Post by: Jpmiller on July 14, 2018, 06:38:25 PM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on July 14, 2018, 06:51:39 PM
Post by: fowl smacker on July 14, 2018, 07:09:28 PM
Post by: lewy on July 14, 2018, 07:41:43 PM
Post by: 92xj on July 14, 2018, 08:48:13 PM
Post by: JWEBB on July 14, 2018, 08:51:14 PM
Communication
Huge part of it in my personal opinion
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on July 14, 2018, 08:57:26 PM
Post by: huntnnw on July 15, 2018, 10:35:45 PM
Post by: jrebel on July 15, 2018, 11:24:46 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on July 16, 2018, 07:34:30 AM
Price should not be a consideration. There are great artists just starting out trying to make a name for themselves that are working for very little money. There are taxidermists that have created that name for themselves because of the great work they do. There are only so many hours in the day and days in the year so they have to start increasing their prices. It's a supply and demand thing.
As far as turn around time, for me that doesn't matter either. If I want to have the animal mounted that means that I am going to be looking at it for years to come. I have some that have been on the wall for over 20. In the big picture waiting 8 months to get a mediocre mount back versus waiting 13 to get a great mount back is an easy decision. I will say that there are great taxidermists just starting out that don't have a backlog yet so they can turn out a mount quickly. Is that the norm? No. Does it happen? Yes. For me I just don't need a mount 5 months sooner that is going to be on my wall for the rest of my life. If I get it in 10 months great, if it takes 13 that is fine too. Once it is there I will get to enjoy it for a long time.
Eyes is the most important to me. The eyes are what bring the mount to life in my opinion.
Another great point that was made was Jonny's about finding a taxi that is good at what you want done. Great deer guys aren't necessarily great goat guys or cat guys or whatever.
Visit the taxi's shop and see what is being done in person before deciding. Every time I go to my taxidermist to drop off or pick something up I look around at all the great mounts in various stages of completion. He truly is an artist and really makes the mounts look alive in my opinion.
I use Cedar River Taxidermy. Rick is a great guy. He has done multiple deer for me, a bear, a cougar and is working on a second cougar for me now.
Post by: Jpmiller on July 16, 2018, 07:41:42 AM
Post by: The100Road on July 16, 2018, 10:42:01 AM
Post by: huntnnw on July 19, 2018, 12:42:49 AM
Post by: CaNINE on July 21, 2018, 04:12:32 PM
Communication
:yeah:
Post by: huntnfmly on August 21, 2018, 09:08:39 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on August 27, 2018, 07:43:04 AM
I am also a stickler for ear placement. Deer (especially mule deer) with their ears pushed out like a set of satellite dishes don't look natural (IMO). When you think you have found a taxi you want to go with, go visit the shop and look at the eyes and ears on the deer there. If they look like they are stuffed, go find another taxi. The deer should look like it's about to move.
I know you are looking to have a goat done, but I would judge a taxi's work by his deer. If he can do a muley or a whitetail that looks like its gonna come off the wall and escape, that's a good taxi. If it doesn't, keep looking. There are lots of really good taxidermists in Washington State (and on this site), and most of them seem to charge about the same.
Post by: grundy53 on August 27, 2018, 07:58:49 AM
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Post by: blindluck on August 27, 2018, 04:41:57 PM
Post by: Stein on August 27, 2018, 05:10:05 PM
When I chose a taxi for the only mount I have had done, I went with one with a ton of positive reviews and pics here that looked good. He was expensive and took almost a year and it was worth the wait and money. I really had second thoughts in getting it done at all due to the cost, but was glad my wife talked me into it. He had a bunch of info on what to do with it until I dropped it off, quickly answered all e-mails and texts and was 100% up front with the cost, timeline and what the process was - very professional throughout.
Personally, I wouldn't mount anything that didn't have a ton of personal feelings tied with it, but for the one I did it turned out great. I don't care much about size, it's all about reminding me of the experience and I wouldn't hesitate to mount another one for the right hunt.
Post by: Pathfinder101 on August 28, 2018, 08:45:05 AM
Eyes are a huge part of it along with ,tanning hide prep and so on, here is a good eye
Bingo! Who did that one?
Post by: Rob on August 29, 2018, 04:00:35 PM
My taxidermist (Jerry Huffaker of Texas) has me send photos of real animals that I want my mount to look like and then he mimics the mount after the photos (rather than send other mounts that I like). Nothing is more realistic than a real animal to model after!
Post by: daydreamn on September 07, 2018, 08:02:10 PM
Post by: Tenkara on September 08, 2018, 08:58:18 AM
There are thousands of taxidermist's out there. Truth is most all of them have a lot of room for improvement. There's only a select few that truly know how to put an animal back together accurately and most of those guys have the ribbons to back their work. A taxidermist is a nobody in the industry if he hasn't competed and earned the awards that elevate his work above the rest. Most states have a taxidermy association that is made up of the more advanced, skilled and dedicated taxidermists. I would suggest you begin your search there. You should be able to find out who has competed in the last few years, the awards they have earned and the species they specialize in. Having said that I haven't lived in Wa. state for several years and don't know if Wa. has an association or not. If you want a good taxidermist ask them to show you the awards they have earned.Not all good taxidermist have competed or have awards or ribbons to show for their artistic skills. :twocents:
Post by: jackelope on September 08, 2018, 09:33:09 AM
I'd ask the taxidermist if he's ever done a full body goat. I'd be willing to bet that most have not. Maybe even a full body anything. Just have a look. If you shoot a billy with good long hair, there's some forgiveness with the rest of the mount as the hair will hide some flaws.
Some pretty awesome goat mounts here. A couple I don't like too much.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=5031&forum=DCForumID8&archive=yes
A life sized mountain goat mount is huge. Rick at Cedar River Taxidermy is doing my goat...we opted for a wall pedestal. He told me to look at a lifesized mount as another full sized couch in your room, only taller.
Post by: jackelope on September 08, 2018, 09:34:00 AM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180908/b4c5d5c971bec3f297ca34a2958fc9f8.png)
Post by: jackelope on September 08, 2018, 09:38:59 AM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180908/46651af79a35cbbe7955cdcb0cebabf1.jpg)
Post by: Rob on September 10, 2018, 07:21:40 AM
I always gravitate towards looking at the face, specifically the eyes. With that said, my billy will be my first piece of taxidermy work I have aside from euro mounts.
I'd ask the taxidermist if he's ever done a full body goat. I'd be willing to bet that most have not. Maybe even a full body anything. Just have a look. If you shoot a billy with good long hair, there's some forgiveness with the rest of the mount as the hair will hide some flaws.
Some pretty awesome goat mounts here. A couple I don't like too much.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=5031&forum=DCForumID8&archive=yes
A life sized mountain goat mount is huge. Rick at Cedar River Taxidermy is doing my goat...we opted for a wall pedestal. He told me to look at a lifesized mount as another full sized couch in your room, only taller.
I am a huge fan of the wall pedestal. I won't ever do a wall mount any other way. It does require capeing a bit further back than the standard wall mount does though.
A few of my wall pedestals. The elk is hard to get a good photo of. it looks better in person. And the gemsbok is just a standard wall mount, not a pedestal.
Post by: grade-creek-rd on November 20, 2018, 09:17:50 AM
http://www.theoutdoorline.com/blog/post/2018/11/01/choosing-the-right-taxidermist.aspx
Grade
Post by: washingtonmuley on November 20, 2018, 09:23:28 AM
Rob,I always gravitate towards looking at the face, specifically the eyes. With that said, my billy will be my first piece of taxidermy work I have aside from euro mounts.
I'd ask the taxidermist if he's ever done a full body goat. I'd be willing to bet that most have not. Maybe even a full body anything. Just have a look. If you shoot a billy with good long hair, there's some forgiveness with the rest of the mount as the hair will hide some flaws.
Some pretty awesome goat mounts here. A couple I don't like too much.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=5031&forum=DCForumID8&archive=yes
A life sized mountain goat mount is huge. Rick at Cedar River Taxidermy is doing my goat...we opted for a wall pedestal. He told me to look at a lifesized mount as another full sized couch in your room, only taller.
I am a huge fan of the wall pedestal. I won't ever do a wall mount any other way. It does require capeing a bit further back than the standard wall mount does though.
A few of my wall pedestals. The elk is hard to get a good photo of. it looks better in person. And the gemsbok is just a standard wall mount, not a pedestal.
I love the mounts. I will be doing wall pedestals on my African mounts that will be arriving in Seattle Monday. I can't wait!!
Post by: Rob on November 20, 2018, 12:12:00 PM
Who are you having do your taxidermy? Can't wait to see that bushpig!
Post by: washingtonmuley on November 20, 2018, 12:18:41 PM
Thanks!It is looking like Mike White of Natures Way.
Who are you having do your taxidermy? Can't wait to see that bushpig!
Post by: Rob on November 20, 2018, 09:18:46 PM