Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

My taxi called, last night. He needs my antlers back to finish my mount.;)

'06 season......I killed a buck on 12/12 and got him back on Labor Day, this past year.

'07 season.....I killed my buck on 11/6.....and I'll get him back in about 2-3 weeks from now.

Kill 'em early!:)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I spoke to my taxi yesterday and he said my mount will be ready in a couple of weeks. I killed that deer 12-14. He also told me that not that many deer heads came in this year as compared to years past. Could be the economy or it could be a lower than average buck killing year. He thought the take was down.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Mine called me and ask if I was alive:eek:

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

LKN....My txi said the same thing....and he STAYS booked.

I talked to the wildlife Bio., last night, at length......and he said the mast crops (lack thereof)were the cause for the erratic deer movement, this past season.

He said buck sightings were down, statewide. I know they are there.....but where I have access.....if they're not on mast crops....I actually DON'T have access to them.

I have 2 mounts, now.....and both were rutting bucks.....chasing does. It's something, though, huh?:)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

LOL. That's better than me. I swear I must be the most forgettable person in the world. I gave one taxi 3 caribou and 2 whitetails in 2 years and they couldn't remember me from Jo-Jo. Then theguy I went back to this year (who is more expensive but way better said "DON'T CALL ME!" I am hoping to get mine back before next October.

Edit: in 2000 when I had him do a buck it took 14 months to get it back.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I called my Taxi Mon night, he still hasn't ordered the form!!! I killed this deer and took it to him on Nov. 19th!!!

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Lmfao Germ! That was some funny ****!!

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Mine takes 3 months max.. pay up front, you get your buck back fast..

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Try 7 years and I still haven't got my bear back yet!

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

My taxidermist told me that this year was the least amount of deer heads brought in EVER in his 20+ year career as a full time taxi. Could be EHD, which hit pretty hard around here. He was happy though because he has been so behind that it takes nearly a year to get stuff back. This year he plans to have the freezers pretty well cleaned out of all the deer, birds, and fish and be ready for turkey season. He expects a 5 month or less turn around from here on out.

He also has the unspoken policy, pay all up front and get bumped up the list past Joe Shmoe who hasn't paid anything yet.


Schultzy, i would be at the shop asking to see my bear. If you havent seen the bear since 2000, my bet is he either lost it, sold it, or messed it up and wont fess up. Sounds likea heck of a bear too.[&:]

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

My taxi, buddy can do a pretty quick turnaround on an early season bowkill. But once gun season is here he gets swamped. He might get 100 bucks brought in during gun season alone. That's why I help him skin them out heads during gun season. He usually does between 200- 250 deer a year plus turkeys, elk, boar, fish and all the other critters. But no waterfowl.

He does get all the deer done by opening day of archery season the following year. Just so he can start from scratch.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I got a call from my taxi yesterday, he saidmy '06 Alberta 8pt will be done next week. Yeeeah!!:DIt's been 14 months now, but he does nice work. He had to send out to get a form for this swollen necked Canadian bad boy.I will share some picsafter I pick it up. Can't wait!;)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Ill be looking for pics :)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

hmmm i need to call my taxi soon...gotta get the plaque ordered and id like to go see the form when he orders it, just to see how it looks...think i found "the one" but he made the mistake telling me he LOVES to modify forms:D....

i killed mine 10-13 and had it at his shop on 10-19...he already said that his numbers are WAY down...and before he said that he said i should have it by the end of the semester...

im pumped....my room is going to look awesome when i get everything back...my bow buck mount, 2 raccoon pelts and my first flintlock deer hide is being tanned, and i just killed my first red fox monday and its pelt is in the garage being salted to be shipped to the tannery this weekend...so thats a deer mount and 4 tanned skins...and i cant figure out where my money is leaking out too :D

but, my room will look awesome...

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Congrats Jeff, I tagged mine on Oct 29th, I'll see it by next Oct, maybe earlier. I never expect it in less than a year, that way I'm not anxious, if it's earlier, I'm surprised.

Take lots of pics and pics with the other one that's bigger than Rob's. [&:]

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

As long as they get it right I can wait.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

That's great you're getting the mount back so fast. I can't wait to see the pics of it.

Thanks for the advice, but I'm happy to get them whenever I can. ;)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I've had 2 fish at the taxidermist for over 3 years who knows if i'll ever get em back. My father took a buck to a different taxidermist 3 years ago and had it back in a month. My elk mount took about 10 months to get back and my wild boar took about 2 months.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

If you saw them off and tack them on a board or wall, you never have to worry about getting them back.:)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I misunderstood him, yesterday. I thought his business was down. He took in 90 whitetails, this season (his most ever). He was also working a coupe bearskin rugs while I was there, yesterday.

Keith Bowman (Same taxi farmcntry uses) is a national champion....and a darned good guy, to boot. We're lucky to have him in the area.

I'll take some photos again.....of his work when I pick mine up. He's an artist, though.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I shot my Buck this year on the last saturday of Rifle Season and when I took the mount in to my Taxidermist on 11-14-07 his receipt says it will be done in August so thats a little over a 9 month wait.I was the 264 mount he took in with still more coming in.My great Nephew took in his Buck from the year before (2006) that he had in his freezer and his was one of the first to be started on besides any other Deer that were taken in the 2007 Bow Season and his will be done in either Jan or Feb of this year!I told him when he was thinking about taking it in to be mounted that he better beat everyone in before Rifle Season starts or he would be waiting a very long time!

I think there was a lower amount of Bucks taken this year because of the EHD we hadthis pastsummer and fall?There were still some impressive Bucks shot around our County but I bet the impact of less Bucks will show up even more this coming Fall's 2008 Deer Season!

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

OOPS never forget your taxidermist. Dave Funk Kenosha, Wisconsin.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Ours are to heavy to tack buddy.;):D

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Man, some of you guys have it hard with those long waits. My taxidermist (Ron Zellman of Zellmans Taxidermy) will usually have your deer back to you within 3-4 months, and the one he did for me was a rifle kill taken at the end of rifle season. I believe that my turkey was done in about 2-1/2 months and the 3 trout that I have taken to him have been done within 1-1/2 to 2 months. Not to mention he does some of the best work around and has the best prices! :)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Here's a few photos of my taxi's little studio.

I'll take some photos of his "in progress" work when I pick mine up in a few weeks.






(Thats my '06 buck on the bottom left on the wall....above the piebald....top photo):)

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

One more

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

He does do some great work Jeff, I am not sure I like that last mount. It is definetly unique, but it isn't my style. Next time I pop in to my taxidermists I will have to get some pictures of his work. Here are a few of the mounts that he has done for my bestfriend and I...

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I did that and I even handed him bills. First, I wasn't really complaining because he does such a nice job it is worth the wait. I tried somewhere else that was faster the last couple years and just realized that it will be on the wall forever so I might as well wait and get something that looks alive. Secondly, he gets a lot of big wigs and famous people sending him stuff and like it or not I am sure they get priority over hillbillies like me.

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

Jeff,

Studio looks great but I really like that last one and a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Great pics buck, thanks also for sharing.

T

RE: Free advice - Kill your bucks, early!
 

I tell my taxi to take his time, I really don't care if it takes 12 months to get my buck back. I want it to be his best work. I take plenty of pics to get me through the waiting period. I killed my buck 11-3-07 and can probably expect it back in August. If anyone is looking for a new taxidermist in the central Ohio area who does a great job at a reasonable price PM me and I can get his info to you. I stumbled across him last year when the guy I used to use retired.

Tom