Anyone have any info on Mike with Laurel Hill Taxidermy? Mike is a great guy and I have done business with him in the past, but he has had a buck of mine since 2020 and I have still not gotten it back yet. I know he was in the hospital back at the end of November, but he was supposed to be back in the shop after that. I have tried calling and have texted him several times over the last couple weeks with no response. I know he has been backed up for awhile, but not even answering a text is extremely frustrating. I'm tempted to go down there to the shop and see if I can talk to him in person. Has he gone out of business?
Laurel Hill Taxidermy Status
- Thread starter thale51
- Start date
Carlos
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2014
- Messages
- 5,259
He may still be in the Hospital, ya never know.
I hope it all works out for you.
I hope it all works out for you.
I guess it's possible he could have been admitted again. He texted me the first week or so in December and said he had been in the hospital for several weeks and was planning on going back to the shop that next week. That was the last I have heard from him, so there's no telling.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
He is not in the hospital. I talked to him on the phone back at the beginning of February, he assured me my 2019 deer was next on the list to be mounted. He said he was starting on it the very next day. Mid February I asked him by text if he was still mounting the deer, and he said yes. Here we are over a month since he told me my deer was being mounted and not a peep. Excuse after excuse.
I am ready to take a trip down there and show up at his door, I just hate to burn fuel and end up him not being there.
I am ready to take a trip down there and show up at his door, I just hate to burn fuel and end up him not being there.
Sounds to me like y'all should go try to collect your deer heads while you can. I've seen similar play out in the past with another taxi.
My nephew killed a 8 pt in full velvet on the last day of season years ago. A true trophy to a 9-10 year old boy. Never got it back
My nephew killed a 8 pt in full velvet on the last day of season years ago. A true trophy to a 9-10 year old boy. Never got it back
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I am past ready to just show up at his shop. I wouldn't be opposed to getting together with another member or members to show up at the same time.
Mike told me he got a little behind, because he took in too many deer. He said he took in about 800 since cwd hit, over about 3 to 4 years. Of course that was about 2 years after he already had my deer.
I don't know the guy and I hope his health has gotten better. But sometimes we are just forced to draw the line somewhere
I couldn't imagine waiting 3-4 years to get a deer back.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
No kidding. I've always gotten deer back the following spring, so 4-5 months later.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
He told me that he had a surgery of some sort last year, that he had gotten out of the hospital and was going to be getting back to working the next week. When I talked with him more recently, he didn't mention any issues with his health at all. He had promised me my deer in 11 months, I took it to him in December of 2019. This was the first time I tried the guy. At that time I couldn't take my deer to Wilkerson because of cwd, and the man that had been doing our deer had said he wasn't taking any more due to having heart issues. I would have kept the deer in the freezer had I known, and later took it to Wilkerson. I gave Mike a chance to show off his work and earn a new customer. Hindsight.
AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
800 deer 
in 3-4 yrs?
Wholly hell! I'd be mounting deer for the next 100 years.
in 3-4 yrs? Wholly hell! I'd be mounting deer for the next 100 years.
I'll go down there with you. I'm in Jackson and have a fairly flexible schedule, so send me a pm and let's figure something out. Like I said, I like the guy and the previous deer he did for me turned out great. I'm just tired of the excuses and now no responses at all. If there's a legit reason why he's so behind, or genuinely does have health issues, that's fine at least communicate that and keep me updated on the status. It's beyond ridiculous at this point.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Picked up my deer this morning. Even though it took a lot longer than promised, I am happy with the end result. Mike does do nice work. Will post pics in another thread soon.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Did you ever get yours back?
Nope, he still has it. I was able to get in touch with him back in March, but haven't had any communication with him since then. I got so busy with life and a job change, so I just let it be for several months. He made a Facebook post back in October and I left a comment on it. He said he was working on mine, but didn't give any details. I sent him a text two weeks ago asking for an update and if he thought he might have it finished before the holidays. I haven't heard a word back. I'm going to try and text and call him again at the end of the week, and if I can't get a reply or continue to get the run around, then I'll go down there the next free chance I get and will just pick it up and take it somewhere else. I know the guy took in way too many deer and has had some health issues, but it's been over 3 years now that he's had mine and hasn't finished it yet. At the very least, some communication every so often would have been nice just letting me know the status of it and an ETA of when he might have it done. I like the guy and he does good work, but I believe I'm going to go elsewhere to have my next deer mounted.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
If he won't answer, might leave him a voice mail letting him know that you are coming to get your antlers and cape. That's what I did, and he called me back pretty quick and ended up finishing mine up not long after that conversation.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
The person who did our deer before the one I took to Mike was just part time and he has quit doing taxidermy. I have mine and my wife's deer from this year at taxidermy by Shane in Friendship. These are the first deer we have taken to him, so can't say yet how things will turn out, but the work in progress in his shop looked really good. He tans in house, so no lost time with capes being shipped out waiting on the tannery.
Don't know Mike so I'm not gonna judge or comment but 2 yrs is a little long.
