ORIGINAL: BOWHUNTERCOP
My best friend shot a nice 6 pointer in NY this past November, and got his deer back about 3 weeks ago. I was curiuos as to why he got it back so quick, my 9 pointer I got here in NJ in November will be done sometime this November or early December.
My friend called the taxidermist up, and asked him how he tans his hides, and he uses a dry tan, his mount looks good and cost $280. I called my taxidermist WILDLIFE PRESERVATIONS and asked George how he does his tans, and he told me he sends them out to be done professionally. I told him about my friends deer and the dry tan used. George told me he has never used and never will use any dry tan, or pickle tan, he will only use a professional tan. He went on to say that the dry tan or pickle may hold up for a very long time, but he wouldn't bet on it, plus he added that when tanned either way the hide can start smelling, bugs getting into it, and humdity is your worst enemy. Cracking around the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth is common with a dry or pickle tan. He ended the conversation with this: If a hide is done this way, cutting corners are being done lowing the cost for the mount, thats why your friend payed $280 for a full shoulder mount. I will stick with WILDLIFE PRESERVATIONS ,as George is 100% honest, and up front, plus he has done a few mounts for me and other friends, he did a wonderful job on my full body NJ black bear
Let me correct you here for learning purposes.
A dry tan is what tanneries do, they chemically turn green hide to leather with the hair on, then it is return to the customers nice and supple like but dry, this is called dry tan.The taxidermist will hydrate the skin to get back the softness and stretch needed to mount, then the skin can be mounted and glued, the skin will dry once again a little harder than when received, but it will have little if any shrinkage, the hair will also be nice and shiny and will settle better on the mount smooth.
A wet tanned is put through the same chemical pickles and shaved but not dried and it must be kept frozen, this saves time for the taxidermist not having to hydrate the skin, the same results as above can be expected.
Dry preservative is what I think you are confusing with dry tan, this is a powder which is applied to the raw skin after it has being shaved down and fleshed and washed and treated with alcohol, then the skin is mounted and hope it will last.
Dry preserve is quick way to mount something to save time and money, I only recommend it in very small animalls such as squirrels.
I have yet to see a dry preserve mount that looks good and without shrinkage. It is just not professional to do this to a trophy deer.
Hope that clears some of the confussion.