tiger skin which was to be auctioned and it was quite badly damaged by use over time. Really quite ratty. Nevertheless I was interested in buying it or seeing what price it would sell for. In the end I did not attend as I was interstate when the auction occurred. It would have looked nice however in the background of photos. I think a cat skin in good condition really deserves to go on a wall.

Dogs are a good point but if they are properly house trained they should not be chewing anything in the house! It is funny sometimes to observe a dog the first time they see a new trophy or something else. My GSP is nervous and takes his time to approach, eventually after a good sniff or two, he forgets about it. The full mounted bushbuck made him concerned until after a good sniffing. The funniest one is I have a half sized ceramic black panther which was once given to me. The dog was very scared by that for a long time.

***

Interesting comment about Waterbuck. Ann, was this skin given the Pierre shampooing trick?




--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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shakari
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Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: NitroX]
      #48949 - 02/02/06 04:26 PM

Some African antelope such as gemsbok & klipspringer etc have hollow hair which is very delicate, so shouldn't be walked on but things like zebra & wildebeest etc are pretty tough.

I've had 2 zebra skins in the lounge for about 5 years and the only damage is where the spitting fire has damaged them. Guess I'll have to go shoot a couple more this year sometime.

--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com



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AspenHill
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Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: NitroX]
      #48992 - 03/02/06 12:59 AM

No John, I got the waterbuck in RSA. I'd like to shoot another one someday but it will have to be a nice big one to beat what I got!

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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**DONOTDELETE**





Re: Walking on game skins [Re: NitroX]
      #49141 - 04/02/06 11:34 AM

Yes we walk on them, but they are not located in "high traffic" areas. Some of these game rugs are many many years old and still seem fine to me. By the way, I usually use the vacuum on them too, is that OK?

Scott

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mikeh416Rigby
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Re: Walking on game skins [Re: ScottS]
      #49144 - 04/02/06 12:15 PM

I use the vacuum cleaner on mine, but I use the attachment with the brush on it, and only pull the attachment with the hair grain, not against or across.

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AspenHill
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Re: Walking on game skins [Re: ScottS]
      #49360 - 07/02/06 09:46 AM

I also vacuum mine, but with the brush attachement as if I am grooming a horse or dog. Go with the grain of the hair.

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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iqbal
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Reged: 05/02/03
Posts: 778
Loc: Karachi,Pakistan
Re: Walking on game skins [Re: NitroX]
      #49451 - 08/02/06 02:32 AM

Ive put my zebra skin on the wall and believe me it looks real good.Put a few good heads around it and see the effect.

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SAHUNT
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Reged: 27/12/04
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Re: Walking on game skins [Re: iqbal]
      #49486 - 08/02/06 07:44 AM

I've got shins all over in my house, high traffic areas and low traffic areas and they still look good. I agree to keep the hollw haired skins of the floors, they will not last

BTW, my Jack Russel loves lying on the skins.

--------------------
Life is how you pass the time between hunting trips.
Sometimes I do not express myself properly in the English language, please forgive me, I am just a boertjie.
Jaco Human
jacohu@mweb.co.za
SA Hunting Experience

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