How do you choose a Taxidermist?

[grayghost]

How did you choose your Taxidermist? Did you choose them based on price? Quality? Reputation? Turn around time? Please take the poll and tell us how you made your choice. Good hunting, grayghost

[toxic111]

I think I use a little of them all.. my first time and only time (so far) that I selected a taxidermist was based on price, and the quality of the mounts that I had seen... he was cheaper, and better than the other ones in my area... I'll use him again, adn I have sent others to him for thier work.. and they have all been happy...

[Nulle]

I check with the folks he or she has done work for and see how they have liked the taxidermist. I take all things into consideration.

[mazter]

I have 2 Bad Mounts, It was because i went with a cheaper price. Now I have a Great Taxidermist. I go by Quality & Reputation. The Price & turn around time doesnt bother me at all, as long as my mount looks Natural.

The 2 bad mounts i had are down to 1 as i had my fish re-painted, Now i have to get another Cape for my Deer to have remounted. The guy used what looks like a Doe's Form on my Buck, Skinny neck and no Muscle tone.

So i voted for Reputation, But Quality is also my main factor.

[Swift]

Quality is #1! The guy who does my work also has a GOOD reputation.

[supersider34]

I go for quality. I have had a elk deer and a bear rug being done. He is a friend and does really good work. He has my bear I took last sunday.

[fabsroman]

I don't think I can vote on this thread because I looked at all 4 qualities in deciding who to go with. Of course, I would put quality at the top of the list. If someone can get my mount back to me quickly or cheaply and it looks like crap, it really isn't worth it. With that said, I got two mounts done this year and they were returned to me within 3 months. Both of them look great and the price was about in the middle of the range.

[mazter]

My new Taxidermist i Have been with for the last 9 years, I pay a little more and it takes about 6 months to get anything back that I take in there, From a Fox, Deer or a Fish. He is one of the best Ive saw, In my area of course. He gets my business and all my friends too. He really take's great pride in all his mounts. Id rather pay more and wait longer to have my Mount last for a lifetime with good care.

[gd357]

I have a deer at the taxidermist's that was killed way back on Oct. 5. I probably won't see it until september. I paid above average for the area, and I knew he was backed up so I expected a long wait. However, he does the best job in the area, and I'll wait a few extra months because it will look nice for a lot longer. I have seen all sorts of taxidermy work from excellent to horrible. I could have gotten my deer back in 2 or 3 months (not to mention saving a lot of money), but I wasn't prepared to have a bad mount.

gd357

[grayghost]

I would do the same gd357. Good hunting, grayghost

[DaMadman]

I voted Reputation because the one mount I had done I asked around and looked at some of the stuff the guy had done for other people and went straight to him.

But Quality of his mounts were good, not the greatest but my mount looks very good IMHO. the only thing I could really complain about is he did leave a few of the pins in the mount where he pinned the hide to the mould and I later found out that the ears have drumming and shouldn't but I really don't care because they look fine and I don't squeeze them anyway.

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

Well I went on recomendation on both the mounts I have had done, one I am not quite so happy wiht as he seems to have two price levels. he did the mount for a reasonable price but on picking up the mount the skin on the back of the neck does not lie flat due to the stiching. I saw an example of his work before leaving the head and it was good. My mount on the wall looks good as you cannot see the back of the neck and Muntjac which this Deer is are not the easiest to do I hear. Some get them wrong and they look un-natural then, at least mine looks natural.

The pictures of the Whitetail Buck I have seen look good, I have posted them in the Taxidermy forum, once I finaly get it home to the UK I will be able to examine it properly.

[rubicon]

I found my stuffer in the phone book and went to his shop to look at his work, I was impressed and in the past three years he has done 14 mounts for me. The guy works at the family florist shop and always uses his florist talents on the mounts, fish on driftwood with lures and line attached,some he has done for me include a boar with drool out of the side of his mouth. a school of three brown trout with a river rock base, a three phesant display with a hen on nest and two cocks flying ( they are mounted on wires and stick out into the room,) two turkeys facing each other with one landing and the other getting up, and the best part is I ended up hunting with him and his son. prices have been reasonable and turn around time unbelievable.

[Lilred]

I chose mine by word of mouth reputation. I've had my 8 pt mounted fer 5 yrs now, and it still looks as good as the day I brought it home. He's not the biggest feller out there, he werks outta his house, but man, I couldnt have been happier. Another thing was that his house was fulla his mounts, and they all looked wonderful. He'd say "I killed thatun in '92..." so forth and so on.

All of my mounts will always go to him. Iffin I ever git another one werth mountin that is lol

[Wolverine-1]

I don't have to choose a taxidermist, cause I do my own. I have been involved with taxidermy since back in the very early seventies, and this is what I have learned. Most hunters do not really know what is anatomically correct with their trophies. That is why there are poor taxidermist in business and that is why they remain in business. I have also learned over the years that anyone can learn the machanics of taxidermy. However, what truely makes an exceptional taxidermist is his or her artistic tallent. Sometimes the price of a quality mount may be higher that we would like to pay, but if done well, will last beyond our life time.

When I grow to old to hunt, I want to gaze upon my mounted trophies with pride and accomplishment, bringing back great memories. Rather than be embarrassed, because I was to cheap to pay for good quality taxidermy. JMHO