RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

Does anyone else keep the antlers until the taxidermist is ready to mount them instead of just letting them stay with him for the whole process? I always do just because I like to know that my antlers are safe.

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

NC THAT IS A GOOD POINT ....I WOULD AGREE IF THE TAXI SUBS OUT THE TANNING THEN IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY TAKE MORE TIME I AGREE ..HOWEVER FOR THE MOST PART THE TAXI'S IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS DO THEIR OWN TANNING AND THAT WAS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO .. YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN ...HOWEVER AS FOR YOUR POINT ABOUT TAKING IN 200 OR MORE ANIMALS I WOULD SAY HE NEEDS TO CUT BACK ON THE PROFIT BY HIRING SOME HELP TO EXPIDITE THE PROCESS WITHOUT EFFECTING THE QUALITY ...THATS WHAT YOU CALL "SERVICE" ...LET ME GIVE YOU A PRIME EXAMPLE ..WHEN I TOOK MY BIG BUCK IN ALBERTA IN 2004 I TOOK IT ON NOV. 26TO GARY DODSONWHO IN 2004 WAS THE WORLDS CHAMPION IN W.T. MOUNTS ...HE ALSO DOES BIG GAME SUCH AS MOOSE AND BEAR ...HE TOOK IN OVER 300 ANIMALS THAT YEAR AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 12 MONTHS BEFORE I COULD GET MY BUCK BACK ..I AGREED TO DO IT FOR ANUMBER OF REASONSONE BEINGBECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A HASSLE TO TAKE IT BACK THROUGH CUSTOMS ....WHEN BIG BUCK MAGAZINE CONTACTED ME ABOUT DOING AN ARTICAL ABOUT THE BUCK I TOLD THEM IT WOULD BE UP TO A YEAR BEFORE I WOULD HAVE THE MOUNT ....THE EDITOR CALLED GARY AND TOLD HIM IF HE COULD HAVE IT OUT BY APRIL THEN HE WOULD MENTION WHO DID THE MOUNT IN THE ARTICAL...I HAD THE BUCK BACK MARCH 26 OF 2005.....THUS IT CAN BE DONE ....

dd

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

Kind of a catch 22 here. I agree with you about that but I also see the point of making more money. Everyone thinks that taxi's make tons of money and if they work real hard they do. I only take in a limited workload for just the reason you mentioned. I don't want to have to kill myself and Ihope that my work shows the quality that most would expect from their taxidermist.

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

When I got my first mount I was the 89th one to drop mine off in 2002. He gave me an estimated date by the end of Feb. It was just that. No later, no sooner and he did a very very excellent job. I have sent him a lot of business because of his work. I called him in January to get an update and even stopped in to see him early Feb to check out the progress and to see what other work he was doing as well.

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

Don't push; be patient. There may have been more people ahead of you.

You rush him you may see it in the work.

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

My ticket # is 06-033.

I assume the 06 = 2006 and the 033 means the 33rd deer he took.

He was a little taken aback when I told him I wanted a neck mount instead of a shoulder mount when I dropped it off. I got the impression that 99% of people want shoulder mounts.

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

Left a message on his machine last night and he called back today at noon saying it was ready to pick up. :)

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

DD, i'd be willing to bet the call from the magazine bumped your buck to the top of the list, so rather than first come first done, you got bumped to the top for the free advertising he was going to get. Clearly everyone can't be first, so some have to wait.

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

BOB THAT IS PRECISELY MY POINT .....IF THERE IS ENOUGH INCENTIVE THEY CAN SEEM TO GET THEM OUT AT A MORE REASONABLE TIME .... AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT FOR ONE THEY COULD DO IT FOR ALL IF THEY HIRED MORE HELP ....ANYTHING OVER A YEAR TO ME IS JUST UN ACCEPTABLE AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER 6 MONTHS SEEMS REASONABLE IN MOST CASES ..BUT THAT JUST MY OPINION ...TAKE IT FOR WHAT ITS WORTH.

dd

RE: Etiquette with Taxidermist
 

I just got my first mount back last week. I turned it in on 11/11/2007 and was told 6 months. It took over 8 months. I do not mind waiting for quality work but I would much prefer a more accurate assessment of the time needed. I would rather they say 18 months and then you get it back 2 months ahead. I realise that their work loads change and there are circumstances beyond their control but I think perhaps a call from them stating that there is a delay and an additional X amount of time will be needed to finish the work. I called after 7 months and they said 1 more week. Well it was another month or more. Just be upfront and everyone will have a much better experience. PS I am very pleased with the way my mount looks.