Been a year

[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.

 

[Madbowh]

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.

 

[SpurChaser]

No real update unfortunately. Had a buddy that knew someone that dropped off a deer to be processed a week or so ago. Found out through the grapevine that the taxidermist apparently has some personal stuff going on? Still haven't heard back from him personally. I can tell you this, that will be the last deer I take up there.

 

[SpurChaser]

Well folks, I finally got him back. Thanks for all the help, and advice. Glad to have him hanging in the living room...who needs a clock on the wall anyway? It's deer time.

 

[Specializedjon]

Agree with @AT Hiker that it's piss poor business to not communicate with clients on the status of their mount. I over communicate, but then again I'm a small shop and don't take in more than I can turn around in the allotted time given. I tell everyone 12 months just so I don't over commit and under deliver.

Glad you got it back. Good lookin buck. Swing by and I'll texture his nose for ya (free of charge). Agree…bucks trump clocks on the wall all day.