Been a year

[SpurChaser]

How long is too long to start getting a little aggravated with your taxidermist? I dropped off a deer last year in the first week of December and was told I'd get him back around the end of August or beginning of September. Coming up on a year and he's still not done, with no word from the shop doing it either.

This is the first buck I've ever had done so I don't really know what to expect as far as timeline goes. Any advice / words of wisdom?

 

[backyardtndeer]

Best advice I could give would be to call him and ask him when he will have it done. Taxidermist I am giving a try this year said his turnaround that he tells people a year, but could be as quick as 6 to 8 months being that I brought my deer in the first week of November. I won't bother him if he's not done in the 6-8 months, but I would probably call him towards October if I haven't heard from him.

The taxidermist I used prior for my 2019 deer said a year, BUT he took nearly 3.5 years. He took in way too many, but he did do a real nice job.

 

[Tn Joe]

I'd at least call and ask since it's past the time they told you it would be finished.

 

[fairchaser]

Some people don't have the money to pay the balance so the taxidermist doesn't use a FIFO first in first out, method but the squeaky wheel method. So far you haven't squeaked.

 

[cbhunter]

A year is not "that" long for a mount. The last one I had done was two years. I wasn't happy about it either!

But I have around 7 mounts and 1 year is probably about average in my experience

 

[SpurChaser]

Some people don't have the money to pay the balance so the taxidermist doesn't use a FIFO first in first out, method but the squeaky wheel method. So far you haven't squeaked.

So I actually visited him at the beginning of October and paid my balance in full. Still haven't heard anything back.. might be time to start squeaking.

 

[SpurChaser]

Best advice I could give would be to call him and ask him when he will have it done. Taxidermist I am giving a try this year said his turnaround that he tells people a year, but could be as quick as 6 to 8 months being that I brought my deer in the first week of November. I won't bother him if he's not done in the 6-8 months, but I would probably call him towards October if I haven't heard from him.

The taxidermist I used prior for my 2019 deer said a year, BUT he took nearly 3.5 years. He took in way too many, but he did do a real nice job.

Can't imaging waiting for 3.5 years to get a deer back.. what kept you from going back up there to take it somewhere else?

 

[backyardtndeer]

So I actually visited him at the beginning of October and paid my balance in full.

I may be wrong on this and sure someone else will chime in if that's the case, but I honestly don't think that was a good idea. You pay a deposit and don't pay the remainder until you see and approve of the finished work. By paying off the balance you eliminated his incentive to get yours done, since he already has your money. Definitely call him and see where he is at on it.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Can't imaging waiting for 3.5 years to get a deer back.. what kept you from going back up there to take it somewhere else?

The long drive there and no guarantees that he would be there. I actually did tell him in a voice mail that I would just come and get my antlers and cape and pay him for what he was out, and take it somewhere else. Prior to that message he wasn't returning my texts or calls. He called me very shortly after leaving the voice mail. He finished it up not long after that.

 

[SpurChaser]

I may be wrong on this and sure someone else will chime in if that's the case, but I honestly don't think that was a good idea. You pay a deposit and don't pay the remainder until you see and approve of the finished work. By paying off the balance you eliminated his incentive to get yours done, since he already has your money. Definitely call him and see where he is at on it.

I can understand where you're coming from on that. My idea of doing it that way was to show good faith that he would get it done quicker be seeing that I didn't just drop it off and forget about it. We'll see how it turns out. I'll get it back eventually..

I appreciate the input and perspective

 

[Mcboom]

So I actually visited him at the beginning of October and paid my balance in full. Still haven't heard anything back.. might be time to start squeaking.

I'd recommend never paying upfront for anything. A deposit ok but never

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

it's usually 12 to 14 months for me

 

[shrimphead]

can't imagine taking 1-2 years to get a mount back. never had one take over 2 months to get back

 

[DoubleRidge]

12 months would be normal in my experience...but after 12 months I wouldn't hesitate to politely touch base...just check in to get a feel where you are in line.

 

[Specializedjon]

10-12 months is not out of the ordinary for a shop doing 150+ a year. Communication is the key from the shop. Most people will be gracious and understanding if they're getting updates and not having to ask

 

[fairchaser]

This has always been the case with taxidermists because they are artists and not business people. But technology could solve this problem by sending out notices via email to customers waiting on their mounts.

Often times, after the glory of killing a good buck has worn off, hunters may be less willing to pay off their balance to collect their prize. This is especially true when the wife says it's not hanging in her house.

So, taxidermist wait for the customer to call and beg for their animal before they finish it, thereby assuring final payment.

If customers are given the option to make the final payment guaranteeing delivery of their mount in two weeks, most of them will do so gladly. A notice sent via email to customers giving them a "heads up" would make the whole process more efficient. Pun intended!

 

[Rem7600]

How long is too long to start getting a little aggravated with your taxidermist? I dropped off a deer last year in the first week of December and was told I'd get him back around the end of August or beginning of September. Coming up on a year and he's still not done, with no word from the shop doing it either.

This is the first buck I've ever had done so I don't really know what to expect as far as timeline goes. Any advice / words of wisdom?

I'm waiting on a 2021. Reputable guy, sizeable business, good comms, great work. My only worry is price he looks about $150 higher than before.

 

[rem270]

A year wait time for a great taxidermist is about spot on. Usually it's 12-16 months from my taxidermist, which is also my uncle. I always get a little anxious once the year mark hits but never bug him about it because I know I'm in line and he's working daily. If someone is waiting 2 years then the taxidermist needs to take in less mounts or step their game up and work more hours. Thanksgiving week when my uncle caped mine out he had gotten 106 mounts in 2 weeks. He said he was fixing to have to turn down business as bad as he hated to because with what he had before that 106 mark and after I figure it was up around 150 mounts. He'll always quit taking mounts in before he makes people wait longer than 12-18 months.

 

[Jcalder]

For those in the know, how long does it actually take to mount one. I'm not talking about the drying time, but to cape one out, and get it shaped on a form. I know it takes a couple weeks to dry and you could have several drying at a time.

 

[TN Larry]

For those in the know, how long does it actually take to mount one. I'm not talking about the drying time, but to cape one out, and get it shaped on a form. I know it takes a couple weeks to dry and you could have several drying at a time.

The taxidermist I used to use (Robert Williams on Hwy 70 towards Chestnut Mound) told me in his younger days that he could put two out the door per day. That was pulling some long hours. He was older then and said he could do one per day at that time which also included tanning his own hides. I know he did work a lot as I can remember passing there at all times and him in the shop working. We used to stop by when I was younger just to look at the racks.

 

[backyardtndeer]

This is especially true when the wife says it's not hanging in her house.

Very thankful that my wife got into hunting. She is already trying to figure out where her buck from this year is going to go on the wall.

So, taxidermist wait for the customer to call and beg for their animal before they finish it, thereby assuring final payment.

The taxidermist we are giving a try this year said he has had issues with people not coming back for deer. He said he has had to sell some of those to recover what he had in them. He does require a waiver that if you don't pick up and pay iirc within 2 months after being notified, that the mount becomes his.

 

[AT Hiker]

For those in the know, how long does it actually take to mount one. I'm not talking about the drying time, but to cape one out, and get it shaped on a form. I know it takes a couple weeks to dry and you could have several drying at a time.

10-15 hours of labor.
Some people can knock them out a lot faster but when you start taking short cuts it starts to show.

 

[dsa5455]

This has always been the case with taxidermists because they are artists.

x2 making it difficult to hire help to do any of the grunt work. They have to do it all making it difficult to not get burned out.

 

[deerhunter10]

It takes mine 3 to 5 months. He doesn't do many. My old guy was always 9 months to a year. I've never waited longer then a year. Wouldn't be very happy with a taxidermist taking a year and a half plus.

 

[BigCityBubba]

I have had 2 deer, a wild boar, and a bear rug done and none of them took more than 10 months. I brought a deer in this year and the taxidermist said I was 3rd on the list and should be done by this spring. We will see.

 

[Rem7600]

So I actually visited him at the beginning of October and paid my balance in full. Still haven't heard anything back.. might be time to start squeaking.

Any update?

When you paid him did you get to see your mount, he should've at least been working on it. The one I mentioned I was waiting a while for I just got back last week.

I hope you got to see it when you paid. I'll never pay anyone in full until completion, some in advance is ok.

 

[ttf909]

Got involved with a taxi out of state. Said a year. Waited a year and called . Guy says a few weeks.
Few week guy calls and says pick up this Friday. My buddy makes that drive for work and gets to guys shop that Saturday to hear it's not done and will take a few more days.
Called taxi again and he gets smart with me and says everyone misunderstands and what he really Said was call him Friday and let him know that we would get the deer in 2 days . So he doesn't get the deer ready and no one shows to get it and he has to continually dust it. The buck was fully paid for weeks before.
He had my deer so I was nice . Won't go back. He did an amazing job However . It was a year oct 15 and finally got it in mid December

 

[Popcorn]

My guy in KY is covered up but does good work. His turn around has gone up to about 12 months. He told me his biggest challenges were getting forms and labor and some chemicals were becoming erratic to acquire

 

[Popcorn]

The taxidermist I used to use (Robert Williams on Hwy 70 towards Chestnut Mound

Robert mounted my first "mountable" buck for me about 25 years ago. $125. I remember a piebald doe he had mounted with a pair of extra legs sticking up from its back in his showroom. He was down in his back that year I think, seemed like it took a lot longer than expected

 

[AT Hiker]

Something to keep in mind for turnaround time. If the taxidermist sends the skins out to a commercial tannery it will almost always take longer to have your mount back. It is not uncommon for tanneries now to take 6+ months to return the tanned skins.

Still, it is piss poor business to not properly communicate with the client. It is also aggravating to have a client call and bug you about a mount when it's not even 1/2 way through the deadline.
Idiots on both ends.