Why does it take so long?

[BLKBEARKLR]

I seen that when I brought him one of the bears I got in, that thing was fricken huge, he had two guys helping him move it.

Joe

[boneaddict]

They're more fun to carry out nine miles to the truck. 

[BLKBEARKLR]

Should try shooting a 56 inch bull moose and only have your little bitty wife there to help you with that, one good thing had the four wheelers but was about 18 miles off the road.

Then silly me did not learn my lesson and went and did it again the next year, only difference is she shot it this time and not me.

[Elkstuffer]

That sounds really cool elk stuffer.  Its more fun haveing that acid drip down your forearm as you lift with all your might  and try not to bear hug the cape lifting it up to drain.

Been there, Done that!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Not sure exactly how much stuff I took to the tannery.  Probably arounf 30 pieces.  I know I still have some more stuff to take.  Probably another 5 or 6 pieces to take.

Yeah that was the hide alright.  That hide came off of a 6 year old Bull.  Imagine what a 12 year old bull's hide would look like.

Took me and another guy to flesh that thing and move it oround.  Than me and the owner lifted that sucker 6' onto the rack to drip dry after washing the blood out of the hair.  What really sucked was I took it out of my truck bed to thaw out.  Than had to load it back up in the bed of the truck to take it to the tannery.     I am just guessing but that thing had to have weighed around 150lbs.

BLKBEARKLR did you see it layed out on the floor in the shaving room salted? 

Call me nuts but I like working on those big hides.

[Elkstuffer]

When I first started out I had to take in anything that I could get to pay the bills. Anyway, I got a call from a gal that just butchered there Scottish Highlander bull. What a dumb a** I am. Sure, I said. Bring it on over. This thing taped out at 10.5 x 8.5 and weighed 125lbs after it was dried and ready to ship. That was when I was working out of a 19.5 x 20 garage. It damn near took up the hole floor. I think I used 300 lbs of salt on the thing.

After the tannery shaved it down and tanned it it still weighed about 80 lbs. It was the most beautiful hide I have ever done. I was hoping that they wouldn't come to pick it up. LOL

Oh the good ole days! I don't do those any more.

[BLKBEARKLR]

Michelle

Yes I did see it laid out on the floor, actually seen it take up the entire floor.

And since you asked so politely your nuts!!! HAHA, there is no fricken way I would ever take something like that on, I can promise you that if I get a call on something like that I will gladly give them your number.

I have about a 3 foot deep tub that I do a lot in and the other day had half a bull elk hide in there and had to dead lift that out of there after it was so wet , now granted it is not that bad but when you are 90% disabled that thing kicked my a$$.

And to make it even worse or better is I had the wife out there asking if I wanted some help.

Think I am going to rig up a super winch that I have and let that do the heavy stuff for me.

Joe

[bucklucky]

Michelle

.

And since you asked so politely your nuts!!! HAHA, there is no fricken way I would ever take something like that on, I can promise you that if I get a call on something like that I will gladly give them your number.





Joe

I told her the same thing 

[littlebuf]

got two mounts back this year in a little over 5 weeks, dropped um off about two weeks apart both blacktail mounts, great work. i really think it depends on the taxidermist, the whole reason this guy started was he was tired of waiting a year to get a freakin deer head back, so he prides himself on turning them over quickly

[Michelle_Nelson]

Is he just a part timmer?  I know a few taxidermist that started out for that reason.  Tired of waiting so long for a mount.  Eventually when they got enough work to go full time thier turn around was just like that rest of us.

Do people really think we puropsly keep their stuff for a year?  That we get some kind of thrill out of it or that we are just singling a few out?  Or maybe it's because we get some kind of interest from somewhere the longer we keep an animal in the shop?  I guess we could be doing it to see how many people we can piss off.  I don't get it.  Returning critters to their owners is how we make our $$.

So someone tell me what benifit or kick back we are getting by keeping your animal in our shop for a year?

I don't know the vibe I get from a couple of people is that they think their special and that their animal is going to be automaticlly moved up in line as soon as they drop it off?  What about the other critters that were dropped off befor yours?  I sure don't want to have to exlain to other customers why your getting special treatment because you don't want to wait in line.

One of these days I think I am going to do a break down of how many animals we have to mount in a month to cover shop, house, mnedical, incuranse, etc bills.

[Elkstuffer]

got two mounts back this year in a little over 5 weeks, dropped um off about two weeks apart both blacktail mounts, great work. i really think it depends on the taxidermist, the whole reason this guy started was he was tired of waiting a year to get a freakin deer head back, so he prides himself on turning them over quickly

Wow! I used to be that guy! Then word gets out and next thing you know you are burried up to your armpits in work. So don't get used to it Littlebuf. If he's that good it won't last.

Good post Michelle!!!

[Gobble Gobble]

I don't know the vibe I get from a couple of people is that they think their special and that their animal is going to be automaticlly moved up in line as soon as they drop it off?  What about the other critters that were dropped off befor yours?  I sure don't want to have to exlain to other customers why your getting special treatment because you don't want to wait in line.

Uuummmmmm YAHHHHH!!!!!!!!! And its because I'm cute and special and you like my avatar and cuz your soooo nice

You know I never thought this thread would last as long as it has. I have never had a mount done... YET.
I have just heard it takes about a year to get it back and I just wanted to know the process for any mount and how long each process takes. I do know there are others using the same taxi as me and that there are probably mounts before mine.

I do thank those who have put time & effort into long replies with detail of the mounting process. I have learned quite a bit From this thread as well as reading some of the other threads in this forum.