How do you handle going to pick up your prized taxidermy and your not happy with the quality of work?
Bad Taxidermy
- Thread starter Tn Joe
- Start date
TNGunsmoke
Well-Known Member
I've never had that happen, so I don't know.
Let's see it!
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
If its a deer head....get another cape and have it re-done by another taxidermist.
Expensive option but I know no other solution.
Ditto! I've used one taxidermist my entire hunting career. I'm not looking forward to the day he closes his shop.
OP - did you evaluate "some of his/her work "in person" before allowing him/her to take your animal? Is this a deer?
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
Hope i never find out. But I would take it to someone else and not pay either. Most taxidermist keep extra capes.
@fulldraw
Well-Known Member
I hope this isn't the gobbler. If it's a deer, just remember, you can't compare it to TC's.
Just a thought I've had since my taxidermist moved across the country.
Last edited:
No, John Beard mounted it and it turned out great!
That's why I euro mounted my bucks from this year. I may never have another one shoulder mounted.If it's a deer, just remember, you can't compare it to TC's.
MickThompson
Well-Known Member
Got no one to blame but the deer!
I have a friend whose last buck had the skull cap cut and mounted crooked. Throws the whole thing off and he has to look at it every day.
killingtime 41
Well-Known Member
I haven't had one mounted in several years. Die to me not shooting one to mount. But last time I did. You had to put down a deposit. Then the rest when you picked it up. Would you not say something before you left the place. A crooked rack or it looks like it was mounted in 1970 would be a problem.
I had a taxidermist in Carroll County mount a buck in 2019 that looked like buck horns were placed on a doe or small form.
He swore it was my deer but I had measured the distance from the tip of his nose to his eye. The mounted buck distance was almost 2" shorter. After I pressed the issue, he said, oh I remember, your cape had a big cut in the throat and would have looked terrible. So he "may" have had to replace the cape (at no extra charge). I reminded him that was not true. He skinned the buck with a scalpel sitting outside his shop, while I watched. There were no cuts in the hide.
He refused to resolve the problem or admit guilt. I reminded him this is a small community and I would be showing his work every chance I got.
He swore it was my deer but I had measured the distance from the tip of his nose to his eye. The mounted buck distance was almost 2" shorter. After I pressed the issue, he said, oh I remember, your cape had a big cut in the throat and would have looked terrible. So he "may" have had to replace the cape (at no extra charge). I reminded him that was not true. He skinned the buck with a scalpel sitting outside his shop, while I watched. There were no cuts in the hide.
He refused to resolve the problem or admit guilt. I reminded him this is a small community and I would be showing his work every chance I got.
I don't understand what you mean by this.
Last edited:
MickThompson
Well-Known Member
Sarcasm
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
If you're taking your birds to John then take your deer to Dustin vaine. He's just up the road.
Can't imagine shrinking a cape that much. Was that left ear notch on your deer? That's a great buck btw.
Just call before you go because he's cutting it off at 300 this year. Thanks @30-06 type of guy for recommending him on here. Real straight up guy.
I asked for a deer to be mounted on a semi sneak right turn. When I went to pick it up it was an upright staring straight ahead. The eyes were also crooked on it. I paid for it and picked it up because I was excited to get it back. It was a nice public land buck. The more I looked at it the more pissed off I was. It wasn't the mount I asked for and It was terrible quality. It was the first buck I had ever gotten mounted and hadn't learned the "you get what you pay for" lesson yet.
I ended up calling them back and I told them I as very unhappy with the mount. Told them it was not even them mount I had asked for. Then I told them I expected them to make this right or I would make sure every person I knew would not take a deer to them again (I work in the outdoors community so that statement probably meant something to them).
They took the deer back and remounted it on a new cape the correct way. It still wasn't great quality but it was atleast what I asked for. I found a new taxidermist after that.
If I can find a picture of how terrible that first mount was I'll share it. It was horrible. Here is the redo, which still sucks IMO.
I ended up calling them back and I told them I as very unhappy with the mount. Told them it was not even them mount I had asked for. Then I told them I expected them to make this right or I would make sure every person I knew would not take a deer to them again (I work in the outdoors community so that statement probably meant something to them).
They took the deer back and remounted it on a new cape the correct way. It still wasn't great quality but it was atleast what I asked for. I found a new taxidermist after that.
If I can find a picture of how terrible that first mount was I'll share it. It was horrible. Here is the redo, which still sucks IMO.
Attachments
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
No problem. I always recommend him when I can. He's done a few deer and my son's turkey for me. Going to take my buck from this year to him before he wraps it up. Tell him Nick appreciates him.
rstodd
Well-Known Member
That's ruff
I had it happen one time and was my fault for not researching and trying to find a cheaper price. It ended up not even being that much cheaper and looks like a doe with antlers. I've got a friend doing taxidermy now that does a great job. I knew it was good when I posted one that he did for me several years ago and TC said I don't know what he's charging but needs to increase his price based on his quality.
He only takes a handful each year and will be a little over a year to get my daughter's recent buck done. I asked her about the time, and she said I don't like the timing but no other choice but to use him.
He only takes a handful each year and will be a little over a year to get my daughter's recent buck done. I asked her about the time, and she said I don't like the timing but no other choice but to use him.
Taxidermy is an art. That being said, all taxidermists establish their own way of mounting deer and their own "look". I'm not one to bash someone else's work. It's his work. That's why people stick with a taxidermist for years and years once they find one they like.
You can always get a new cape and have it remounted.
I have a sign in my shop that says….
"If my service doesn't meet your expectations, please lower your expectations"
You can always get a new cape and have it remounted.
I have a sign in my shop that says….
"If my service doesn't meet your expectations, please lower your expectations"
Thank you! This buck spent the entire summer on a friends farm that is over two miles from us. The lure of a large herd of does brought him to us in November.
BTW: Nice observation, the buck didn't have any cuts or tears on his ears. Oh well, lesson learned. At least the price was reasonable. ;o)
I had one similar to this one time. When I took the deer to the processor I had them cape it out, and they cut the head off at the base of the skull, actually leaving no accurate way to measure the neck circumference. I didn't take the measurement myself, as I have learned since to do, and my taxidermist just measured what he could, and the result was similar to yours, looking like a thin necked doe mount with antlers. I questioned him and he told me that's all he had to go on, and it's true, but he told me then, that if I plan to have one mounted it's a good idea to measure that neck size while it's fresh on the ground after the kill, write it down and bring it to him when I bring the deer. Live and learn I guess.
Take a big part of the neck with you to the Taxidermist . My Taxidermist mentioned that once and that was what I always did . Once I took two bucks to him and one was the piedald . The other was the big 8 point I killed in Lewis Co. When he called to say they were ready I went promptly. Showing me the piebald he said it was the talk of all that came in there . After admiring it I asked where was my other one ....he said right beside your piebald ...I looked again and said " nope that ain't it " . He said " yes it is " and I said " NO IT AIN'T " ! I said I have pictures and will be back . He'd put someone else's rack on my mount . He said it won't be a problem to fix and I'll give you a discount . He said alot people come in and look at the racks and the tag must of fell off . He fixed it and it looked alright but later found out he was selling coke ...not the drinking kind . He spent some time in the pokey so had to find another Taxidermist. I knew every time I'd go there there was people there that I couldn't picture huntingI had one similar to this one time. When I took the deer to the processor I had them cape it out, and they cut the head off at the base of the skull, actually leaving no accurate way to measure the neck circumference. I didn't take the measurement myself, as I have learned since to do, and my taxidermist just measured what he could, and the result was similar to yours, looking like a thin necked doe mount with antlers. I questioned him and he told me that's all he had to go on, and it's true, but he told me then, that if I plan to have one mounted it's a good idea to measure that neck size while it's fresh on the ground after the kill, write it down and bring it to him when I bring the deer. Live and learn I guess.
He made a mistake and paid for it so when he got out I continued to use him because the one I had to use just wasn't the same quality as he was getting old and letting his son take over . A good Taxidermist is one you need to keep ....probably never get another one mounted , the last few have been Euros but if by chance I kill a huge one I may have it mounted .Rumor has it @fulldraw was so mad at his last taxidermist for doing such a crappy job he ran him out of town!
Supposedly he has a shop in WY but spends too much time hunting that he doesn't have time to do too much crappy-termy.
I have almost 2 dozen mounts and have been through 3 taxidermist. The first one (Richie Keith) was chosen by location and he was wonderful with getting deer back to me. I was in my teenage years (90's) and I killed a nice buck opening day and had it back before Christmas. Commitment to the relationship is important. When Richie moved to more of an agriculture life, I found Sidney Howell. He and I, with other family and friends, spent weeks "on vacation" hunting. When Sidney retired (still wouldmountfor my if Iask), I met David Hooper. They are all great and use to forms. Remember when you go to buy anything that you can always pay top end for more than just the artist. Since I started hunting I have received the annual taxidermist books (Dan Chase, McKenzie and others). You wouldn't but a car without researching its makeup. I have been blessed with knowing great taxidermist. You get what you pay for, but it's not always monetary. If he is a great taxidermist and you aren't happy, you can talk to him nicely and fix it.
