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Author Topic: When your taxidermy is Done  (Read 1626 times)

Offline duckmen1

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When your taxidermy is Done
« on: September 22, 2022, 01:34:35 PM »
We all anticipate and wait excitedly about our "trophy" coming back from the taxidermist. So when you get that call that your "trophy" is done pay off your bill. And pick up the completed work in a timely manner. If it's a bear you are waiting on work to be completed for longer than expected. Make some payments. Going years without making payments might explain a delay on work being completed. Quit going to pawn shops buying used guns behind your wifes back with the funds that can pay that taxidermy bill. Or possibly a deer shoulder mount. Pay it off and pick it up when ready. Feel good about the memories on that hunt. Look at it every day knowing your hunting partner payed 50% of that deer mount and you scammed paying him back. Hope the taxidermist doesn't see that mount sit in his shop the next year due to client not picking up completed work. Point of this post is taxidermists as well as meat markets have limited space to store finished work. Be responsible. Pay your bills on a professional and personal level. Know your priorities and if that work is not a priority don't make the buisiness suffer from your lack of responsibility. To those that are actually responsible in this field and care about their trophies and the work completed by the taxidermists. Good on you. For the others, you know who you are.

Can't wait to get the newest trophies on the wall. They turned out great.
Maturity is when you have the power to destroy someone who did you wrong but instead you breathe, walk away, and let life take care of them.

Offline Special T

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Re: When your taxidermy is Done
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2022, 01:50:13 PM »
I'm sure plenty of folks exist like the ones you describe. It is good that "The other side" ,of taxidermy is told.  One of the problems is that most people may only have 1 or 2 mounts done in a lifetime, not much to developed a relationship around.  People that do good work deserved to get paid in a timely fashion.

Low price
High service/quick
Quality craftsman ship.

You can only pick 2, choose wisely.  :twocents:
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself. 

Confucius

Offline jrebel

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Re: When your taxidermy is Done
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2022, 02:19:57 PM »
My taxidermist has many stories of people abandoning their mounts.  They pay the down payment and never come to pick up the finished product....or they wait another 6-12 months to get get it causing hardship on the taxidermist.  Most taxidermist use the down payment to cover the cost of equipment and tanning.  They get paid for their time / work when the remainder is paid.   

Special T....you are correct, the vast majority of hunters will have very few animals mounted.  I feel these are likely the guys that are willing to stiff a taxidermist (not all) because they are super excited about their first buck / bull just to figure out a year later that is wasn't worthy of a thousand dollar bill.  Just my thoughts anyway.....

The taxidermy business appears flawed in my mind.  The good taxidermist don't charge enough because they are trying to compete with the fly by night taxidermist.  By not charging enough....they get new hunters that don't understand the time commitment and cost of taxidermy.  These new hunters get impatient and gripe about a 12-18 month wait on an internet forum and / or walk without paying the balance. 

I would pay significantly more for a good / reputable taxidermist...This would likely allow them to turn mounts a little quicker as they wouldn't be pandering to the crowd that wants cheap / fast work. 
I want Quality / artistic masterpieces now.  Earlier in my hunting career, I didn't know the difference.  Eyes, Nose, Ears, position, scenery.....all make the mount.  I have good mounts on the wall and I have great mounts on the wall. The good ones are from a time when I valued money / speed over quality. 

Offline Special T

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Re: When your taxidermy is Done
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2022, 03:06:24 PM »
I have a quality ,mount  that was done by a well known Taxi. His work was excellent, the time frame was long but fair, and his price was above average.

IMO in addition to low repeat business, Taxis are selling thier time but have several other complications. Tanning, forms, the condition of the pelt... and then it's just the hours of work until they can do the art of pinning the cape and making it come alive (or skin for birds). I've talked to several Taxis and I belive the ones we hear about are burnt out. Taxidermy isn't scalable, and finding an apprentice at best is a temporary gig. I belive it would be really hard to developed a long term brand considering the issues outside of thier control.

Taxidermy is selling artwork for time, and I could only imagine how bad customers could ruin some ones drive, enthusiasm, and love of the work.
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself. 

Confucius

Offline Rainier10

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Re: When your taxidermy is Done
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2022, 03:27:49 PM »
I pay a lot for taxidermy and wait a long time for it but it is the highest quality in my opinion and has been on my wall 10 times longer than I waited for it to be done so big picture I have more time with a quality product than time without it. I would hate for my trophy to be done quick and be smiling at me everyday. I’ll wait to get something that looks real and alive.

I do agree that some of those that stuff the taxi probably realize that the buck or bull isn’t the biggest or maybe they shoot a bigger one while waiting on the first.
Pain is temporary, achieving the goal is worth it.

I didn't say it would be easy, I said it would be worth it.

Every father should remember that one day his children will follow his example instead of his advice.


The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HuntWa or the site owner.

 


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