Anyone missing their 2023 antlers - All Tales Taxidermy Graham

[cougfan79]

Before people that have been affected by the owner of All Tales Taxidermy start bashing their experience working with them, I want to say that is not why I am posting this.  I have used this lady for multiple years and have always had a good experience until recently.  For those that don’t know, she no longer lives where she used to and was rumored to have moved to Kentucky.  I did a lot of research to track down my antlers that I had dropped of there in hope of getting them back.  Out of nowhere I received a rather large package (I hadn’t ordered anything) with no return address and it was my antlers.  What I also found in the box was someone else’s antlers.  I am hoping to do a good deed and help them get back to their owner.  If anyone on here recognizes them or knows someone that has lost their antlers to the unfortunate closure & voluntary disappearance of the owner and they look like these, pm me.

The name on them can not be made out, date says 2023, and there is a number that I assume may correlate with the receipt is legible.

[elkoholic]

That is a Sitka blacktail...
 

[millerwheeler]

Good on you , really hope you connect with the owner

[millerwheeler]

Those are a Sitka blacktail...

Looks like tag maybe attached maybe could call
Alaska have them search tag #?

[7mmfan]

Those are a Sitka blacktail...

Looks like tag maybe attached maybe could call
Alaska have them search tag #?

   See if there is a legible ID number or tag number on the yellow metal tag. ADFG may be able to help out.

[cougfan79]

Never hunted Alaska so didn’t know what the yellow tag was.  I will definitely call them

[TriggerMike]

Why are so many taxidermists so weird?

[bearhunter99]

Why are so many taxidermists so weird?

I have know a couple personally.  In my opinion it takes a truly artistic person to bring a mount to life.  The only problem is that the "artists" are very rarely good at business practices (not saying all artists are, but that is what I have seen) and wind up working themselves into a hole that is tough to get out of.  In a perfect world a taxidermist would have the artist working on mounts and a separate person taking care of the business side of things but with the margins on taxidermy it is tough to justify the extra expenditure.....

[Rob]

Why are so many taxidermists so weird?

I have know a couple personally.  In my opinion it takes a truly artistic person to bring a mount to life.  The only problem is that the "artists" are very rarely good at business practices (not saying all artists are, but that is what I have seen) and wind up working themselves into a hole that is tough to get out of.  In a perfect world a taxidermist would have the artist working on mounts and a separate person taking care of the business side of things but with the margins on taxidermy it is tough to justify the extra expenditure.....

100% spot on.  Left brain vs. Right brain.

[TriggerMike]

Why are so many taxidermists so weird?

I have know a couple personally.  In my opinion it takes a truly artistic person to bring a mount to life.  The only problem is that the "artists" are very rarely good at business practices (not saying all artists are, but that is what I have seen) and wind up working themselves into a hole that is tough to get out of.  In a perfect world a taxidermist would have the artist working on mounts and a separate person taking care of the business side of things but with the margins on taxidermy it is tough to justify the extra expenditure.....

100% spot on.  Left brain vs. Right brain.

Makes sense.

[dilleytech]

Why are so many taxidermists so weird?

It’s a tough job that almost every Taxedermists learns is a terrible job to do eventually. Then they stop caring. I know one good Taxedermist. Oregon taxedermi. But they are extremely rare.

Far too many horror stories similar to meat shops.  I have tried 4 Taxedermists. 1 was good. But the only thing I have done any more is bear hides. Skull mounts are so much cooler then shoulder mounts and you can finish one in an evening.

[crazywednesday]

Before people that have been affected by the owner of All Tales Taxidermy start bashing their experience working with them, I want to say that is not why I am posting this.  I have used this lady for multiple years and have always had a good experience until recently.  For those that don’t know, she no longer lives where she used to and was rumored to have moved to Kentucky.  I did a lot of research to track down my antlers that I had dropped of there in hope of getting them back.  Out of nowhere I received a rather large package (I hadn’t ordered anything) with no return address and it was my antlers.  What I also found in the box was someone else’s antlers.  I am hoping to do a good deed and help them get back to their owner.  If anyone on here recognizes them or knows someone that has lost their antlers to the unfortunate closure & voluntary disappearance of the owner and they look like these, pm me.

The name on them can not be made out, date says 2023, and there is a number that I assume may correlate with the receipt is legible.

Holy sh!t, those are my antlers. PM incoming. I killed that buck in Kodiak October of last year.

Justin

[Griiz]

I've used 3 taxidermists through the years and they all seemed normal everyday quality individuals that I enjoyed chatting and doing business with. I'm glad I haven't had the bad dealings I read about off and on with some other taxidermists.

[PsoasHunter]

Wow! I initially read this thread thinking that's a small chance of finding the owner, but well done coug fan! That's awesome you were able to find the owner.

[HntnFsh]

Before people that have been affected by the owner of All Tales Taxidermy start bashing their experience working with them, I want to say that is not why I am posting this.  I have used this lady for multiple years and have always had a good experience until recently.  For those that don’t know, she no longer lives where she used to and was rumored to have moved to Kentucky.  I did a lot of research to track down my antlers that I had dropped of there in hope of getting them back.  Out of nowhere I received a rather large package (I hadn’t ordered anything) with no return address and it was my antlers.  What I also found in the box was someone else’s antlers.  I am hoping to do a good deed and help them get back to their owner.  If anyone on here recognizes them or knows someone that has lost their antlers to the unfortunate closure & voluntary disappearance of the owner and they look like these, pm me.

The name on them can not be made out, date says 2023, and there is a number that I assume may correlate with the receipt is legible.

Holy sh!t, those are my antlers. PM incoming. I killed that buck in Kodiak October of last year.

Justin

That is awsome!

[wadu1]

How cool is that, way to go @cougfan79

[Fletch]

CrazyWednesday indeed... that is fitting for that match

[cougfan79]

Update.  Justin from above is indeed the owners of the antlers and Alaska Fish & Game was kind enough to confirm.  He and I will be in touch shortly to arrange a time to get them back to him.  Happy this all worked out.

Aaron

[snit]

That really is a cool end to a potentially chitty story! So glad everything worked out!!

A local, long-term taxidermist let my full-size Shiras bull moose hide rot in his homemade "cooler", while he was waiting to flesh it out...then he waited about 8 months to tell me about the situation. He was going to have it tanned for me, so I could have it on my bannister. I knew something was up when he wasn't answering my calls, but then I called him from my buddies phone and he answered. "Yea man, I've been dreading this conversation...your hide turned green, it must have been something YOU did wrong." (the hide was in fine shape when I dropped it off, and he confirmed it when he put it in his "new" A/C controlled, cobbled together "cooler". I was quite irritated, and all he said was, "sorry about your luck".

It could have been worse though, (I soon told myself) as I've been fortunate enough to draw a moose permit in both WA & ID, and I had the WA bull shoulder mounted. People do some flaky things in life.

[bearpaw]

This is great to see, well done! 

[LHaub]

I knew this was coming, I took a blacktail there a few years back, she completely ruined it. When I picked up the mount after 3 years with a big bald spot on the back of the head neck area, she told me that a cougar got ahold of him or something. I had lots of field pictures and of it hanging in the shop while I caped it out to take it there, It was in perfect condition. Im glad she moved on!

[Rainier10]

Huntwa is on quite a streak here lately of hooking people up with lost stuff. Amazing work.

[Gentrys]

Nice having quality people like Cougfan on this forum.