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Taxidermy Photos Taxidermy Items for Sale Bear Photo Page 2009 Bear Hunters Fisherman's Photo page Knight's Personal Photos
Welcome to Knights Taxidermy web site. Please take the time to look thru all the pages, this site is currently under construction, so there are a few problems but I will get around to fixing them. Read this page, then go to the home page using the button above or at the bottom of the page.
Welcome to the Hunter Information Page
Please read the information provided below, and browse this site , it is loaded with many places to see
Spring Bear season was Great ! Fall is just around the corner, Unit 9 Brown bear season this fall is open
Knight's Taxidermy Has expanded our Shop by 50 % in size. We are so happy with our enlarged shop of over 6,500 sq ft of shop and showroom
Bear Photo by Virgil England
Hunters Information Knights Taxidermy has over 31 years experience doing taxidermy in Alaska. During This time, we have learned many of the life lessons that will make your trip go smoothly . Please take a few minutes to read this and it will help you plan your trip as well as educate you on how to handle or process your big game trophies. For the non-resident Hunter from any State , you must educate yourself on how best to handle the Big game animal your stalking. You need to establish a relationship with a Alaskan taxidermist before you go hunting. This allows you to best judge if the services offered, meet your needs. Meet the taxidermist and his staff and get all your questions answered before you go into the field. Be sure to get the price list and be prepared for any charges that may apply. Shipping and trucking are figured out at the end of the job. That's the only way we can make sure the price is current . Some hunters come to town a day early to come out to the shop to go over details. If you can not make it , call the shop with all your questions and let us know to be looking for your trophy. Make sure that your follow these rules and you will have less worries.
IDENTIFY. Be sure, you make it your responsibility to put proper tagging on your trophy. Have plastic laminated tags made by your taxidermy shop or use something else that will work when wet, and put one on your cape and one on your horns . Just make sure when you loose sight of your animals, that they can be well identified by a total stranger. Keep track of all your Big Game tag numbers as well as your hunting license number, long after the hunt .These are on the metal tags that must be affixed to the horns or skins. You may need them 2 years later. If your name tags fall off, these metal tags help a whole lot. Also if you ship the trophies yourself, be sure to put instructions inside the box, write it on a piece of paper and put it in a sandwich baggy and tape it to the horn or put with in box .NOTE: Please make sure any Temporary sealing certificates are with all Bears and animals requiring the State of Alaska sealing requirement when they arrive
FIELD CARE If you shoot it , you should be able to skin and flesh the animal, if you are not up to this chore, I suggest you call the taxidermist and see if he can sell you some book or CD or some info on skinning . If your on a guided hunt , you still need to know what to do. You'll want to go over with the skinner and let him know your skinning preferences . This is usually a assistant guide. Talk to your taxidermist about what he expects to be done to the hide. Usually a trip out to our taxidermy shop would be helpful for you when are refreshing your self on what to do in the field, check and see if we are working on a animal and we will let you come out and watch. Knight's also gives skinning classes from time to time. Your going to all this effort , lets do it right the first time.
FREIGHT Getting your animal out of the field can be an added cost. Be prepared for it ! Getting it by airplane from the field to a airport then being shipped into Anchorage. Make arrangements with the shop so we know to be expecting it. After hours pickups are available but you must call the shop for the arrangement. We pick up all over town at hotels , and the airports, both of them. Common carriers we pick up from are Northern Air cargo, Everts air cargo, and Alaska airlines, Penn air, these are just some that ship into Anchorage that we commonly pick up from. Also please be sure you know who your shipping to and from, with in Alaska, like what village are you shipping from or expecting someone to ship from. Some hunting guides may ship your animal later, after you have left the field, this is normal for guides to bring everything out of the field all at one time, this is because of cost and remoteness of Alaska. They could have a separate charge from bringing in your animal. These are questions to ask your guide before the hunt.
Call as soon as you get home , if you are expecting someone else to drop off the animal to Knight's, or even after you make your airport drop off to us, call the shop and give the details or go over the details to make sure everything was written up just as you wanted. Please do not wait to contact the shop, as we are dealing with your animal here. Put your Phone numbers on animals.
EXPEDITING If you plan to take your animals to your taxidermist back home and need help getting them there, we call that expediting. We will flesh, skin, salt dry , arrange shipping, boil, clean and bleach any skulls. We will get the best shipping rates available thru Roadway trucking. On smaller Items we will use Fedex or UPS.. You might want to call your taxidermist to let him know to be expecting your skins, or we can ship directly to you, its cheaper to ship to a business address. I suggest That you call The Taxidermy shop here and get the general idea of cost associated with shipping your trophies back home, if your dealing with Moose and Caribou, because you'll need to factor in the expediting fees , crating fee's , fleshing fees and trucking cost as well .
HAVE PATIENCE When we are busy during hunting season, please be aware that it might take us some time to get to everybody. After your animal is salted fleshed and safe , we have others to do , so be patient, and we will ship out as soon as your trophy is ready and we get to you, expediting might take 30 -60 days. Some times longer. Our office staff generally talks to you before we ship.
WE WILL CALL YOU Once the job is completed, we call you right away ! No news from us during our estimated time of completion is a good thing ! Calling us about your job once is fine, twice is ok, but three times to check on it, is annoying to say the least. If you are doing a mount with us we may need to talk to you several times during the project, for guidance on what you would like to see in the job
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NON-RESIDENT/ Foreign/ Hunters from overseas take note, there are special permits needed from both sides, depending upon the animal shot. CITES permits are needed for all Bear ,Wolves ,Sheep, lynx & Wolverine. Also Vet certificates, and export documents, and USF&W fees. Once you come in and we have everything sorted out we will have a final figure on export arrangement cost. We also help work out all freight issues leaving the USA and getting to your home port. Please check with your country on all import requirements, you may need import permits into your country before we can ship.
APPROVED FACILITY # AK-TRO-00004 We are a approved facility for Import or Export with US Customs and we have the European Union approved shipping status. This all has to do with disease control status of all skins entering or leaving the U.S.A. You may ship directly to Anchorage from Africa , Australia and New Zealand. We can handle all customs and all entry issues into the U.S.A. just let the shipper know to contact us before shipping. We work closely with USF&W as well as The USDA Vet on all imports and exports. We also are a approved sealing station for the State Dept. of Fish and Game. We can seal everything but Dall Sheep and Mt Goat.
Airport Pick up If you have a need to have someone pick up your animal from you as your flying thru the Anchorage airport, please follow these procedures and it will make the transfer go much faster and easier for both parties . First if possible, call the shop 907 344 5501 to let our office staff know approximately what time you will be coming in. Secondly, As soon as you arrive , call the shop or the number that the shop gave you for after hours pickups. Tell the person you have arrived and then go to collect the item from baggage. When you get it walk just outside the terminal door and wait for the described vehicle to arrive, usually it takes 10-15 minutes to get there. Be sure you have all your info on the package and instructions placed in a sandwich bag inside. If you have a bear and it needs sealing, be sure to bring the Temporary Sealing Certificate, this will be provided by your guide and is required by law. Wolves also must be sealed as well and needs the same documentation. We can seal in the shop as long as all proper tags are in order, if you did not use a guide. If you have time to come out to the shop during your layover , please feel free to stop by.
Resident Hunters going overseas Before you travel overseas , make sure you have all your ducks in a row. It's not to hard to sign up and go spend thousands having a great time , but its nice to know your animals are being handled correctly, that you are assured they are in respectable hands and that your getting a fair deal on Dipping, packing and shipping. Some African guides will do this but most pass this off to a taxidermy shop or expeditor to get the job done. About 6 months seems usual to expect to receive your shipment from South Africa or Namibia as example. Make sure you come back with all the email and phone numbers of all parties involved that will be handling your shipment. When you return from overseas, check in with your local taxidermist so he can help you determine whether or not you may need any special import permits, like leopard, Mountain Zebra and Baboon as well as some others. These are required on this side by U.S. Fish &Wildlife and are usually a CITES permit or some type of CDC permit for Baboon and Monkeys, in addition to the Import permit needed.
Call Before you go Whether your hunting Alaska or Overseas, its always good to talk to the Taxidermist before you go. Even if your a seasoned hunter its always good to brush up on taxidermy skinning techniques, what type of mounts are available, or just how to get it to the taxidermist. Make a list of questions and call or make an appointment to discuss your taxidermy needs.
If you have a Taxidermist back home you are going to ship to, we will gladly work with them. You might want to have us ship your expedited trophies directly to them. It is cheaper to ship to a business address than it is to a residential address.
Approved Sealing Station Knight's taxidermy is a approved sealing station .We can seal Black and Brown bears, and all types of fur. However, we can only help out with Dall Sheep by taking them to Fish & Game on your behalf. We must have your hunting license and your hunter punch card that is required to be turned in by the state. We take the horns over and all the paper work and the seal will be affixed as long as your sheep meets legal requirements. The Seal ??? oh that is just a numbered plastic tag that is place on the animal to prove that it has been legally taken. On bear we put 2 seals on them , one on the skull and one on the hide. On fur, there is only one seal put directly on the skin. On Sheep Though, they drill a half inch hole and insert a numbered metal slug, usually on the back side of horns. Canada, has been doing this to their Rams for years . I am posting a Bear Sealing form , which is what you need to have filled out by your guide or you ,which ever is required, to have your bear legally sealed. If you are hunting with a guide make sure you have signed a copy this temporary sealing certificate. Print out a copy of this and have it available if you or your guide need it. I'm also posting a sealing form for any type of required furbearer that needs sealing , like a beaver, or wolf or wolverine.
The LAW ! Every hunter and citizen should know that it is ILLEGAL to sell any sport hunted animal or fish. In Alaska, it is State law that makes it unlawful to go and sell mounted trophies, unless you have a permit for a deceased person, or a taxidermist obtains a permit to sell a abandoned mount. There are a few new laws that allow the one time sell of some bears, in carefully selected areas so be careful to read and study all the rules. Some non residents once they get their animals home to their state, the rules may be different, check with local state laws. Call your local taxidermist and he should know the laws. It is legal to sell and buy the capes and skins of big game trophies, such as a moose cape, caribou cape or sheep capes. They cannot be combined with a shed antlers and then mounted hanging for sale. If a customer walks in with a moose rack and then needs a moose cape, it would then be legal to mount the moose, caribou, etc.
A Bit of Advice so there you are, and somehow, someway you, made a mistake. You shot a moose too small or you killed a undersize sheep. Doesn't really matter, Mistakes are made, and its best to meet them head on. Maybe you had to kill a bear in defense of life or property. You MUST call the State Troopers Immediately. if you have a cell phone, great, call right after you have made the mistake if possible, if not, salvage the animal according to the law. Once you are able to get to a phone call the State Trooper dispatch at 907 352-5401. This is the number that Alaska Dept.of Fish and Game will give you if you call them with your troubles. A trooper must be involved. I have seen them issue warning for those that cooperate and have turned themselves in. If the violation was to great they might will go easier on you by standing up and admitting you screwed up.
Ok ,so you have read what I had to say so far, check out the rest of our site if you have time , if you have questions do not hesitate to call our front office and discuss any issues you might have. Now to explore our site hit the home button. Good Hunting ! Russell Knight President
