Deciding on Taxidermist

What to look for when deciding on a taxidermist

The following is a list for helping your to decide on the taxidermist that will mount your special trophy. Remember there are exceptions to everything but generally this list is an overall good rule of thumb to follow.

1. Most people select a taxidermist on one basis, Price! This is one of the biggest mistakes that can be made. Generally if the price sounds too good to be true it usually is just that! You get what you pay for. Quality should be the main emphasis and you will always pay more for good work. A good deer mount on your wall that you like and paid $100 more for, over the next ten years, will only cost you 2 cents a day over that of a cheaper deer mount that you map look at every day and absolutely despise. As you can see the cost of quality in the long run is really negligible with a trophy that you want to have for a long time.

2. Another important factor is turn around time. 9 to 12 months is quite the norm with a reputable taxidermist. The reason it takes so long is the person's work load. If they have a large workload it is usually a sign of being an accomplished taxidermist and a lot of people are trusting them with their trophies. Any time frame of less than 6 months should be scrutinized thoroughly. This could be a sign of very little work or possibly just throwing things together with little regard for quality.

3. Regular premises or work place. Taxidermy is a business just like any other business and should be treated as such. The work should be done in a regular building or area to do just this kind of work. Along with the premises comes set hours and a telephone. you should be able to contact your taxidermist during his normal business hours at just about any time, with few exceptions. Not being able to contact easily is a sure sign of a fly by night operation. Also constantly moving from one location to another shows instability and usually means your trophy and deposit could end up missing. Unfortunately it happens!

4. Beware of the big talker! Talk is cheap and could always be made to sound better than things really are. Let the persons work speak for itself.

5. Educate yourself in what good taxidermy is. Visit as many shops in your area as possible. Look at the work and compare. Usually the difference is the amount of time spent on detail.

6. Don't let horns, antlers or size fog your vision. These are just one part of a mount. Look closely at the mouth, nostrils, ears, and especially the eyes. Do they look real? Look at the overall mount.

7. Check with as many people as possible that have had work done by the taxidermist. Word of mouth is perhaps the best way in locating someone reputable and is also the very best advertising for the taxidermist himself.

8. Will the person back up their work and be willing to repair any problem that may occur with the mount with a reasonable time frame? Most reputable taxidermists will remedy the problem if one occurs that they might be responsible for. Damage from dry heat or knocking a mount off the wall or other damages incurred by your obviously wouldn't be covered.

Remember: Reputation, Quality, and Reliability are three things that are usually work paying a little more for!

THE BITTERNESS OF POOR QUALITY REMAINS LONG AFTER THE SWEETNESS OF LOW PRICE IS FORGOTTEN.