Can you make a living as a taxidermist?

[browning2480]

I have always wondered about this when people say how good a Taxidermist is. I guess I just haven’t seen enough to judge them. I figure if it looks real and last a long time, they did a good job lol. I know just like anything there are subtle things that I probably wouldn’t notice. I had my first buck done 26 years ago and it still looks good. I wouldn’t say the guy that did it would win any awards, but evidently did a good job.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

Are there any taxidermists here? I am an artists and am interested in becoming a taxidermist. Seems like minimal start up costs. Can you make a good living at it?

What is your idea of a good living? The amount of time spent working and money earned considered “a good living” can vary greatly from person to person.

 

[manitou1]

I made decent $ with my business but worked a LOT of hours... and it took it's toll on my time. I got out of it due to this. That being said, I am one to not leave things undone and have to give everything 120%.
They get 750.00 for a deer or antelope head here.

 

[def90]

I have always wondered about this when people say how good a Taxidermist is. I guess I just haven’t seen enough to judge them. I figure if it looks real and last a long time, they did a good job lol. I know just like anything there are subtle things that I probably wouldn’t notice. I had my first buck done 26 years ago and it still looks good. I wouldn’t say the guy that did it would win any awards, but evidently did a good job.

The difference is are you just doing whitetail heads in your shop in Wisconsin or are you doing full body installations like this?

 

[Dust Rider]

Are you willing to deal with the guys who cut off the antelope head and leave it in their truck bed for a few weeks before dropping it off for a euro? Can’t be afraid of maggots, stench of death or eyeballs bursting in your face.
I worked for a very brief time at a Taxidermist in college helping out. I thought about it as a job, but the maggots made me think again. I do all my own euros but when ever I bag a wall hanger there is a specific guy I go to.

 

[butcherboy]

You need a lot of customers to make a good living at it. With that many customers you will need to hire other taxidermists, skinners, flashers, etc. A handful of people can do a little of everything but if one of your taxidermists is fleshing a cape then you will be losing money. If you want to give it a whirl then I would do it part time and take in only enough pieces that you know you can handle. You will put in many extra hours, sacrifice family and friend time. Be prepared for a lot of abandoned tanned hides, antler plaques, euro’s, and even shoulder mounts. Always, always get half down up front, no excuses. Never send anything to a tannery without at least having the money down to pay for the tanning and shipping. Find a really good school or mentor to learn from. Go to your state Taxidermy competitions and learn from others and the judges. Subscribe to Breakthrough magazine.

I have about 7 more mounts to complete them I’m done for good. I’m burned out from all the extra work and abandoned stuff. My commercial meat processing plant keeps me extremely busy. Busy enough that I even phased out wildgame processing last October. I think 30 years of processing all that dirty crap is enough! LOL

 

[Azone]

You need a lot of customers to make a good living at it. With that many customers you will need to hire other taxidermists, skinners, flashers, etc. A handful of people can do a little of everything but if one of your taxidermists is fleshing a cape then you will be losing money. If you want to give it a whirl then I would do it part time and take in only enough pieces that you know you can handle. You will put in many extra hours, sacrifice family and friend time. Be prepared for a lot of abandoned tanned hides, antler plaques, euro’s, and even shoulder mounts. Always, always get half down up front, no excuses. Never send anything to a tannery without at least having the money down to pay for the tanning and shipping. Find a really good school or mentor to learn from. Go to your state Taxidermy competitions and learn from others and the judges. Subscribe to Breakthrough magazine.

I have about 7 more mounts to complete them I’m done for good. I’m burned out from all the extra work and abandoned stuff. My commercial meat processing plant keeps me extremely busy. Busy enough that I even phased out wildgame processing last October. I think 30 years of processing all that dirty crap is enough! LOL

Processing people’s dirty ass meat that was mistreated and disrespected from the time the bullet hit it kept me from ever going full time at it. It’s amazing how bad people can mistreat a deer or hog lol!!!!!!!

But back to the subject at hand. Deer shoulder mounts in my area run 350 for something that resembles a decoy on meth and up to 1000 to 1200 for one that looks like it should flick its ears and walk off the wall. Hogs 600 to 1500 and elk shoulder mounts 2 to 2.5 grand depending on the guy.
The good ones are backed up a year or two and charge high prices to scare the bargain shoppers away. They have a well off clientele that doesn’t blink an eye for perfection and attention to detail.

 

[manitou1]

You need a lot of customers to make a good living at it. With that many customers you will need to hire other taxidermists, skinners, flashers, etc. A handful of people can do a little of everything but if one of your taxidermists is fleshing a cape then you will be losing money. If you want to give it a whirl then I would do it part time and take in only enough pieces that you know you can handle. You will put in many extra hours, sacrifice family and friend time. Be prepared for a lot of abandoned tanned hides, antler plaques, euro’s, and even shoulder mounts. Always, always get half down up front, no excuses. Never send anything to a tannery without at least having the money down to pay for the tanning and shipping. Find a really good school or mentor to learn from. Go to your state Taxidermy competitions and learn from others and the judges. Subscribe to Breakthrough magazine.

I have about 7 more mounts to complete them I’m done for good. I’m burned out from all the extra work and abandoned stuff. My commercial meat processing plant keeps me extremely busy. Busy enough that I even phased out wildgame processing last October. I think 30 years of processing all that dirty crap is enough! LOL

This...

 

[freddyG]

Processing people’s dirty ass meat that was mistreated and disrespected from the time the bullet hit it kept me from ever going full time at it. It’s amazing how bad people can mistreat a deer or hog lol!!!!!!!

But back to the subject at hand. Deer shoulder mounts in my area run 350 for something that resembles a decoy on meth and up to 1000 to 1200 for one that looks like it should flick its ears and walk off the wall. Hogs 600 to 1500 and elk shoulder mounts 2 to 2.5 grand depending on the guy.
The good ones are backed up a year or two and charge high prices to scare the bargain shoppers away. They have a well off clientele that doesn’t blink an eye for perfection and attention to detail.

Yep. The good taxidermists pretty much so trophy mounts and charge $$$$. I bet not many people abandon their heads in that scenario. When you are cheap, and mount dinks, then I can see how abandonment is an issue.

 

[Ladd]

I have a taxidermist that does 90% of all my mounts. He's good, really good. I pay him more than I would be charged elsewhere but he's worth every penny. Since he moved to Texas, its been a tough go finding a good replacement. I found one that only does mule deer and he is also worth it. By the looks of it, he does really well financially.

 

[ehuffaker]

there is a pretty big market for taxidermy especially in the west I feel like. if you have a passion in it and are good at it you can make plenty of money. If there wasnt any money in it people would not be doing it.

 

[butcherboy]

Charging less or mounting “dinks” has nothing to do with abandoned work. I mounted a pretty good 330 bugling bull and never heard from the guy again and it’s a mount that I have had many people offer to buy it. 4 exotic sheep euros from another customer. Half a dozen antler plaques. 6 big boxes of abandoned hides. The list goes on and on. I have had many animals abandoned on the processing side as well.

 

[freddyG]

Charging less or mounting “dinks” has nothing to do with abandoned work. I mounted a pretty good 330 bugling bull and never heard from the guy again and it’s a mount that I have had many people offer to buy it. 4 exotic sheep euros from another customer. Half a dozen antler plaques. 6 big boxes of abandoned hides. The list goes on and on. I have had many animals abandoned on the processing side as well.

It has everything to do with abandoned work. Huge antlers are worth $$, so the chances of a hunter just leaving them with you are very small. Also, people don’t pay big bucks to mount forked horns very often, so that problem solves itself.

 

[butcherboy]

I’m sorry, but you are wrong. Are you talking from experience as a taxidermist? I am. I’ve done many small forked horn deer and small bulls. It’s amazing what someone will want mounted for their first animal or their kids first one. I have 3 bulls in my shop now that have been abandoned. All three are trophy bulls. No, I don’t do crappy work and have the awards from competition to prove it. Also have two very nice bear rugs that have been abandoned. Lots of euros and antler plaques as well. Some are small and others are large enough that they should have been shoulder mounts.

What about all the abandoned wild game meat that has been left in the freezer in my meat plant? That one must be because of crappy work too I guess.

 

[def90]

Simply have your customer sign off as part of the contract that if final payment isn't received within X number of days from completion that the mount becomes your property and that you are free to do what you want with it including selling it to whomever comes in and offers to buy it. It's business, car and motorcycle shops have these policies for abandoned vehicles and they collect and sell them all the time. Also collect enough up front to cover all of your materials and overhead cost so that at least you are somewhat even if a mount is abandoned.

 

[butcherboy]

Yes, I have that policy in place and have used it many times. I just haven’t sold anything lately so the abandoned pieces have piled up this past year.

 

[freddyG]

Nowhere did I say you do crappy work, so please don’t take it so personal. Trophy is a very relative term. A 330 bull isn’t anywhere near trophy size by most taxidermists, and serious hunters. I know some here would disagree, but that is the way it is where I live and hunt.
Anyway, I’m not a taxidermist, but am self employed, and can tell you that the cheaper you work, the more problems you have. That is a fact.

 

[butcherboy]

I do agree with you that trophy is a relative term and it’s all in the eye of the beholder. I had a long response ready to go but deleted it. Lol let’s just say we agree on some things and maybe not so much on others and call it good.

I’m also self employed and have been for many many years so understand the value of my work and time. I no longer need or want the bargain shoppers so my prices scare them away pretty quick!

No harm in having good discussions so I apologize if I came off too harsh earlier.

 

[Foggy Mountain]

I was a full time taxidermist. You can def make a living and a good one but you’ve got to charge for it. People don’t understand what really goes into a piece. If you educate them to what they’re getting and all the extras you do, the right clientele will come to you.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Really? I challenge you to find any home with a mount in it. It’s just not something people do down here. Or is very rare at least, I know I‘ve never seen one. Hard to make a living with no customer’.

You’re in the yankee part of the state. I grew up in Ft. Myers and it’s fairly common that people have mounts, although not dedicated trophy rooms like you see in TX and out west. Drive to Clewiston and half the farm houses will have deer hanging in them. Up here in Tallahassee it’s very common as well, some of our friends don’t hunt but I’ve never heard anybody be surprised at walking info our living room and seeing them.

Like anything though, customers are key. Not likely to do well selling cords of firewood in Jupiter either.