taxidermist lost my beard

wthjr · Jun 23, 2008

I took my first turkey to the taxidermist here in my hometown to have a tailfan/wing mount. I shot it opening morning and was so excited. Ok long story short I just got it back last week. It looks ok but let me tell you what I went thru to get it. First of all he still hasnt found the 9.5 inch beard. He LOST it! So he put a fake one on. Is this normal? Has anyone else ever been thru this? Also, I told him to take the spurs off and hollow them out and hang them with it. So instead of cutting the leg in two and hollowing them out he cut them flush off the leg! So basically to me they are ruined. I guess you get what you pay for. I had him do a deer for me and it was ok. So I dont know what the hello happened here. I am really upset over this. Needless to say I cant refer him or use him anymore. Whats your horror story?

CWT · Jun 23, 2008

Got my best buck with a bow back and the horns were crooked in the head.. leaning to one side. But I did get that fixed.
I also took a bobcat I trapped to another taxidermist and he really screwed it up. He had the stitched up part on the front instead of the back.
Took my sons deer to him a couple of years later to mount. Keep in mind this guy was a really good taxidermist at one time and has done several deer for me that look great! He started letting other people help him and took on students.. big mistake! Anyway I took a look at the deer hanging in his shop and they looked terrible. I have used him for years and I took my sons deer back to the car and left and have not been back sense. I have a really good taxidermist now and are very pleased so far.

CopperHead77 · Jun 24, 2008

Bout the worst thing I've had happen is they got the pose wrong,no big deal,after waiting a yr I was just glad to get it back.

Losing a beard is pretty wild,didn't even know you could get fake beards but I guess they can reproduce anything these days,sorry bout your luck,that just sucks!

Gravey · Jun 24, 2008

I've been pleased for the most part with everything I've ever had done. I'd be pissed off if they lost my beard and cut the spurs off like that.

RUGER · Jun 24, 2008

Waiting for nearly two years to get a deer back then it being the WAY wrong pose and still had gray primer on the nose instead of shiny black paint.
VERY crappy appearance of the hair and just basically a crap job.

Mathews Hunter · Jun 24, 2008

I just received my bear mounts back a few weeks ago. A guy I hunted in Alberta with has not received his two mounts yet. The shipping company has no record of them and he can not get the Taxidermist in Edmonton Alberta to return his calls. To top that, the mounts are already paid for in the area of $2,500.

kmac29 · Jun 29, 2008

and you paid for it? dang..im pretty sure i would have picked it up and told him it wasnt done right so i wasnt gonna pay him and i would walk out of there with what was left of it..

PickettSFHunter · Jun 29, 2008

A processor "lost" the first nice buck I ever killed when I was 14 years old. He gave my 8 point to someone else and gave me a little 100 inch 8 point in its place. Im still sore about to this day, I never found out who got it.

12 Point · Jul 4, 2008

Walter Wilkerson Taxedermist in Dyersburg Tenn 731-286-0853, he just completed a 12 point for me that I got last Thanksgiving morning. We carried it to him on Nov. the 27th, he said that he had a 10 month turn around on it, he had it ready for me to pick up by June. Only took him like 6 months, had it mounted with ears in alert position looking straight ahead. He did a wonderful job on it. He charged me 350.00 dollars for a full shoulder mount. He is very well known around our area and has received various awards for his work. He works a full time job as a fireman at the Dyersburg Fire Department and he and his wife do this on the side. I will certainly use him again and higly recommend him to anyone needing a taxedermist. Just tell him Rick McNulty recommended him.