Taxidermist Troubles

[bgreen]

Just a bit of information about a local ( Port Orchard ) Taxidermist ( not Stokes )  and my troubles so it won't happen to you. The short version is, this taxidermist ruined my bear hide I took him to small claims court and won. He had 30 days to pay the court ordered money to me and he did not pay. I attempted to contact him several times to resolve the issue and he refuses to pay. I would never send any business to this guy. 

[bucklucky]

How did he ruin the bearhide?

[Michelle_Nelson]

I know a taxidermist in Port Orchard.  Curious, how did he ruin your bear hide?

[bowhunterty]

Which one?  My buddy shot a bear last night and the guy was suppose to come out and take care of it today.

[billythekidrock]

bgreen - How about more info? When and where was the bear killed? How long did the taxi have it? What did he do to ruin it?

Don't drop a bomb and run.

[boneaddict]

It would be nice to here the whole story.  Who it was, what money he had to pay you,....like deposit or what.  Don't you sign a waiver that says bummer dude if I mess up, those kind of things.  I really don't think its slander if you tell the truth.  I wouldn't recommend him because......

[bgreen]

again a very long story.shortened for here.
 October 2006 shot a bear dropped it off to Wings to Tails Taxidermy, paid a deposit.  several phone messages,  E mails etc I found out there had been no work done to the bear as of August of 2007. So I requested to get my bear back and take it to somebody who would be able to mount it. I finally was able to pick up the bear In August with the taxidemist having done nothing to the hide, he also keep my deposit. I took the hide to another taxidermist who told me it was rotten which you could tell was the case from both the smell of the frozen hide and the color of the frozen meat. So I sued on September 26 2007 ( and won ) Now the taxidermist I sued is refusing to me. The Taxidermist had 30 days to pay me or work out a payment plan, he never has attempted to contact me. That's the story. I know things happen maybe he has done good work before. I just know that my dealing with this guy have been less than favorable.

[Antlershed]

This isn't the first bad story I have heard about Jim at WTT....I have no first hand experience with him though, so I can't directly comment.

[Michelle_Nelson]

OK thats not enough info for me.

When did you shoot it? 

How long after you shot it did you skin it?

After you skinned it, how long befor you got it to the taxidermst?

How did you store the hide befor you got it to the taxidermist?

If you didn't skin it, How long after you shot it did it take you to get it to the taxidermist?

Did the taxidermist say anything to you about the smell of the hide when you brought it to him?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Did the taxidermist skin the bear out?

If it was skinned befor you took it to the taxidermist did he put it right in the freezer?

If you froze the bear did you wad the hide up with the head in the middle of the hide?  of did you fold it leaving the head on the out side.

These may not sound like important questions but they are.

[Michelle_Nelson]

No it is not an interrogation!

I believe Bucklucky and Boneaddict understand where I am going with these questions.

Also, befor any of you begin to think I am siding with the Taxidermist, I am NOT.  

If the taxidermist did not take proper care of this hide than he needs to suck it up and pay up!  If Bgreen miss handled the hide than it is a whole nother ball game.  I just don't want to see a taxidermist name strung through the mud if Bgreen had a hand in his hide being rotten.

Bgreen's story is a little vauge.  Their is realy no detailed information their.  That is why I am asking him the questions.  To fill in the gaps.

[Michelle_Nelson]

LOL... I forgot my maners.   

[bgreen]

This seems allot like my court case regarding this ( which I won )  but here you go

When did you shoot it?  I shot the Bear on October 14 2006

How long after you shot it did you skin it? I skinned the Bear when I got home about 2 hrs later

After you skinned it, how long before you got it to the taxidermist? Bear was brought to taxidermist on October 16

How did you store the hide before you got it to the taxidermist? The hide was stored in a refrigerator

If you didn't skin it, How long after you shot it did it take you to get it to the taxidermist?

Did the taxidermist say anything to you about the smell of the hide when you brought it to him? There was NO foul odor and nothing was said by the taxidermist when I was there going over which type of mount I wanted

[Michelle_Nelson]

Sounds like you did just about everything Right!  One thing I would mention is do not store hides in the refrigerator if at all possible longer than 12 hours.  Get them into a freezer as soon as possible and fold them.  Do not roll them. 

It sound like either one of the taxidermists left the hide out of the freezer way to long.  Either waited to long to put it into the freezer or waited to long to start preping it after they pulled it out. 

Most of the hides that come into my shop get split turned and salted as soon as they come in the shop.  I only freeze if I have to.  If the cape is iffy (prone to slip) It gets preped and salted right away, no exception!

[bgreen]

Michelle
This whole process is very upsetting to me. This was my first Black bear. The next bear I get I will send to you.