Question about deer mount.
 

I am having my buck that I shot this past year mounted. This will be my first mount of any kind. When I took it to the taxi, he told me that he should have it don in June, or July. It is killing me to not see it, and I was wondering if it is appropriate to stop in to see how he is coming on it, or if that would be rude. I was also wondering how many of you pay for the whole thing before it is done?

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

As a taxidermist, I say no and don't call every week. I ask for half down and the balance in cash when it's done. The reason for cash, it's too easy for people to write bad checks, cancel checks, etc. Call him in July and see how things are going. My contract says 1 year, I tell them usually a lot less but things sometimes happen. This year my mother got very sick and almost died, now she needs a liver transplant. It kind of put me behind. If someone asks for the full amount, be leary.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I stop in at my taxidermist's place all the time... I'm fortunate that I work in outside sales and I just happen to have a hospital fairly close to where his shop is -- if you call 15 miles close! ;)No, I don't think it would be that rude; they kinda expect it. Just don't get to where you're bugging them every month or so.

I used to have to pay half up front, but I've sorta got in the habit now of just paying when I pick it up. I've brought him enough work now that he knows me VERY well, and he also knows I'm coming back the next year... so he's really not worried about seeing me again or collecting.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

It wouldn't be rude to stop in, but if the guy is pretty backed up, chances are yours is going to bein the freezer for some months. It's typical to have that happen. I wouldn't have given him all of the money up front. Maybe 1/2 or 1/3. He might have done this because your a new customer.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I didnt give him the entire amount up front, he only asked for $200 up front, and the rest when I pick it up. The only reason I asked about that is that I have the rest of the $$ now, and lets just say that I am not the best at saving $$$. LOL! But I am sure that I will just wait. I probably wont stop in before June or July, I was just kind of wondering what everyone else thinks. Thanks for the replies.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I stop in at my taxis all the time, but he is a good friend and huntin buddy. Sometimes he even puts me to work. Just don't expect to see him working on your deer before a couple of weeks before he promised it to you. He will be working on all of the ones brought in before yours. But you can visit your rack if you want, assuming you left it there.

By the way he requires 1/2 down before he will order the form and start tanning your hide.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

id give him till july...then just give him a friendly call or visit if he dont call you...just ask how its going and when he expects to finish it.

i once took a squirrel in. i didnt shop around...took it to the "big name" whose well known..looked at a few squirrels in his shop and thought they looked good. he said ok about a year..over a year later i called..he said ahhh a couple more months. then i called a couple months later.."ahhh i got a bunch of small stuff in "there"...yours is in there" (whatever there is??) a couple more months" couple months later i called again...finally he broke down " im sorry im super behind blah blah etc" nearly 3 years from when he got it i FINALLY got it back. (and it looked like CRAP)

lesson learned...shop around....i should have just took it after a year and a half or 2 years...i KNOW he turns out big game and big money mounts in a few months or within a years time. i know it. he told me once that he just finished up the deer from that season and will be starting the small stuff now...i was like what the heck...a deer is done within a year...but a squirrel you wait for YEARS!!?!? if you dont want to do them turn them down!!!

i will never go back to him or let anyone i know go back to him....ive now found a GOOD taxidermist that has good prices and does absolutely AWESOME work and even a little fish he will have done within a year or so...i will wait for a quality mount...and im a patient man if you dont lie to me....im understanding...just say hey somethin came up its going to be a while longer...

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

Just remember that every time someone comes in to just shoot the bull it stops work on someones mount. I would keep the visits to a minimum.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

My taxidermist does it part time. He works maintance full time, does taxidermists work on the side and also is an avid hunter and fisherman. He's a people person and doesn't mind when folks stop in to shoot the breeze with him. He's given me some great advice on rigs for fishing that I am looking forward to trying out when I get the chance too. I don't think its rude to stop in to check on how things are going. But also remember that it can depend on the individual taxidermists. One fella I know does it full time and also runs a bow shop. He's a real jerk and has asked me to leave so he could go in the back and work on deer heads or what ever. Guess he figured I was just browsing and didn't want me to swipe anything. Needless to say he lost his business here.

Chief

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

it depends on the taxidermis mine doesn't care if i stop in and talk as long as hes not busy. i always pay half down rest when its done

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I paid a little more than half when I left my buck at the taxidermist. I can't speak for him.....but if it were me.....and a customer wanted to come by and check on his mount....AND give me cash;)(balance)......i "think" I wouldn't mind.

nctaxi did my piebald hide tanning and did a WONDERFUL job. I've seen his work....and it's outstanding. Having never had a deer mounted.....I went with another taxi a little closer to me who has a great reputation, ALSO. His studio speaks volumes for his work.

If you handle it right.....I don't think he'd have a problem with it at all. Most "craftsmen/artists" (which is, I believe, what these pros are)like showing their work.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

My Taxi lives about 1/4 mile from me. I stop in often, he is a character and his house is full of everything from Grizzly Bear to Warthogs (along with several nationally famous, Whitetails)..His stories are priceless he's guided in Alaska and Hunts every year in Africa.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

You can stop in, but you probably won't "see" how it is coming. The taxi that I use sends the capes off for tanning and then does the work when they get back. However, it only takes him about a week to zip it all up. So, unless I stopped in that week I wouldn't get to see anything of mine except the rack, or if he had the hide back but hadn't gotten to it yet, the tanned cape.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I think it really depends on your relationship with the Taxi. But like was said earlier, there is a good chance you won't see anything. If he's actually working on the mount, then it'll be done within a couple weeks. So if you're going there just to see it, I personally would wait.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I dont think he would mind if you called and asked to stop in just to talk to him. Luckily for me, my taxi is a good friend of mine who i go on some trips with. Because of this he will do mine as soon as he gets the hide back from the tannery, but for everyone else its normally about 8-9 months to get theirs back.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

GMMAT - you should call and congratulate him, he missed best in world whitetail by 1/2 pt!!!!! He's good. I probably would have been offended if you would have taken your mount to some other guys but Keith is too good not to.:D He is a great guy.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

Thanks, nc. I've heard nothing but good things about Keith, too.....and I appreciate both your understanding and your words of praise for his work.

Thanks, again.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

I stop by my taxi's place a lot even if I don't have a deer there just to see what some of the other ones are looking like. It wouldn't be rude to stop and see but like was said before at a certain piont it becomes annoying. I have never paid the full amount before completion.

RE: Question about deer mount.
 

i know (somewhat) and trust my taxi, so i just pay it all up front. Heonly asks for half as a deposit, but i just fork up the dough before i dont have it anymore. ihave awood duck there right now, and wont get it back until August. i dont plan on going to see it, but if i was up around his place id prob stop in and see how hes doing. nothing like being friendly with people, it can go along way withsome.