RE: Prices of mounts in your area.
you can look on the internet and get a price range
i would suggest you talk to the taxidermist you are going to have do the mount
depending on the mount check out his work, he should have some in his shop
i would suggest staying away from the back yard or garage taxidermist, most of them do not know a thing about what they are doing they watch a video and say wow i can do that and well they cant
on a game head check for
#1 eye cant (where is the deer looking it should be whichever way its head is pointing)
#2 nose (is it finished farther than you can see with a flashlight 3-4 inches deep)
#3 do the mounts look real(if there are not any mounts to look at take it somewhere else, do not go off pictures, they can be very deceptive)
#4 dont be afraid to ask questions( have you won any awards? how many mounts have you done? how many a year? where did you learn this? how long have you done this? etc)
#5 dont be afraid to look/feel his work( feel for smoothnes in the ears. look up the nose. shine a flashlight around the eyes ears and nose look for defects. make sure there isnt any pulled away skin in any of the areas
the eyelids should touch the eyes the nose should be tucked and finished and there should be no drumming in the ears or anywhere else on the animal)