When is too long to wait for a mount?

[Ihookum]

  My buddy shot a dandy blacktail lare buck of 06. He took the bucktoo get mounted the next day.

Still no buck back. I think he should go get it back and take it somewhere else. I sthis to long of time to get a quality headmount back??

[Michelle_Nelson]

It really depends on who you take it to.  A few shops are backlogged 1-2 years.  Others  less than a year.  The average being 1 year.  If your buddy is concerned he should call the taxidermist and talk to him and see where he is at on it.  Ask for a completion date on the deer.

  I would say 2 years is a long time to wait for a shoulder mount deer.  Most shops require a deposit before they begin working on an animal.  Did this taxidermist require one and if so was it paid?

I try to keep my turn around between 6 months to a 1 year for shoulder mounts.  I very really ever exceed a year unless it is Life Size or a specialty piece.

[billythekidrock]

My buddy shot a dandy blacktail lare buck of 06. He took the bucktoo get mounted the next day.

Still no buck back. I think he should go get it back and take it somewhere else. I sthis to long of time to get a quality headmount back??

Is it Alden?

[actionshooter]

My buddy shot a dandy blacktail lare buck of 06. He took the bucktoo get mounted the next day.

Still no buck back. I think he should go get it back and take it somewhere else. I sthis to long of time to get a quality headmount back??

Thats what I was wondering   

Is it Alden?

[bobcat]

My buck that I killed November 8th in the Entiat in '04 I had back before Christmas of that year. That was at the Bear's Den which is right next to Aldens. I sure wouldn't want to wait 2 years. That's ridiculous.

[PolarBear]

Most folks dont realize that a good taxidermist can have a hundred or more mounts to do at a time.  It is damn near impossible to crank them out in a timely fashion.  I know one guy who does it on the side who got 48 heads to do last fall alone and he has a full time job on top of it all.  I wouldnt want to get my hard earned trophy back within a couple of months, chances are that there were some shortcuts done for the sake of speed.  My cousin shot a nice 7x9 mulie buck, took it to a taxidermist in Shelton and got it back within 2 months.  It looked like a wet dog that had been hit by a car.  The guy was in such a hurry to get it out of his shop that he did absolutely no detail work and ruined a buck of a lifetime.  He also only paid $150.00 for a shoulder mount so I guess you get what you pay for.

[Ihookum]

It is Alden. My friend paid in full and it has'nt even been started yet. I would'nt put up with it but he thinks it will be worth it.

[Hunting Cowboy]

I agree with Michelle. It really does depend on who you take it too. There is a popular taxidermist up our way who is backed 2 years. He's very popular and expensive but does top notch work. He also is up front about his time line.
 
When there is a huge volume coming into a small shop it's ridiculous to expect your buck back a month later. Before you leave your trophy, you should have an idea on a time line. When I was doing taxidermy, my time line was 9 months to a year.

[bucklucky]

I have to chime in here. I can tell you that most of the truely good to great taxidermists are going to have a back log of probably around 2 years or a little more. Most of the taxidermists that are under a year are probably doing production line kind of work , which means they do not take the time to get the proper  detail added into the forms that need to be there to make them look alive. Probably arent having there capes tanned by a profesional that truely knows there art of tanning, yes tanning is a whole nother profesion. Probably uses lesser suplies to keep the costs down etc, etc, etc...

  With that said, I am talking about FULL TIME taxidermists. Then you get into the part timers , They shouldnt have a turn around time of over a year at all. If they do they should be going full time, but thats my opinion.
 
   Now , if a Taxidermist says it will be done in a year or less, it should take about that to complete. Now if he dropped it off and didnt get an estimate on the completion time then I would say that its gona get done when it gets done. Not much you can say there. Now If a person is willing to wait that 2 to 3 years  to get the mount done , it should be something special, really lifelike and realistic, great quality. A mount you cant tell from the real living animal. Most of you probably have never seen mounts like this. I dont know of many Taxidermists in Washington that do this kind of work.

    I am a year or less on my mounts, and I have a good turn around because I have been full time for 11 months. I am doing the best I can to try and keep all of my mounts to under a year on turn around and my prices will rise as demand rises to try and keep it like undeer a year.

   Just remember, Sometimes patients is the Key to Quality.

  So My response to the origional question is: For great quality work, I think a 2 year turn around is O.K if  the stated turn around time from the taxidermist is just that, 2 years. If the guy is willing to wait for 2 years, there is nothing wrong with it. Alden does some of the nicest work around, better than most or all   of the Taxidermists around this area. I know of taxidermists that talk down of Alden , but to me its just gelousy. Personaly I dont know the guy. Heard he can be a jerk though.

[actionshooter]

If a taxidermist is backed up that long they need to let the customer know. Also what about the taxidermist who doesn't work in order the animal was received but takes care of the larger customers first?

[billythekidrock]

It is Alden. My friend paid in full and it has'nt even been started yet. I would'nt put up with it but he thinks it will be worth it.

Going on two years for my brothers bear rug from Alden. At $1200 it should have been done a year ago.

[bucklucky]

If a taxidermist is backed up that long they need to let the customer know. Also what about the taxidermist who doesn't work in order the animal was received but takes care of the larger customers first?

I let them know, but isnt that something the customer needs to ask before they drop something off?

  ANd the second question, I try and go down the list in order , but the capes dont always get done and back in order. So I do have to jump around a little bit. As for other taxidermists Big customers mean big money right, what would you do?

[bucklucky]

Going on two years for my brothers bear rug from Alden. At $1200 it should have been done a year ago.
[/quote]

  From what I hear from customers, that bear probably wont even be thought about for another 2 years

[billythekidrock]

Going on two years for my brothers bear rug from Alden. At $1200 it should have been done a year ago.

  From what I hear from customers, that bear probably wont even be thought about for another 2 years
[/quote]

If he is even the one doing the work. I heard he ships most of them out anymore.

[bucklucky]

There are alot of taxidermists shipping out rugs nowadays, there is alot of time involved hence the price!

[Michelle_Nelson]

  You know what in a perfect world the only taxidermists that have a 2 year turn around should be the best in the industry.  Sorry guys it just doesn't work like that.  This isn't a perfect world!  I have seen really horrible work come from taxidermists with a 2 year back log.  Why because their too cheap and they attract the price shoppers.  So for any one to say "Ohhh, he must do great work because it takes 2 years" is really looking to get screwed. 

With that said I have seen really Great work come from taxidermists with a less than 1 year turn around.  I've seen crappy work come from full time and part time taxidermists alike.

Basicly what it boils down to is what "YOU" are looking for in a mount!  Most of you scout befor you go hunting don't ya?  Well don't go shoot something and than take it to the first taxidermist you look up in the phone book or to the taxidermist your buddy recomends.  Do your own reasurch!  Call a couple Taxidermists and ask them questions.  Look at their work.   When you look at their work ask to see customer work, NOT competition work.  Their is a world of difference. 

[billythekidrock]

The best work I ever saw had been done by the cheapest buy in town.

[bucklucky]

The only thing I do different on a competition mount versus a customer mount is the septum, and I dont mean those cheap lookin speed septums. 

  Who said the only Taxidermists that have a 2 year turnaround are the best in the industry? That there is a whole other subject I dont want to get into.

 So Billy whos the Taxidermist?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Bucklucky I was not refering to you when I made the competion work comment.  It was a generalized statement.  I know quite a few taxidermists that fill their show rooms with competition work to impress their customers.  When you compare their customer work to their competition work their is a big difference.

I said in a "perfect world" the only taxidermists to have a 2 year back log should be the best in the industry! 

[bucklucky]

Gotcha!

[Michelle_Nelson]

   Your reading to fast!

[bucklucky]

I thought you were

[Jackjr]

I had a bobcat tanned by the same taxidermist.  I was told 6 months to get it tanned.  I got it back in 13 months.  Just my 2 cents.   He does do nice work so I cant complain about that.

[RubblesPH]

My experience is that it depends on the taxi and how much work they have.  Like Michelle suggested, you should do your homework before you drive off the mountain and stop to drop off your trophy.  

The more popular taxidermist are likely going to cost more and take longer to get your trophy back to you.  These are generally the taxi's that are in high demand and take in a lot of mounts and need time to get them done.

It takes a lot of time/work and a large number of mounts to make a decent living.  

On average I would guesstimate it takes a minimum of (Michell, Bucklucky, huntingcowboy, others correct me if I'm way off) 16 hours hands on work per shoulder mount.  This includes: phone call from customer, appointment for drop off, listen to hunters story/BS with them, paper work/down payment, flesh, turn eyes/ears/lips/etc, salt, resalt in a couple days, package to ship to tanner, pay tannery, deal with UPS person, order form/eyes/chem/clay/etc, receive shipping, prep the hide for mounting, prep the form, actually mount it, drying time, paint/finish/etc, contact customer, customer pickup/BS/paper work....done!  That is if everything is spot on....cape comes in great condition from the hunter, tanner does a great job, materials are correct and cape fits well, minimal modeling, hunter doesn't want to give his last 20 years of hunting experience, etc.  All that in a conservative 16 hours!

Now take into account expenses: form, chem, eyes, paste, shipping, tanning, bondo, glue, brushes, combs, needles, thread, knives, salt, clay, business license, business tax, lights, heat/ac, freezers, structures, business insurance, self-employed family medical/dental insurance, etc, etc, etc. Take a percentage out of that $500 deer mount you just got.  Not much left there for taxi wages so they have to take in as much as they can spread out the cost and make a legit business out of it.  

Now try this...take how much you pay your mechanic an hour to work on your car and times it by 16 hours and then add a conservative $100 for parts and tax.  Now, pay that to your taxidermist for that once and a lifetime trophy deer mount.  Surprised?  Not many people would get shoulder mounts for that price, so full time taxi's have to take in a lot of work to make it which in turn takes a lot of time to complete the finished product.  Part timers are a whole different story.        

I guess what I'm saying is have a good idea what the turn around time is before you drop it off and if you friend is willing to wait a little longer to get the quality he thinks this buck deserves and that this particular taxi will likely produce...relax and don't stress him out, it's his mount and let him enjoy the "it was worth the wait".

For those who think that there shouldn't be preferential treatment for VIP customers I think your missing the mark.....Just like any business (casino's, restaurants, even grocery stores) there are repeat customers that get preferential  treatment.  It's how the world turns.

Want preferential treatment.....bring in more work, appreciate their ability and TIP them if is a great job.  Their way under paid for the work they do!

[Michelle_Nelson]

RubblesPH your spot on!

[Jackjr]

Ditto that.  way under paid for the art of taxidermy

[actionshooter]

If a taxidermist is backed up that long they need to let the customer know. Also what about the taxidermist who doesn't work in order the animal was received but takes care of the larger customers first?

I let them know, but isnt that something the customer needs to ask before they drop something off?

  ANd the second question, I try and go down the list in order , but the capes dont always get done and back in order. So I do have to jump around a little bit. As for other taxidermists Big customers mean big money right, what would you do?

 I see your point on the big money customers, they would get taken care of first, thats just how things work.

as far as waiting times, I think its only good business to tell the customer up front how long it will take. I don't mean exact, I mean within 4-6 months. I have seen taxis tell people a year and 24 months later they haven't started the mount.

 As far as Alden I have had him do work for me and I am happy with the quality.

[bucklucky]

Rubbles, Spot on man! Spot on.

$500.00 is a good price nowadays

[MountainWalk]

if taxis are underpaid, then most guides, not outfitters are pitifully underpaid!
i myself have never had an animal mounted. never had the jack to do it. see first sentance.

[bucklucky]

I cant even afford to go hunting, whos underpaid?

Just playin.