Whats an acceptable time frame on getting your animal back

[RightPlace-RightTime]

Whats the average time frame to get a deer mount back by?  Whats acceptable?  Whats to long?

[RadSav]

Depends on how good you want it to look!

A real artist that takes pride in their work usually has a good back log of animals waiting for him or her to bring a trophy back to life.  I expect eight months to a year for some of the really good ones.

If I wanted one that has a sh**! looking grin on it's face, no life, white spots and doesn't capture the memories of the animal I harvested?  Then I'd say four months is a lifetime too long.

[sirmissalot]

I've never had anything take much longer than a year besides one bear rug I'm waiting on. Most good taxidermists say a year give or take a couple months. I have a blacktail mount that was done locally here in Shelton and it only took him 3 months, its as good as any blacktail shoulder mount I've ever seen but thats not the norm this guy just didn't have a huge back log due to an injury he had so he wasn't accepting animals for a while. I also have a mule deer wall pedistal that was done in 6 months, its my best looking muley mount I have. One of my good friends is a taxidermist in Wyoming, he does a crazy amount of work every year over half of it being African game and he still manages to get all of his work done in right around a year, he prides himself in museum quality work while still maintaining a reasonable turn around. I sent him a bear in september and he already got the hide back from the tannery and is working on the form and background scene.

[Bean Counter]

I was curious about this when I stopped by Michelle's place. She took the time to point our various works in process, equipment needed,etc etc. as Rad Sav pointed out you can get em to train wreck through it but it will look like just that. Also, some elements that add time to the process don't make a.difference in how it looks right away, but you'll notice 10 years from now.

Take the time.to do it right so that it takes less time.

[tmike]

A long time frame and quality don't always go together. The last taxidermist I used did really quality work and had a good turn around (around 1 year). Then for some reason his work slid and the last mount I got took 2 years and was crappy. He was out of Montana. I don't have a problem with waiting for quality as long as there is honest communication along the way.

[longknife]

Olympic took me 2 years!  Back when the government was shut down, and the mount was held in a postoffice til they reopened!

It will feel like 5 years!!

[KillBilly]

  You'll just have to mount something else till it comes back   

[400out]

if yo usee it at a sportsmans show, it's been to long 

[buckhorn2]

I have learned to ask about how long to expect it done and that better quality takes time but I talked a friend into taking his elk to a well know taxidermist and it;s been 16 months now my buddy thinks he should have picked his own.

[gasman]

Been waiting over a year for my antelope from Charlie. He does excellent work so I am not worried about it and know I will be happy when it is done 

I an sure it will be a work of art.

(But sure wish it would be done soon  )

[RadSav]

Keep in regular contact with your taxidermist.  Especially when you think time is running long.  I had a monster Javalina at a taxidermist that had been in business for 25 years.  I did not call until the 10th month.  Found out the guy had passed away and everything there was tied up in some legal crap.  The building burnt down a week later with my Javi still inside.  Had I called sooner perhaps I could have gotten it out before it was lost.

[jjdavis2222]

 I agree that if you want it done right it takes longer. But I have a freind how turned his into a "well known taxidermist" and he told him 12-14 months (which soounds fair.) But its been 15 months and he still has 15-20 amnimals in front of his. I think that a taxidermist should be responsiable enough not to take on too much work. Once he takes on too much work what he already told his clients are now lies.

[NWBREW]

  Found out the guy had passed away and everything there was tied up in some legal crap.  The building burnt down a week later 

Well that makes me feel better.   

Charlie.........start eating healthy and take that stove out of your shop. 

[Pathfinder101]

 

[Hawgdawg]

do your own work its not that hard. Plus read the fine print on the paper work, they are not responsable for nothing. Kiss you booner good by if its someone you don't know.
FYI the lastest thing is there shops getting broke into and the critters selling on e bay.