am I wrong?

[camo658]

After going to the Deer Classic a few years back I will NEVER skimp on quality taxidermy work. Some of the best taxidermy work i have ever seen along with some of the worst I've ever seen in a span of 5 minutes. Some of the biggest deer (250"+) walking the face of the earth.....mounted by some of the worst taxidermists on the face of the earth. All to try and save a couple hundred bucks?? Didn't make much sense to me. Joe Meder gets all my work, no worries.

Haha, I remember Onecam's Deer Classic thread... There were mounts that definitely left you puzzled as to why someone would think they looked good. But we don't know the circumstances behind that either..

The main thing is just to encourage people to do their homework before the season. Find I price they can afford and search all those taxidermist in that price range and actually "look" at their work.. If possible, get a list of references and arrange a time to see their mount (if possible). Sometimes, what you see on the wall of a taxidermist shop is a taxidermist competition piece rather than their commercial work (what you get).. Make sure the work is what you like and not what a buddy thinks is good. You will find some taxidermists work will not blow you away either though they charge more than average. It's rare but their out there..

 

[Skully]

Don't feel bad, I gave $550 for this mount three years ago. So alive he looks like he could just lick ya!

Seriously though, this deer was killed by my uncle in 1970 and my aunt was throwing it away when I save him. Named him Sasafrass and he hangs in our shop as a reminder of how far taxidermy techniques and materials have come since those days. Good taxidermy is an art form and just like any other service, you get what you pay for most times. .

 

[CurtisWalker]

Don't feel bad, I gave $550 for this mount three years ago. So alive he looks like he could just lick ya!

Seriously though, this deer was killed by my uncle in 1970 and my aunt was throwing it away when I save him. Named him Sasafrass and he hangs in our shop as a reminder of how far taxidermy techniques and materials have come since then.

HaHa this post just made me laugh in the middle of a silent classroom

 

[LYON]

Google "bad taxidermy" then click on images. You will laugh!

 

[AZHunter]

HaHa this post just made me laugh in the middle of a silent classroom

You need to get back to studying and quit jacking around when you should be learning!

I see mounts like what Skully posted all the time out here in AZ. Pronghorn, elk, whitetail, mulies, etc. from way back in the day (1950s-1970s) and the techniques of the time really show. I agree with others in that you will get exactly what you pay for. I only have one mount on the wall and that's my Iowa buck from 2011. I had him mounted back in Iowa based with a highly recommended taxidermist (Rick Whitaker). I could have had it done out here by a friend, but the shop out here doesn't specialize in midwestern whitetails. Absolutely no regrets. I didn't have my Coues buck from 2005 mounted because of money. I'm saving up my pennies to take it in to a shop here that does good work. I find it hard to swallow that a Coues buck is the same price as a mule deer ($600), but the work is very good and worth every penny. You definitely get what you pay for so don't feel bad by not going with the local guy!

 

[CurtisWalker]

You need to get back to studying and quit jacking around when you should be learning!

When it's the math you learned in 8th grade but you need to take it for a Gen Ed it is hard to stay focused:way:

 

[nannyslayer]

Yep, I actually had to pay money for this one....

 

[JakeWym]

Don't feel bad, I gave $550 for this mount three years ago. So alive he looks like he could just lick ya!

Seriously though, this deer was killed by my uncle in 1970 and my aunt was throwing it away when I save him. Named him Sasafrass and he hangs in our shop as a reminder of how far taxidermy techniques and materials have come since those days. Good taxidermy is an art form and just like any other service, you get what you pay for most times. .

That is a riot!

 

[shadowpeople]

I honestly have no idea how much its going to cost for the deer I dropped off this year. I didn't even ask. I know it will be awesome when its done. It was $650 in 2010 so it shouldn't be much more.

The placement of the rack on the local one is tipped way back and looks totally wrong and he does that to all of them. I don't I understand why he does it that way.

Well Adam, just my .02, but I've had 4 mounted by the individual you speak of, and I'm by no means a taxidermy expert and have no reservations about switching to a different taxidermist, but I'm sure happy with the way mine look. I've got number 5 up there right now being done. I have seen some bad mounts at other friends of mine (not done by the taxidermist in question). Sure, I have my favorites, of which ones I like the best of my 4 currently, but I don't believe I have any that look bad. To the contrary, I think they all look real good. I guess you're just an a-hole :thrwrck:

If I get time, I guess I will have to post up some pics so the experts can tell me if I should think they look good or not. Maybe I just don't know what I'm looking at, maybe I'm getting ripped off and need to find a new taxidermist? Everyone who has come over and looked at them has commented that they look great? Guess you shouldn't come over I will say I have seen a couple deer done in the past (+10 years old) from the taxidermist in question that look like the "bad taxidermy" pictured above, albeit they were stored in less than acceptable climate conditions, and I think he was tanning them himself, now he sends them off to be tanned. I don't think the one I have mounted from 2007 looks any different than the day I brought it home.

 

[dblmainbeam]

Well Adam, just my .02, but I've had 4 mounted by the individual you speak of, and I'm by no means a taxidermy expert and have no reservations about switching to a different taxidermist, but I'm sure happy with the way mine look. I've got number 5 up there right now being done. I have seen some bad mounts at other friends of mine (not done by the taxidermist in question). Sure, I have my favorites, of which ones I like the best of my 4 currently, but I don't believe I have any that look bad. To the contrary, I think they all look real good. I guess you're just an a-hole :thrwrck:

If I get time, I guess I will have to post up some pics so the experts can tell me if I should think they look good or not. Maybe I just don't know what I'm looking at, maybe I'm getting ripped off and need to find a new taxidermist? Everyone who has come over and looked at them has commented that they look great? Guess you shouldn't come over I will say I have seen a couple deer done in the past (+10 years old) from the taxidermist in question that look like the "bad taxidermy" pictured above, albeit they were stored in less than acceptable climate conditions, and I think he was tanning them himself, now he sends them off to be tanned. I don't think the one I have mounted from 2007 looks any different than the day I brought it home.

The only reason I posted is because I don't care for his mounts. Just my opinion. Last time I tried talking me he told me "f*#@ you!" Then said just kidding. He wasn't he won't talk or look at me. I wasn't trying to offend anyone.

 

[LYON]

Last time I tried talking me he told me "f*#@ you!" Then said just kidding. He wasn't he won't talk or look at me.

Now THAT'S a good business strategy!

 

[HorseDoctor]

Now THAT'S a good business strategy!

Must be so good that he's busier than he wants & is discouraging more work...

 

[Monsterbuck]

If I get time, I guess I will have to post up some pics so the experts can tell me if I should think they look good or not.

Please do! If they are as bad as the one in the first pic they should be good for a laugh.

Hey, maybe the taxi just had a bad day but pretty hard to defend the quality if his work on that one.

 

[Crockett]

Heres the lesson i learned. You get what you pay for. I learned the hard way a few years ago. I had caught crap for not using a local taxidermist so a few years ago I took a deer to him. Never again will I take the cheap route. I have seen some amazing deer that in my opinion are destroyed by the mount. My thoughts are spend the money to have him hang in the living room or go the cheap rout so he can lay in the attic. Here's a close ups of eyes detailed by my favorite taxidermist and one from the local that I'm a jerk for not taking my deer to him. Does anyone think I'm an a-hole for not destroying a trophy I have worked so hard to get? I think the eyes are the most important part of a life like mount.

Wow!! He looks like he just saw ya!! You get what you pay for pretty much covers everything on this planet!!! As far as Taxi's are concerned.....They better damn well pay respect to the animal! If someone offers you a $300.00 mount job!!!!!!!! Run!! Run! Away!!

 

[iabwhntr]

Thanks Skully:way:

I thought you were serious about paying 550 for that mount! I don't know why but that made me laugh hard enough to bring tears to my eyes!

Good stuff!

 

[loneranger]

Save $$ and do it yourself. Really not that hard. Takes time though. I did one for around a $100.

 

[LYON]

Save $$ and do it yourself. Really not that hard. Takes time though. I did one for around a $100.

I've thought about trying this. I've done a couple of my own euro mounts (I know that's completely different) but I wouldn't be opposed to attempting my own shoulder mount. Might be kind of fun!

 

[ReinertsonTaxidermy]

Save $$ and do it yourself. Really not that hard. Takes time though. I did one for around a $100.

Yep, not that hard at all.... Actually it's really easy to produce a high quality mount Let's see a pic of your mount you did for $100, I'm dying to see it

 

[ReinertsonTaxidermy]

Come on loneranger, we are waiting to see pics of your mount that wasn't so hard...

 

[twn417]

Did you say anything to the Tax about it. Most good guys would try and make it right I would think?