Taxidermy time

[IDspud]

A taxidermist told me something would take 6 months to do so I went with him over everyone else. Everyone else said a minimum of one year which I know is pretty standard. Well now it will be a year mark before mine is (maybe) ready to pick up. I'm not trying to be pushy, but I could have went with other people that were cheaper with good reviews. The part I don't understand is that he said it's completion time depends on how many deer and antelope come in now. Why would new projects delay mine that has been sitting there 6 months behind the time he said he'd have it done? He said once it was back from the tannery it would only take 2 weeks or so. That was months ago.

Should I be worried about this guy and my project? He's really nice but I kind of feel like I was duped to get my business.

 

[Bouldar]

You are in a tough spot there. Me being not confrontational, I would wait it out and never use him again.
I would have asked my mine would be delayed due to new deer/antelope. That is total BS!

 

[IDspud]

You are in a tough spot there. Me being not confrontational, I would wait it out and never use him again.
I would have asked my mine would be delayed due to new deer/antelope. That is total BS!

Yeah feels tough because he was super nice.

But after 6 months came and went I called and got "It's back, should only be 2-3 weeks."

After that time came and went (a month later) I called again. Same answer. Repeat that for 5 more months....

 

[KurtR]

Buddy got the same answers you have. ended up the guy was on the hook for tax evasion had to go get his lion back to be finished

 

[william schmaltz]

Just keep checking in on him if you trust the guy. I dropped a bear off one time and was told a year turnaround. I honestly didn't care if he would've told me 3 years. I called after about 1.5 years because my wife wanted it for wedding decorations in 6 months. He said "if it was a last spring bear, it should've been done last winter, I'll get right on it." So he was putting other's stuff ahead of mine. Said it would be done no problem by wedding (2 years after drop off). Month before the wedding I called again and still not done, told me it would be done in month. He finally called me 8 months later (2.5+ years after drop off). I just really hate the lies and lead on. I would've been fine if he told me the first time I called that it would be another year. Just don't keep leading me on and not be truthful. The whole time he was posting mounts on his social so I know he was working. It made me even more frustrated, but at least I could track that he was still in business otherwise I would've been on him more. Did a great job but I won't be a return customer just based on how he handled things.

 

[Bouldar]

If you decide to try to get it back, line it up with another taxidermist 1st. Tell them what’s going on too. I wouldn’t want to get it back half done and nobody wants to touch the other guys work. That would be a nightmare!

 

[WCB]

I would stop in and ask to see your cape and make sure it actually got tanned. At that point you'll know real quick if he is telling the truth or not. If it isn't even tanned yet take it from him and bring it somewhere else. Either that or call him once a week until he gets it done.

 

[Bouldar]

My antelope ran a little over. My dad said, you haven’t had it in 40 years, what’s another month.

I just want them to be honest. Call me and tell me you are behind before I am calling asking where it is. I understand shit happens, just call me and make me feel like I am not being pushed to the side and forgotten.

 

[Bouldar]

I would stop in and ask to see your cape and make sure it actually got tanned. At that point you'll know real quick if he is telling the truth or not. If it isn't even tanned yet take it from him and bring it somewhere else. Either that or call him once a week until he gets it done.

Good idea. Ask to see the progress. That will tell the story

 

[Tick]

Agree. Face to face pressure best way to make progress.
Sucks. Amazing how many taxidermists get away with running their business like this.

 

[JFK]

There are good, honest taxidermists. Just not that many of them.

 

[IDspud]

So I did just call another taxidermist to feel out picking it up and lining something up with another business.

Surprisingly, the guy defended the other guy and said "I don't know him, but honestly things are a mess for everyone right now."

He explained that after decades of business being able to get manikins in a week they are now 6-8 week quotes, and a lot of companies are out of materials so they're having to order from several different ones if they can even find the pieces at all.

He said likely 6 months if I tried someone else now. Sounds like I should just wait it out.

You guys nailed it... I just want honesty. I don't have anything pressing where I need it now. I just don't like the run around. If he told me a year like everyone else that would have been fine.

 

[william schmaltz]

I will add to my previous posts to be fair to taxidermists and that I know things are legit backed up. I dropped a sheep cape off last winter for a guy to take care of for me. He said typically it's 2 months but the tannery is extremely backed up so It could be 6 months. Didn't really care, it was a wet tan that I was planning to just throw in the freezer. It took 8 months to get stuff back that usually takes 2 months. When I picked it up he said it's like that for everything and it's really messing up his business. He said forms were really tough to get to AK. He is a guy that legit has always had stuff back to people by the next season (finish all 2021 sheep by July 2022). He's still trying to keep that schedule, but he's now telling people two years just in case. The guy in my previous post didn't have this excuse, he was just putting stuff off.

 

[Dirtbag]

Ditto, My taxidermist let me know last year that the tanneries are very backed up. They were still able to get my antelope back to me a couple months after they estimated, but I'm guessing that's the hold up with yours.

He said typically it's 2 months but the tannery is extremely backed up so It could be 6 months.

 

[manitou1]

The "depends how many animals I get in after yours" statement. .. Most animals come in whole or with the head. The taxi has to cape it out in order to fit it in the freezer, so this eats away at his time.

Regardless, when I had a taxi business I did everything in my power to get the mount finished within the specified time frame. I think I was a week or two late on less than a handfull of animals. Nobody likes to be told "it will be ready by May 1st" only get their mount back August 9th. It breeds discontent and distrust.

 

[IDspud]

The "depends how many animals I get in after yours" statement. .. Most animals come in whole or with the head. The taxi has to cape it out in order to fit it in the freezer, so this eats away at his time.

Regardless, when I had a taxi business I did everything in my power to get the mount finished within the specified time frame. I think I was a week or two late on less than a handfull of animals. Nobody likes to be told "it will be ready by May 1st" only get their mount back August 9th. It breeds discontent and distrust.

I called him again and he pretty much explained it as this. Now they're getting flooded with animals already that need to be addressed ASAP. He said he was just working on a life-sized lion mount and had to stop for an antelope repeatedly and lost 3 more days.

Sounds like everything's good. He said I'm welcome to come by and check it out, but they're working non stop. Apparently mine was larger than the biggest form they made but had some weird smaller head distances that's taking even more time to custom modify. Sounds like he's doing a good job to make it true to size instead of just throwing it together as "good enough" to push it through.

I talked to a few other shops and they don't even want to give estimated times because things are so chaotic now. 1-2 years. Maybe it's time to rethink about getting into taxidermy if there's such a high demand for it.

 

[Dunndm]

I dropped off a turkey to a guy 2 seasons ago.. I still haven’t gotten mine back… we talk monthly and he’s been pushing mine off because he hiked his prices up 2-3 weeks after I put mine in so I’m on the back burner. He’s honest about it, and I don’t care to much. But I’m moving out of state soon so he’s got no choice but to finish it soon now haha


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[Dunndm]

I dropped off a turkey to a guy 2 seasons ago.. I still haven’t gotten mine back… we talk monthly and he’s been pushing mine off because he hiked his prices up 2-3 weeks after I put mine in so I’m on the back burner. He’s honest about it, and I don’t care to much. But I’m moving out of state soon so he’s got no choice but to finish it soon now haha


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Over 2 years ago I should say. Not 2 seasons


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[Rich M]

I had a brown trout in with a guy for a ehile. He said he had to be in the mood to paint fish. Was worth the wait.

About the same for a snow goose. Guy does incredible work, just takes longer than he’ll admit.

Had a guy who did stuff as scheduled and the work was eh. Guess he wasnt too busy. Stopped using him after eife caught an 18 inch black crappie and thr guy used a sharpie to put the spots on it…. Talked another guy into doing s real paint job.

Stopped taxidermy after that stuff and only have 2 fish left out of 2 fish and 18 waterfowl mounts.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Sounds like most taxidermists to me, unfortunately. Heard this same type of scenario from a million different guys, myself included.