Making a Living as a Taxidermist

[Deerslayer07]

I want to make a Career out of taxidermy, id just like to know how to get started in it...should i go to a school? should i get an aprenticship at a local shop. also i want to know how much money taxidermists make, im not looking into this to make money but i want to know if i can could support a family off of this salary. any info would be helpful thank you.
DS07

[Alex The Hawk]

Depends what you want to do, do you want to be a taxidersmist who scrapes a living from what you mount?

Or do you want to live off taxidermy ?

There is difference, those of us who make a living off taxidermy do well, those who want to scrape a living well that is 98% of taxidermist.

For instance you have Archie phillips and other big suppliers that make a living off taxidermy, to me that is where the bucks are.
There is certainly satisfaction into mounting animals and fish and have the praise of the customer ,but you will be limiting your earnings.

So don't think small ,think big.

I bought my company when it was already 40 years in this area, instead of me having to start from scratch and prove myself to customers, I just took it over and continue as it was and improved and added other income earning such as Guide services, and travel agency, charter service etc.

So being a business man is more important if you want to make money.
Buy Archie phillips book on how to run a taxidermy business.
Peace.

[nctaxi]

Depends. How much can your area support for deer prices? I know of guys getting $650 a deer, if so then maybe. If you can build up a clientelle, that is loyal, paying top dollar, then yes. Where I live, I have friends that do only taxidermy, but they also work super long hours and do hundreds of mounts a year. I personally will stick with doing it part time until I get that $650/ deer and can't do it part time. It can be done but not without sacrifices. Now put yourself in anothers shoes, apprenticeship, their going to teach you how to do this and then you're going to open a shop down the road. Not a wise decision. Schooling yes, but look into it before you go and spend thousands. There are maybe a handful that I would recommend that can really teach you and they aren't cheap. I use taxidermy as an extra income and for goin on those hunts that I couldn't afford to by just one salary.

[Alex The Hawk]

I would recommend Bill Yox, training with him will be a step in the right direction.

[nctaxi]

I'll second that. Also if you are serious, join your local state association. They can help you more than you can imagine. I was on taxinet a while back and was contacted by a young lady who was interested in learning, but kept getting the door closed in her face. I told her to join the NCTA, she did, I got her in contact with another member, and she won a blue ribbon at Surry. And won a second at the state show in the professional division, last weekend. Nothing worth doing is free, you will have to put in some hours and work hard but if you want it it will happen.