WHo's your favorite TAXIDERMIST?

[BLKBEARKLR]

Hi Guy's and Gal's, I not a mammal guy nor will I ever be one.  To much passion for the birds.  I'm not trying to start anything here because I don't do mammals and I'm kind of ignorant about the procedure on them, but 2 1/2 years and 4 1/2 years to get your mount back???  Is that normal?   John

Nope------- You start getting over a year need to look at what your doing and why.

Most descent Taxis that have been around for a while and have a clientel built up are around a year - year and a half some even longer than that. See, there are newer guys all over the place that are under a year turn around (I used to be one of them). Me personally had a few major slow downs that put me behind, new kiddo and  been fighting tannery let downs and am trying to make up ground from that. Thats why I have put in my own mini tannery this year (not cheap) to take care of most of my own tanning. Best people to rely on is yourself.There are always going to be obstickles to hurdle, its how you hurdle them that makes a differance,  Im hoping this move help things flow a little smoother instead of waiting on capes  . I would say yes, 2 1/2 years or longer is a bit long. I agree with joe, start getting too much over that year turn around and you need to re-evaluate what you are doing as I have done. Hopefully with the changes I have made I will be able to get cought up and on track, thats tough to do sometimes. And yes, I work 7 days a week, maybee not full days but Im doing something in the shop every day.

7 days a week in the shop??? All work and no play makes you grumpy!  Like a lil redheaded demon child!!!!  Sounds like you are on the right track with the tannery, and agree 100% best one to rely on is yourself.

[Kuduman]

Bucklucky:

 You absolutely right. I've been tanning my own deer and elk for 10 years and I couldn't be happier. Better tan, Faster turnaround and thinner hide for more stretch and best of all if I put a hole in it I can chew my own a$$.
You'll really appreciate a good tannery when you start tanning yourself. Sometimes I wonder what kind of morons some of these tanneries hire when you get a skin back that looks like Swiss cheese. It's really not that hard. Just takes practice.

What kind of shaver did you purchase. I have a research table model and it works great I just need to change the blade every year after doing about 50 or so deer, elk and assorted african capes.

Thanks
Jeff

A.K.A. Kuduman

[bucklucky]

   Joe

I have a dakota 5 Ive had for years. I used to tan all my own stuff but the past 4 years have been using a tannery. Great results from the start but had issues the past 2 years. So far so good with the in house tanning. I ended up having a wet drum built which that in itself took 3 months longer than I was told I would have it. I ordered it the end of august and got it the end of december . Seems like a guy just cant get away from setbacks sometimes  Got a real good supplier for my chemicals, and its nice to have  good consultant with 25 yers in the tanning industry to call with any questions I have. I hope to upgrade my flesher next year.

[BLKBEARKLR]

Charlie,

If you want to try mine one time let me know, I have the quebec lite. Works great. Once I get my 40x60 shop built I will look into the tanning process right now it is hard enough to mount a deer with a caribou antler poking me up the backside.

Joe

[bucklucky]

I was looking into the S@S fleshing machine. Pretty spendy but man, pretty sure its the cats meow of fleshing machines. Those Quebecs are supposed to be pretty nice.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Most descent Taxis that have been around for a while and have a clientel built up are around a year - year and a half some even longer than that.

 

[Whitelightning]

Well I will probably have two, Garth out at Fidalgo did a mule deer for me very nice work.

 Michelle Nelson is doing a Bear for me and from what I have seen of her work I am expecting excellent work also.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I was looking into the S@S fleshing machine. Pretty spendy but man, pretty sure its the cats meow of fleshing machines. Those Quebecs are supposed to be pretty nice.

I just looked at that S&S, that thing is sweet.

Most descent Taxis that have been around for a while and have a clientel built up are around a year - year and a half some even longer than that.

 

I still dont see it, if you have less than a 100 customers, should be done with in a year with no issues, if you have over that then hire someone, for either your fleshing, repairs, or cleaning up the shop. That is what is called re-evaluation.   

I think Charlie is doing the right thing with his own tanning process, that eliminates the turn around time for a tannery. But it adds a lot more work for each individual animal.  I wish I had the space to do it.

Joe

[jackmaster]

sorry to bust someones bubble, but if your looking to have a deer or elk head done you might give jack page of mineral lake taxidermy, his blacktails are like no other, my family has had countless blacktails done there and you get them back in under 6 months and when you hang them on the wall they look so alive that it will take you instantly back to the time you whacked it.

[trophyhunt]

Zach at Rainier Taxidermy by far is the best IMO.  It may take him a little longer than the normal place but you get the best job out there, and the time it takes helps me pay off the mount anyway. He also does meat processing now and his jalapeno Cheddar summer sausage is to die for.

[WCTaxidermy]

Well all I have to say is that if it takes 2 years or 6 months, after seeing Charlies, Joes, Michelles and Jeff's work, it's worth the wait.  Oustanding work!   John

[Pathfinder101]

Hopefully Charlie when I get my bucks back! 

 
Hopefully Michelle when I get my buck back 

Seriously, I think Michelle and Charlie both do great work.  Josh Ludeman out of Kettle Falls is great too, but spendy.  I'll second what everyone else is saying about Phil Soucy and cats.  He's the bomb.  WCTaxidermy does the best birds I have seen 

[throttlejocky20]

I would have to say Peters Its worth the money and wait  Recently I have been using summit creek and so far extremly happy.

[duckmen1]

peter's taxidermy near spanaway is the best
lots of other taxidermists do a great job but we have had deer, elk, bear, bobcat, cougar, coyote, ducks, grouse mounted, skulls bleached and hides tanned
they do a torrific job

[elkaholic123]

I have only used Lifelike taxidermy in Marysville Wa. Bernie Holt does very nice work!Charlie's work looks exceptional also,he is doing a euro for me.