Whats more important when choosing taxidermists?

[Jeff G]

Whats more important when choosing taxidermists?

[BassBoysLLP]

No doubt quality.

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[BigHills BuckHunter]

I could care less about price as long as the quality is very good. You get what you pay for with taxidermy.
However turn around has its place too. I could never wait more than 1.5 years for a mount to come home.

[ozzz]

I could care less about price as long as the quality is very good. You get what you pay for with taxidermy.
However turn around has its place too. I could never wait more than 1.5 years for a mount to come home.

One year is more than pushing it.

[headgear]

I chose quality for sure but the others are nice too, last guy was a year late with my buck and while he did nice work I don't see myself using him again.

[Dewey]

Quality is most important to me but quick turnaround time will get my business next time. Nothing is worse than waiting 1 1/2 - 2 years for a mount. I personally have never waited more than 4 months for any of mine done by my current taxidermist. The quality is exceptional so I know it can be done fast and still result in an excellent mount.

[Jeff G]

Dewey, If you don't mind me asking....how many deer does this guy do in a year?

[Bucky]

Quality, I pay a premimium for having the hide sent out and professionally tanned but it makes a huge difference IMO. My guys turn around is 6-8 months and I believe he does 400+ a yr.

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[Jeff G]

Bucky, do you send your hide out yourself to be tanned? or your taxi?

[Dewey]

Dewey, If you don't mind me asking....how many deer does this guy do in a year?

He does about 150 shoulder mounts in an average year and has been doing this full time for 30+ years. He tans his own capes so he doesn't have to send them out and this cuts his turnaround time down quite a bit.

[Jeff G]

We tan our own hides in our shop, that does save a lot of time, and you don't have to worry about them getting lost or destroyed in shipping.

[Bucky]

Bucky, do you send your hide out yourself to be tanned? or your taxi?

Taxi - he said that is where a "bunch" of the extra cost is coming from. The shipping of hides and tanning

[Black Squirrel]

Quality, no doubt for me. My guy is right around a year turn around, but worth the wait. Tanning is where I think the time comes from for him. He drives his hides to the tannery which is about a 4 hour drive for him. He takes them in batches, and that is where the bottle neck comes form. When he mounts his own stuff, he always seems to have them done in about 3-4 months .

[BassBoysLLP]

Bucky, do you send your hide out yourself to be tanned? or your taxi?

Taxi - he said that is where a "bunch" of the extra cost is coming from. The shipping of hides and tanning

I was under the impression that tanning is only up about $25...must be the shipping!

[James]

Jeff, what are the benefits of doing it in your shop? I've never had an issue with a cape being damaged or lost in shipping. My thinking is that I would rather pay the best professionals in the country who's job is tanning capes and let my taxidermist focus on the artistic aspects of the mount, not cape processing.

I said quality in the poll, but I think you can have quality and "fast". Any taxidermist who takes over 12 months for a mount has been scratched off my list. My current taxi turns around work in about 6 months and the quality is superb. I am happy paying $650 a head, but I won't wait over a year for it.