The frequency of the "taxidermist lost my deer/took too long/won't answer the phone" thread got me thinking about the number of mistakes people on both sides, hunters and taxidermists, make when doing business with each other. I wanted to start this thread to share some general thoughts and provide an opportunity for others to share their thoughts, experiences, and tips for smoothing out this relationship.
1. As a hunter, most people want to shoot a big buck and get it mounted. Many or most of us sit around daydreaming about that buck, check our trail cams all summer, and are ready to roll when season starts. If you don't already have a trusted taxidermist, now would be a good time to do some research and become prepared for what to do with your trophy buck after it's on the ground. No better place to start than right here. There are a lot of good taxidermists on TBH----do some research online, look at their work, see if you like what they do and see if there have been any complaints about them. I know capes are coming back from the tanneries and deer are being mounted. Go visit that taxidermist you've heard about and see how his work looks in person, how his shop is run, see whether he'd be a good fit for you. Not to be rude, but with so much time and money spent on preparing to hunt, what happens after the deer is down is even more important in terms of caring for the meat and trophy, and any serious hunter really doesn't have an excuse for not having a good taxidermist picked out in advance and a plan for getting their trophy to the taxidermist.
I like to use referrals when I'm looking for people to do business with, and I depend a lot on referrals in my own business. While a referral might occasionally not pan out, for the most part doing business with someone you already know your friend/hunting buddy is pleased with is going to give you the best chance at a pleasant taxidermy experience.
Also, realize that a guy who's great on deer and other mammals may be terrible on birds or other game. Choose a taxidermist who's good at what you're looking to get mounted.
2. Keep your antlers/horns until the trophy is ready to be mounted. I've had work done by multiple taxidermists in the last few years, but regardless of who they are, I get the head caped out, if necessary, and keep the head of my trophy animal until the taxidermist calls and says the cape is back, the form is in or ordered, and he's ready to work on the mount. A side benefit to doing this is that you get another chance at personal contact with the taxidermist, and you can see for yourself whether the cape is in and the form you've picked out is there and ready to be worked on. If something goes south or the guy disappears on you, at least you still have your game head.
3. If you pay a deposit, get a receipt. This seems like a no-brainer, but I know sometimes people forget to get a receipt. I have no problem paying deposits if required. I don't like working for free any better than anyone else. Any taxidermist worth his salt should have a good bookkeeping system, but the burden should also be on the customer to make sure they get evidence that they've made partial payment. This is a business relationship and while it's good to have an amiable relationship with your taxidermist, keeping everything documented can protect both sides and keep the relationship on good terms.
4. Be patient with the taxidermist. If you've done your homework and picked out a qualified, reputable, reliable taxidermist, you shouldn't feel the need to start blowing up his phone after 3 months asking whether your deer is done. While a taxidermist shouldn't make promises he can't keep, you as the customer should realize that, because he's a really good taxidermist, he's likely busy and has a lot of other customers to finish work for, not just you.
5. Be clear in your instructions. Write them down if necessary. There's lots of choices out there for mount styles and positions, and having everything on paper can keep you from receiving a mount that isn't anything close to what you intended.
I know this stuff is a no-brainer for a lot of people, but it seems with the number of threads we have on this topic, some people don't put near enough thought into choosing the right taxidermist. I really hope some of the taxi's on here will chime in to share what they want out of the customer from their side of things.
1. As a hunter, most people want to shoot a big buck and get it mounted. Many or most of us sit around daydreaming about that buck, check our trail cams all summer, and are ready to roll when season starts. If you don't already have a trusted taxidermist, now would be a good time to do some research and become prepared for what to do with your trophy buck after it's on the ground. No better place to start than right here. There are a lot of good taxidermists on TBH----do some research online, look at their work, see if you like what they do and see if there have been any complaints about them. I know capes are coming back from the tanneries and deer are being mounted. Go visit that taxidermist you've heard about and see how his work looks in person, how his shop is run, see whether he'd be a good fit for you. Not to be rude, but with so much time and money spent on preparing to hunt, what happens after the deer is down is even more important in terms of caring for the meat and trophy, and any serious hunter really doesn't have an excuse for not having a good taxidermist picked out in advance and a plan for getting their trophy to the taxidermist.
I like to use referrals when I'm looking for people to do business with, and I depend a lot on referrals in my own business. While a referral might occasionally not pan out, for the most part doing business with someone you already know your friend/hunting buddy is pleased with is going to give you the best chance at a pleasant taxidermy experience.
Also, realize that a guy who's great on deer and other mammals may be terrible on birds or other game. Choose a taxidermist who's good at what you're looking to get mounted.
2. Keep your antlers/horns until the trophy is ready to be mounted. I've had work done by multiple taxidermists in the last few years, but regardless of who they are, I get the head caped out, if necessary, and keep the head of my trophy animal until the taxidermist calls and says the cape is back, the form is in or ordered, and he's ready to work on the mount. A side benefit to doing this is that you get another chance at personal contact with the taxidermist, and you can see for yourself whether the cape is in and the form you've picked out is there and ready to be worked on. If something goes south or the guy disappears on you, at least you still have your game head.
3. If you pay a deposit, get a receipt. This seems like a no-brainer, but I know sometimes people forget to get a receipt. I have no problem paying deposits if required. I don't like working for free any better than anyone else. Any taxidermist worth his salt should have a good bookkeeping system, but the burden should also be on the customer to make sure they get evidence that they've made partial payment. This is a business relationship and while it's good to have an amiable relationship with your taxidermist, keeping everything documented can protect both sides and keep the relationship on good terms.
4. Be patient with the taxidermist. If you've done your homework and picked out a qualified, reputable, reliable taxidermist, you shouldn't feel the need to start blowing up his phone after 3 months asking whether your deer is done. While a taxidermist shouldn't make promises he can't keep, you as the customer should realize that, because he's a really good taxidermist, he's likely busy and has a lot of other customers to finish work for, not just you.
5. Be clear in your instructions. Write them down if necessary. There's lots of choices out there for mount styles and positions, and having everything on paper can keep you from receiving a mount that isn't anything close to what you intended.
I know this stuff is a no-brainer for a lot of people, but it seems with the number of threads we have on this topic, some people don't put near enough thought into choosing the right taxidermist. I really hope some of the taxi's on here will chime in to share what they want out of the customer from their side of things.
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