Bill Yox

This is such a frustrating topic, and to me its like comparing apples to oranges. Im one of those long return time, customstudios. I wish it were as easy as hiring help, but the headaches and expense of health and disability insurance and employee benefits would drive an already high price up higher than my best customers could justfy paying, same as pricing to adjust the workload. I DO value that customer, too. I guess my question is, if the long return times arent realistic, and Im wrong for it taking this long...WHY DO I HAVE ENOUGH WORK EVERY YEAR TO PERPETUATE THIS WAIT, YEAR AFTER YEAR? If I were doing them wrong, wouldnt they all stop coming, and Id clean things up and be caught up? The only true adjustment I have to work with to not take more work in is...folks who wont wait that long, going elsewhere.

Not all taxidermists take as long for return work, but not all guys would wait that long. But some do, and there arethose who see something worth that wait. I dont think you HAVE to wait a long time to get good work. I dont think long waits equate to the best quality neccessarily. But please, stop suggesting that long returns means that something is being done wrong. I thank my lucky stars that I have the best customers in the world, in my eyes, who are willing to grit their teeth and wait for me to get to them, they reward me with paying my prices, and I reward them with the best mount I can give them. I appreciate my customers, so the wording DD implies does rub me wrong.

Theres two things worth saying. First, as a taxidermist, I must, above all, be honest to you, the customer. As much as I wish to say whatever pleases you, I must be honest and up front and tell you what the return time realistically can be, as an estimate. The customer then decides whether its worth it to him, and then, trust me. The second thing, for the sake of this poll...how long should you wait? Id say whatever you and he agree on ahead of time.

In closing, I only posted this for one reason, as I dont wanna change your minds. If you think one month, ten months, a year and a half, whatever, is long enough for you, thats fine, of course. But I just dont want you guys to think we as taxidermists dont know any better. Or that we dont care. Many, I hope most, do care. My customers know up front how long, so THEY adjust how much work I have. I hope that sheds some light from a different perspective.