What makes good taxidermy?

[Pathfinder101]

Eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes.....  That's the biggest thing.  If the eyes aren't set right, or too much clay gets built up around them your mount will look like a carp. 
I am also a stickler for ear placement.  Deer (especially mule deer) with their ears pushed out like a set of satellite dishes don't look natural (IMO).  When you think you have found a taxi you want to go with, go visit the shop and look at the eyes and ears on the deer there.  If they look like they are stuffed, go find another taxi.  The deer should look like it's about to move. 

I know you are looking to have a goat done, but I would judge a taxi's work by his deer.  If he can do a muley or a whitetail that looks like its gonna come off the wall and escape, that's a good taxi.  If it doesn't, keep looking.  There are lots of really good taxidermists in Washington State (and on this site), and most of them seem to charge about the same. 

[grundy53]

The eyes.

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[blindluck]

Eyes are a huge part of it along with ,tanning hide prep and so on, here is a good eye

[Stein]

I think the eyes and mouth are what separate them.  I don't know anything about the industry other than you can determine if it's good or junk in about four seconds.  I suppose long term there are differences in how it holds together, but I don't know.

When I chose a taxi for the only mount I have had done, I went with one with a ton of positive reviews and pics here that looked good.  He was expensive and took almost a year and it was worth the wait and money.  I really had second thoughts in getting it done at all due to the cost, but was glad my wife talked me into it.  He had a bunch of info on what to do with it until I dropped it off, quickly answered all e-mails and texts and was 100% up front with the cost, timeline and what the process was - very professional throughout.

Personally, I wouldn't mount anything that didn't have a ton of personal feelings tied with it, but for the one I did it turned out great.  I don't care much about size, it's all about reminding me of the experience and I wouldn't hesitate to mount another one for the right hunt.

[Pathfinder101]

Eyes are a huge part of it along with ,tanning hide prep and so on, here is a good eye

Bingo!  Who did that one?

[Rob]

Eyes are important, but I would argue ears are as (perhaps more) important as they really set the expression.  They say relaxed, worried, alert, upset, angry, etc.

My taxidermist (Jerry Huffaker of Texas) has me send photos of real animals that I want my mount to look like and then he mimics the mount after the photos (rather than send other mounts that I like).  Nothing is more realistic than a real animal to model after!

[daydreamn]

There are thousands of taxidermist's out there. Truth is most all of them have a lot of room for improvement. There's only a select few that truly know how to put an animal back together accurately and most of those guys have the ribbons to back their work.  A taxidermist is a nobody in the industry if he hasn't competed and earned the awards that elevate his work above the rest.  Most states have a taxidermy association that is made up of the more advanced, skilled and dedicated taxidermists. I would suggest you begin your search there. You should be able to find out who has competed in the last few years, the awards they have earned and the species they specialize in. Having said that I haven't lived in Wa. state for several years and don't know if Wa. has an association or not. If you want a good taxidermist ask them to show you the awards they have earned.

[Tenkara]

There are thousands of taxidermist's out there. Truth is most all of them have a lot of room for improvement. There's only a select few that truly know how to put an animal back together accurately and most of those guys have the ribbons to back their work.  A taxidermist is a nobody in the industry if he hasn't competed and earned the awards that elevate his work above the rest.  Most states have a taxidermy association that is made up of the more advanced, skilled and dedicated taxidermists. I would suggest you begin your search there. You should be able to find out who has competed in the last few years, the awards they have earned and the species they specialize in. Having said that I haven't lived in Wa. state for several years and don't know if Wa. has an association or not. If you want a good taxidermist ask them to show you the awards they have earned.

Not all good taxidermist have competed or have awards or ribbons to show for their artistic skills. 

[jackelope]

I always gravitate towards looking at the face, specifically the eyes. With that said, my billy will be my first piece of taxidermy work I have aside from euro mounts.
I'd ask the taxidermist if he's ever done a full body goat. I'd be willing to bet that  most have not. Maybe even a full body anything. Just have a look.  If you shoot a billy with good long hair, there's some forgiveness with the rest of the mount as the hair will hide some flaws.

Some pretty awesome goat mounts here. A couple I don't like too much.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=5031&forum=DCForumID8&archive=yes

A life sized mountain goat mount is huge. Rick at Cedar River Taxidermy is doing my goat...we opted for a wall pedestal. He told me to look at a lifesized mount as another full sized couch in your room, only taller.

[jackelope]

A killer full body mount.

[jackelope]

I like these 2 WA goats as well. The one on the left is pretty plain but is in pretty much exactly the same position as my goat when I first saw him. I’d like a mount like that to recreate a memory from the hunt.

[Rob]

I always gravitate towards looking at the face, specifically the eyes. With that said, my billy will be my first piece of taxidermy work I have aside from euro mounts.
I'd ask the taxidermist if he's ever done a full body goat. I'd be willing to bet that  most have not. Maybe even a full body anything. Just have a look.  If you shoot a billy with good long hair, there's some forgiveness with the rest of the mount as the hair will hide some flaws.

Some pretty awesome goat mounts here. A couple I don't like too much.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=5031&forum=DCForumID8&archive=yes

A life sized mountain goat mount is huge. Rick at Cedar River Taxidermy is doing my goat...we opted for a wall pedestal. He told me to look at a lifesized mount as another full sized couch in your room, only taller.

I am a huge fan of the wall pedestal.  I won't ever do a wall mount any other way.  It does require capeing a bit further back than the standard wall mount does though.

A few of my wall pedestals.  The elk is hard to get a good photo of.  it looks better in person.  And the gemsbok is just a standard wall mount, not a pedestal. 

[grade-creek-rd]

Here is a blog about choosing the right taxidermist...

http://www.theoutdoorline.com/blog/post/2018/11/01/choosing-the-right-taxidermist.aspx

Grade

[washingtonmuley]

I always gravitate towards looking at the face, specifically the eyes. With that said, my billy will be my first piece of taxidermy work I have aside from euro mounts.
I'd ask the taxidermist if he's ever done a full body goat. I'd be willing to bet that  most have not. Maybe even a full body anything. Just have a look.  If you shoot a billy with good long hair, there's some forgiveness with the rest of the mount as the hair will hide some flaws.

Some pretty awesome goat mounts here. A couple I don't like too much.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=5031&forum=DCForumID8&archive=yes

A life sized mountain goat mount is huge. Rick at Cedar River Taxidermy is doing my goat...we opted for a wall pedestal. He told me to look at a lifesized mount as another full sized couch in your room, only taller.

I am a huge fan of the wall pedestal.  I won't ever do a wall mount any other way.  It does require capeing a bit further back than the standard wall mount does though.

A few of my wall pedestals.  The elk is hard to get a good photo of.  it looks better in person.  And the gemsbok is just a standard wall mount, not a pedestal.

Rob,
I love the mounts. I will be doing wall pedestals on my African mounts that will be arriving in Seattle Monday. I can't wait!!

[Rob]

Thanks!

Who are you having do your taxidermy?  Can't wait to see that bushpig!