Short Track Hunter

I'm real disappointed in my 2 taxi's. I got an Elk 1st season out west. The Elk is still out west. Still don't have it back. Got a deer at home in the east.. Still don't have it.

Sent out 3 skins to be tanned from trapping season. (locally). Still don't have them back.

I already lost interest. The moment is over.... the thrill is gone...

Now I won't be happy shelling out money for my trophies.

Oldtimr

I don't know what you expect but if those animals were taken during the last big game season it would be normal for you not to have them yet. Good taxidermists who have lots of customers because they are good take time to do their art. A good taxidermist is an artist, not just someone that slaps a skin on a form and ships it out the door. It is not unusual to wait a year to get a mounted elk or deer back from a good taxidermist. Did you ask about turn around time? I would be more worried if I got it back in a short period of time. it took almost 4 months for me to get this back from a taxidermist and he didn't even have to mount a hide on the head. Just skin, clean and put it in a beetle colony, then whiten it and mount it on the board. The last thing I wanted was a rush job because rush jobs are usually crap! As far as the skins from trapping season, most taxidermists send out their hides to be tanned to a place that does hundreds if not thousands of skins, the taxidermist is at their mercy as to when they get them back. Again normal. Instant satisfaction usually leads to disappointment.

Topgun 3006

Yep, if they were just taken last season there is no way I would be wanting them back this quickly if they were taken to a quality taxidermist to be mounted.

Rob in VT

Most quality taxidermist take a minimum of 9 months to several years.

the blur

Wow... I got an Elk 8 months ago. Still don't have it back.

Topgun 3006

Did you not read what we posted? 8 months is normally way too little time to get a good quality mount back for an elk!

Bocajnala

Quality takes time. At 8 months you're still in an acceptable window in my opinion. These things should be discussed with the taxi when you drop it off though. So you know what to expect.
-Jake

Short Track Hunter

If you get something during early archery season... you would expect to be within 6 months. If you get something at the end of rifle season... you know you're waiting a looooong time.

Oldtimr

Haven't you been reading the responses? If you want good work 6 months is not a reasonable time to expect your mount back, especially for a deer and an elk and yes I understand they are in two different shops, which really is baffling to me. You are not going to be the only person who has work to be done and the taxidermist will most likely still working on mounts from the previous seasons hunting season if he is good and has lots of clients. They will not jump you to the head of the line because you are in a hurry. What is your rush? You know where the animal skins are. Taxidermy shops are not assembly lines where your mount runs down a conveyer and has a piece added at different stations. The work is done by artists who know that what they send out the door reflects on their skill and also dictates how much new work it will generate when others see it. Additionally. I wouldn't start bugging the guy to get your work done or he may just give it back to you as is! If you want fast, just look around for the cheapest taxidermists around, it will cost less but you won't like having to look at it for decades, that is if you even hang it on the wall. There is a taxidermy thread on this site, I suggest you go on there and ask the taxidermists that post there what all is required and how much time it takes to produce an very good mount.

Short Track Hunter

What your saying is poor business practice. If you can't finish all your work in the same season, & your still doing work from the previous season(s), your work will continue to pile up, more & more, and deeper & deeper, year after year. It'll be literally impossible to catch up. Which isn't fair to your customers. Any one who runs a business like that, needs to hire more help.