New taxidermist in town

[Coasthunterjay]

You guys are funny!

THANKS TO EVERYONE SERIOUSLY....this is all great information! And blkbearklr you will enjoy the yoxathon...Bill is a really stand up guy and he really knows his stuff...

I went to a yoxathon a while back and it was worth every penny! Get ready for a solid long 12-16 hour day...I think the second night we didn't finish till about 2 am....i was ready to keep going....lol..but personally the information i learned there was invaluable!

Oh and i didn't really have a choice in whether i kept working or not...I was forced out...Injured my shoulder and got a medical retirement..Not a great thing, but I'm 27 and get a small retirement check every month that just barely pays the bills...That and from everything Ive ever learned from my father and the military if your not willing to jump head first or spend some money, sweet, tears, and frustrations, you will never learn and never grow.

I really have been messing with this for a while now, just quietly because i hear you guys on here all the time bad talking it and i wanted to let you guys know that I'm here for the long haul!(I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE ALOT TO LEARN) and yah i understand that hunting for the most part is out of the question but i started learning after doing some guiding part time a few years back that i really fed off the reaction of people when they had the animals they harvested in there hands! Something about seeing the persons happiest moments relived as they share there story to me made me so happy! And i might not be able to hunt year round(i never have), but i can still hunt a couple days out of the season and not worry that its going to hurt my business to much!

and my wife is currently taking business classes at the local college and is going to help me run my business and while i was in the Coast Guard i helped manage and budget multimillion dollar accounts. So a few thousand here and a few thousand here will be a cake walk. Just understanding that i have to take care of it is going to put me ahead of the ones who don't.

THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS GUYS! and the angle of the picture does make it look like its smiling, when its on the wall it looks alot more familiar(had to do it, Never mounted a bugling bull before so i had to try it at least once so my customers could see it.  ). Ill be glad to share more pictures with you all as they come up...The season should be a good one! THANKS!

Oh and if anyone would like to come to my show room any time after the 28th of AUG you are more than welcome to come take a look at my fine work!

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL...AND I HIGHLY APPRICIATE THE CAUTIOUS COMMENTS!

[Austrian Hunter]

Good Luck to you!!  I think you will be doing just fine!!!!! Don't let anyone talk you out of your dream!  

[markts]

Congrats again bro-Keep us posted with pics. Mark

[Coasthunterjay]

THANKS MARKTS, and austrian hunter i appriciate the kind words...!

Hey blckbearklr i just wanted to say thanks and let you know i like your introduction alot.....Says enough with out it being to much!

Bucklucky thanks for being honest!

I really want to thank everyone and hope that i can earn your guys respect and trust..i know that when i first came on this website several years ago i came on here with a very loud, immature, and obnoxious additude towards things and well with age and life changing incidenses ive really learned that things that i thought where more important were not and that i needed to make some life changes and mellow out. Life is right in front of me, and with the way i was going i was doing nothing special....So really honeslty i appriciate the truth from all you guys....only way im going to suceed is by growing and fixing things and being constantly challenged and told how to become better and what to watch out for......

My mouth is shut and my ears are open, or in the forum case my eyes are open...! lol... so i plan on taking in everything that you all have to say and teach me!

SO THANKS, AJ

[PacificNWhunter]

Congrats man! Those critters look good.

[oneezreiter]

Coast, if you may want to look at persuing your degree also.  The post 9/11 GI bill offers a housing stipend if you are a full time student.  Full time is not that hard for most military guys to handle and still dedicate most of there time to work.  It would get you your degree and help with the bills until your business is established.  Also talk to the local VA rep about small business.  They have a lot of programs and information that can help.  Astoria is a cool little town, I grew up there and still have a lot of family running around down there.

[Pathfinder101]

I think Charlie specializes in deer, his are about the best out there.

 

[bowtech721]

coasthunter did you go to second nature? looks like it from the pics.... i was there in the spring and learned alot. Good luck to you and dont let anybody squash you down about it  Ive gotten that from quite a few people too but not really on this site because I dont really post about it but anyway you should do fine if you stick with it 

[Michelle_Nelson]

dont let anybody squash you down about it  Ive gotten that from quite a few people too but not really on this site because I dont really post about it

BLKBEARKLR and Bucklucky are not squashing Coasthunterjay oy anyone for that matter at all.  I agree with both of them 110%.  Taxidermy is not an easy field to get into and make a ton of or easy money.  Your hunting time will be reduced to almost nothing.  Would you much rather we lie to you guys?   If we did and we gave you the wrong impression on what you guys are going to go through trying to set up and establish a shop than we are doing neither of you any favors.

[bucklucky]

Nice reply Mich!  I was actually going to post something along those lines of what you just said earlier. I just posted what is reality and wanted to share. Like I have said before, Ive seen alot of taxi's come and go because of what I stated. I wish you neew guys well and hope you make a good buisness at the feild you chose. I will help with any questions you guys may have. I enjoy helping others out with there questions if I can give a descent answer. I can truely say, I dont know everything when it comes to Taxidermy but I can tell people what I have learned whether it be the hard way from not listening to good sound advice from some good taxidermist or actually listening to it. Now back to a couple bears I go 

[cohoho]

Good Luck Jay ----  Owning your own business is hard for sure and tough not to quit when it gets rough, but stay at and learn everything you can, market it right and be the best you can and always give 120% if your serious in growing the business, always provide upmost respect for customers and be a positive image on sites like this and you'll gain business for sure....

I put a half ass attempt to a previous business, as I wanted it for the wrong reasons (time off) and we'll it is the reason I am back working for the man!  Do take advantage of the Post 911 GI Bill as you might be able to utilize it towards your business, you earned it, so use it! 

Finally -  Learn to do a reproduction of a big old fat Over sized 9 foot Sturgeon..................   (for cost) and you got another customer....

[Coasthunterjay]

Finally -  Learn to do a reproduction of a big old fat Over sized 9 foot Sturgeon..................   (for cost) and you got another customer....

NOW THATS FUNNY! COST...lol...holy cow...I actually enjoy painting fish alot!


I hear what you guys are saying ..ts gonna be hard...I know this...and i expect it to be...otherwise it would be boring...and i just want to let you know that im not in this to make big bucks...I honestly enjoy doing taxidermy and if i can learn to make a living doing this i will! I lived off of 25k A YEAR AND LIVED HAPPILY for 7yrs.... and with my wife going to school i transfered my post 9/11 benefits to her which will allow her to utilize the benefits 100%...Im not stupid i new who would use them to there full potential and made a decision...

IM A TAXIDERMIST AND PROUD OF IT! SO YOU ALL WILL BE HEARING FROM ME IN THE FUTURE...thanks again to all my friends out there!