Oct 7, 2020 | News
Contact: (Owner/Manager) Steve Collett
Address: 15 Josiah Chinamano Road, Belmont, Bulawayo Zimbabwe
Tel Office: +263 29 2885 868 or +263 29 2885 349
Mobile: +263 712 220 966 or +27 648459117
Email: stevecwa14@gmail.com
Website: collettswildlifeartistry.com
Tell us a little about your operation
How it started and how we got into the industry…
It all happened by chance when I was offered an opportunity to travel to the Unites States after school to learn the art of Taxidermy due to my artistic ability. This was not a career I had in mind to follow, none the less I was interested in the experience. In early 1998 I started that journey. I continued with this for a year but then took a break from the industry from 2000 to 2002, but it was during this time that I decided this is what I wanted to do and continued my training until 2003 when I started my own shop in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
By 2017 I had enough of a reputation to start a second shop in Pretoria and here we are growing our second venture.
How many years have you been in the business?
We have now been in business for 18 years.
What are your favourite mounts & why?
Besides the big cats such as leopard and lion, which we did not have unlimited opportunity with, I would have to say that buffalo are my favourite. They are incredible animals with character that supersedes all others. There are not two that looks alike therefore we are forced to custom every mount.
What are your specialty areas that you have in the business?
We are a custom taxidermy studio where we take standard forms and create custom pieces where no two pieces are alike. From full taxidermy to an array of bespoke leather products and skull art, all from in-house. The passion we put into our artistry is beyond any commercial standard and make us different to of our competitors.
Current processes offered
- Pick up & collect trophies: Yes
- Maximum distance offered to collect trophies: We will collect nationwide if necessary
- Own tanning facilities: Yes
- Do you buy in forms or sculpt your own or both? Sculpt our own
Delivery time (approximate)
- Dip and Pack: 3 to 4 months
- European mounts: local: 6-8 weeks; international: 3 months
- Shoulder mounts: large international: 14-16 months; small international: 9-12 months; large local: 12-14 months; small local: 6-9 months
- Full mounts: same timelines as the shoulder mounts
Trophy gallery
Oct 6, 2020 | News
In the early eighties, the history of the Khomas Hochland Conservancy began. The Conservancy was founded to get neighboring farmers together and to reintroduce game species into the area. It was an important step to get the farmers together to combine the interests of game and cattle farmers.
The Khomas Hochland Conservancy is situated about 50 km west of Windhoek. The C28 to Swakopmund marks the southern border and the D1958 bordering the northeast. The highest point in the area is the 2,044 metre-high Khomaskop. Several rivers cross the area which makes the Khomas Hochland a real paradise for several game species. In particular, kudu bulls roam the area, as well as gemsbok, red hartebeest, mountain zebras, springbok, warthog, steenbok, and black and blue wildebeest.
The combination of wide open plains and mountains with heights from 1,230 metres to 2,044 metres makes the area the perfect destination for hunters who are dreaming of hunting the African bush.
Since the Khomas Hochland Conservancy was founded, more and more farms joined the community. In the beginning, the Conservancy area was 75,000 hectares. Today the area has increased to 175,000 hectares which is about half the size of the Yosemite National Park, with an estimated 25,000 game animals.
Working together in a community like the Conservancy makes it possible to develop the area and to take care of the wildlife and the local people. The aim is to manage and to improve the game population, and to hunt sustainably for a healthy game population in the whole area and for future generations.
To learn more about Philip, check out his Q&A: On safari with… Philip Hennings
Oct 6, 2020 | News
Description
The common warthog has an overall skin colour of grey with a sparse covering of bristle-like hairs and a mane of long, erectile hairs along neck and back. The colour of mane hairs varies from straw-brown to black and is raised when an animal is under stress. Tufts of pale to white coloured whiskers may lie along the sides of the face. This is the only African pig that raises its black-bristled tail erect when running. Both sexes have prominent wart-like structures on face; the boar has two pairs, the sow only one pair. The large canine teeth, or tusks, are particularly well-developed in boars. During the course of the 1970s, common warthog were introduced onto the then Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve (now the Great Fish River Conservation Area), near Grahamstown, in the belief that they once occurred naturally in the Eastern Cape. Although claims from old written records and supposed skeletal remains are as yet unverified. Whatever the situation was warthog have now dispersed outside the reserve for considerable distances on to privately owned land and are commonly offered as trophies and hunted for their meat in the area.
Distribution
Has a wide sub-Saharan range, with from 4 to 8 races recognized, but there is little, if any, difference in external appearance. It is present in 30 African countries and huntable as a trophy in 14 countries. A second species is recognized, the desert warthog (Phaecochoerus aethiopicus), which is only found in northern Kenya, Somalia and the Ogaden of Ethiopia. Common warthogs are also present in the same region.
Conservation standing
Common over much of its range but drought, habitat modification and over-hunting have caused a few local extinctions and population reductions.
The common warthog, especially the boar, is the most sought after African wild pig trophy
Habitat
Open grass and woodland savannas, from low to high rainfall areas, and from sea-level to an altitude of about 3 000 m (9 843 ft). They penetrate into semi-desert areas along wooded water courses where there are pools of water throughout the year. This includes parts of the Kalahari and Namib deserts, as well as the Sahel zone south of the Sahara. However, in these marginal habitats they occur at low densities and in general, animals tend to be smaller than their savanna counterparts.
Behaviour
Warthogs are mainly diurnal, but under certain circumstances will forage at night. Generally nights are spent in ground burrows excavated by other species, such as aardvark and porcupine, but on occasion they will dig their own, or shelter in road culverts where these are available. In hot weather they frequently wallow in water and mud where this is available. Adult sows, usually one, two or three, and their young of the latest litter, form sounders but boars at about the age of two years leave their birth sounder and form loose bachelor groups, or live alone. Sexually active boars are usually solitary and mix with sow sounders only when a sow is on heat. Although they do not establish territories, boars fight vigorously for mating rights.
Food
Grass and grass roots make up the bulk of their food and they often graze in a “kneeling” position. New green grass growth is favoured during the rains, but grass roots/rhizomes are favoured during the dry season. They will also feed on berries, fruits and tree bark. Although they rarely take carrion this has been recorded.
Warthogs are frequent mud-wallowers
Oct 2, 2020 | News
I was born and raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe where I had a fantastic upbringing and made incredible friends right from junior school through to high school where I boarded at Plumtree school, situated approximately 100km south west of Bulawayo. My most cherished memories, when I was happiest, was either riding my bike or walking endlessly for miles through the Matabeleland bush, rifle in hand and not a care in the world. This has most definitely influenced what I draw today as the flora and fauna of southern Africa has been, and always will be, close to my heart.
Protea Power
During high school days I used to marvel at the talent of some pupils and their artwork and remember how I wished I could do the same, but thoroughly convinced at the same time that it was a fanciful pipe dream. However, during my latter years at school, I dabbled a bit in pencil and ink work and found that I had an ability to copy an image pretty closely, although I did not do a great deal and have subsequently found in recent years a couple of unfinished pictures from those days in an old school trunk.
Forever Alert
I have often been told by family that everything I do has to be perfect, and I suppose to a degree that is true and no less with any artwork that I attempt to tackle. I think drawing with graphite pencils at school and nowadays, and recently adding pastel pencils, was a natural progression to make as we were all brought up with either a pencil or pen in our hand. The use of graphite, as with charcoal, is art in its most basic form, but no less engaging than other mediums and certainly as adept in creating tonal shades, texture and depth if placed in the right hand. I would like to investigate the option of drawing with pastel sticks combined with pastel pencils in the future, but I think that graphite will always be my medium of choice and the one that I have become most comfortable with.
Feeding Time
I made the decision to move to South Africa in 1987 and the plan was to pursue a career in electronics, but that did not come to fruition and I found employment in a couple of companies before an opportunity arose in 1999 to start my own transport business. That I duly did and managed to eke out a living in the following years. However, in 2008 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and truth be told, was very naive and never realised the severity of the illness at the time, and the impact it would later have on my life. I was still physically and mentally able to run the business at the time but I became gradually worse and at the end of 2013, because of my ailing health and other mitigating factors, I had to finally give up the business.
Bushveld Spa
During the last couple of years of running my company I had often thought of starting to draw again but having not picked up a pencil since school, a good 30 years before, I was under no illusion how difficult that would be. And so it was proved, with rolled up balls of paper and pencils being thrown across the room in pure frustration. However, in early 2017, I was determined to try again and this time I persevered and managed to draw four or five simple sketches with the encouragement of family. The turning point came when my dear beloved mother, who has since passed away, suggested that I attempt a Baobab tree. It is because of this that I credit a lot of my journey through art to a very special lady who always encouraged and had absolute faith in both of her children in whatever they endeavoured to pursue. That was my first “real” drawing and a family friend on seeing it, enquired as to whether he would be able to get a canvas print made of it. That was the start of what has been an incredible and rewarding artistic adventure.
Pied Piper
I think the most rewarding aspect of my drawing has been the learning experience and the satisfaction of improving with every piece I tackle. The other rewarding element is the reaction of a pleased client when they have just seen a finished piece they have commissioned or just a print, knowing full well in my heart that I have done my very best for them and they respect and appreciate it. Very rewarding.
My biggest disappointment, for obvious reasons is that I cannot become involved in the whole process before the sale of an artwork, that being the sourcing of the next subject, the actual photographing of said subject and the finalising of the image before it is then transferred onto the art paper. However, I do remind myself of the fact that there are some amazing photographers who would do a much better job than I could and it is then my task to give justice to their incredible talents in the art studio.
Aloe Aloe
Hopefully in the near future I can contribute with my art in helping with the preservation and protection of those animals that have been so recklessly and callously exploited by the greed and cruelty of mankind. I think art has the amazing ability to help with this incentive and I think if every wildlife artist or otherwise, gave just a small fraction of their proceeds derived from their artwork towards this cause, it would make a world of difference in the fight against animal exploitation.
I am based in Waterfall in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa and if anyone is interested in my artwork, whether it be a commission or print, I would love to hear from you and can be contacted through my Facebook page, Dean Lewis Art, https://www.facebook.com/DeanLewisArt, or my email address, dllewis42@gmail.com
Umdondoshiya
Sep 8, 2020 | News
If your trophy’s still not home….
Going back 20 years, some taxidermists were unapologetic of their lead time. I recall one explaining how skulls take time and how 18 months was really not a long time to wait. This was while they sat on your 50% deposit!
It was what many refer to as the great old days of hunting. And perhaps it was.
To read more, click here.
Sep 7, 2020 | News, Newsletter
Q: Tell us about your family, how they originally got to Africa.
A: My ancestors arrived in Africa during the 17th century.
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born in Windhoek, Namibia on 6 February, 1963.
Q: How did you get into hunting – what was it that influenced you?
A: I was lucky enough to be raised on a ranch, so my father gave us plenty of exposure to hunting. He taught us the importance of hunting and how that also contributes to conservation. He also taught me how to act respectfully towards the animal after it has been hunted. This experience made such a big impression to me that still today I have the greatest respect for every animal I hunt or have hunted as a guide.
Q: With whom did you train, apprentice and learn from?
A: Obviously I learned from my Dad, and once I become a professional hunter I learned every day, and am still learning. Guiding is like driving a car. You only start to learn once you have got your license.
Q: What was the most important thing you learned during those early years?
A: It was to be honest with yourself and your clients. If you’ve misjudged an animal, don’t try to hide it or make an excuse for it. Admit it to your hunter. He/she will also appreciate your honesty.
Q: The early years of professional hunting – where were they?
A: Namibia
Q: Were there any embarrassing, fun or interesting experiences?
A: Every hunt creates its own fun/special memories. Embarrassing? I don’t see anything as embarrassing – I try to see it as a learning experience either for myself or for the hunter.
Q: Anything you learnt about what not to do?
A: Always be professional. Although we all have the motto of “arriving as a stranger, leaving as a friend” which is really true, the client must still listen to you from a professional point of view. Do not get so familiar that the client tries to override your decisions in the hunt.
Q: Did you have any particularly interesting trophies?
A: Every safari has its own interesting moments, fun and great trophies, etc. It will not be fair to single one out
Q: If you could return to any time or place in Africa, where would it be?
A: I would be as a guide in Namibia. And as a tourist – Vic Falls would certainly be on the list.
Q: Which is your favorite trophy animal to hunt? And why?
A: Kudu – the name “grey ghost “says it all.
Q: What is the best trophy animal one of your clients ever took?
A: There are several top 10 trophies I can remember but the best trophy is a happy client that worked hard for his/her animal and who can return home with great stories and even greater memories.
Q: Tell us about a most memorable hunt, without naming names.
A: When a non-hunter comes along with a hunting friend to do a photo safari, but after a few days on the ranch the non-hunter has a change of heart. He or she is now interested in hunting, has plenty of questions, and after first- hand hunting exposure now returns home a hunter. They are no longer ignorant to the fact that hunting plays such a big role in conservation in Africa.
Q: Tell us about any disaster with a client.
A: Rifles not arriving with client – they got lost at a stopover airport.
Q: Any personal challenges you have had?
A: Crossing a path with a black mamba.
Q: What are your recommendations on guns, ammo, or equipment for the first-time hunter to Africa?
A: It all depends on the terrain, but in our area for plains game, any flat-shooting caliber. Such as .300, 7mm, 270,
Q: Which guns and ammo are you using to back-up on dangerous or wounded game?
A: For wounded game I like 7 mm.
Q: What was your closest brush with death?
A: It was that black mamba!
Q: How has the hunting industry changed in your opinion over the past number of years?
A: Clients really do not have so much time on hand to do a classic 14-day and longer safari. It is 10 to 12 days now, with the exception of dangerous game like a leopard. Also it has become more a family affair nowadays, which I think is great to introduce the younger generation to hunting.
Q: If you should suggest one thing to your hunting clients to improve their safari experience, with you, or with anyone else for that matter – what would it be?
A: Write down what happened every day and make sure you have quality photos of the day and the trophy.
Q: What can the industry do to contribute to the long-term conservation of Africa’s wildlife?
A: The industry already contributes massively to the long-term conservation of Africa’s wildlife. Without the industry there is no future for wildlife.
Q: What would be your ideal safari if you have one last safari?
A: It would be to guide one of my family members and try to share with them all around the fire in the evenings my vision for wildlife 50 years from now.
