Finally!

OK, OK....I know the suspense is killing everyone to know what is in the crate.....
Ryan came home late Wednesday evening from LA....he couldn't wait to get his crowbar on that crate! Everyone waited on pins and needles to see what surprises awaited inside.
When he finally lifted the lid off THIS is what we saw....

Yep, you guessed it, African animals. These were the trophies from his 2006 hunt. It took quite a while for them to arrive because of customs and paperwork changes. But they are finally here.
Ryan and I carefully unloaded each animal. It took FOREVER to cut off the wrapping that each one had.
They all had a distinct smell that can only come from animals that have been packed in a crate for over 1 year. (Ryan found the packing slip and they were crated in March 2007)
This is what we unveiled inside....

A Bushbuck

The taxidermist was so pleased with this mount that it is on the cover of his brochure and the front page of his website.

The LARGEST, UGLIEST, Warthog I have ever seen!

EWWWWWWW. What ever happened to cute Pumbah?
I recall seeing the photo's of this pig and thinking how large it was...but it doesn't compare to seeing it in person!

A Leopard

....Ryan has been telling me for 2 years that the leopard was going to be mounted lying down leisurely on a log so it wouldn't take up so much room. He planned to hang it above the door in the casita. Guess we'll have to rethink that one.

A Cape Buffalo...

You might recall a few weeks back when I posted Ryans photo's from this year's African trip. It also had a Cape Buffalo. Lucky for us, we have TWO! (I know....you're jealous) This was mounted so the head was turned, so it wouldn't stand by itself. Parker about dropped the thing waiting for me to take the photo.
In the background of the next photo, you can see the Elephant tusks framing the leopard.

That year was supposed to primarily be a leopard and elephant hunt. Unfortunately Ryan was never able to get a shot at a good trophy worthy elephant. He had these tusks made up just as decorations in the trophy room.
Last but not least is this set of lovely Cape Buffalo Foot bookends and a pen holder made from a certain part of the male buffalo's anatomy. (a-hem)

We won't dwell on that photo...
I forgot to take photo's, but Ryan also had two gun cases created out of the buffalo hide. They are really beautiful.
So that's it...that's what was inside the big mystery crate. It really is exciting when Ryan's trophy's arrive. It weird to have him come home from a hunt with only pictures to show for it. It makes it much more real to see the animals in person. They are truly beautiful and Ryan should be proud to display them all (in the Casita)
Now if you were paying close attention to the photo's, you might notice that they weren't taken inside the Casita. Nope, in fact, they were taken right in our living room. You might ask if that's where they are going to stay. I mean, we do have a large open area right there just dying to have something placed in it.
For now I'm sticking to my guns. Ryan is going to take the tusks and warthog to the office. Not sure on the others yet.
He'll either need to...
a: get going on the Casita addition
b: purchase a bigger house
c: Offer to put them on display at the new Sportsman Warehouse that is opening soon.
d: stop hunting so we don't run into this problem again (Oops, too late for that one, remember we have a 14 foot crocodile coming in a year or so).
Guess I'd better start house hunting he he