How much should I expect to pay?

[coyotecreek]

Long story short I took my biggest deer so far to a taxidermist that I have never used before. He has had it for 13 months and has not started putting it together. I am assuming that he has caped and tanned the hide, but don’t know for sure.

I am going to retrieve it from him and take it elsewhere. How much should I expect to pay for the work that he has done thus far?

 

[coyotecreek]

Anyone?

 

[Lelder]

Well skinnyindian this is a tough one and I speak from experience. If the taxidermist has YOUR cape and it has already been tanned you should expect to pay for that ($100-150) and that is really about it. He might try to tell you he ordered the form and eyes, etc for your deer. The reality is most taxidermist will be able to use all of those materials on another mount.

 

[Coues123]

I understand your frustration on the issue. Just out of curiosity I had the following questions on the mount before you do it.
Did he give you an approximate date of when it would be completed when you dropped it off. How have your conversations gone since you dropped it off. Has he given you an updated completion date. Why is it not finished according to him.
Unless you got a firm date up front for it to be done, 15-18 months now days can be the norm for a reputable taxidermist.

 

[coyotecreek]

I understand your frustration on the issue. Just out of curiosity I had the following questions on the mount before you do it.
Did he give you an approximate date of when it would be completed when you dropped it off. How have your conversations gone since you dropped it off. Has he given you an updated completion date. Why is it not finished according to him.
Unless you got a firm date up front for it to be done, 15-18 months now days can be the norm for a reputable taxidermist.

He never gave me a timeline or updated completion date. His reason is that he can’t get supplies. This could all be true, but 6 months is the average wait time around here. This will be my 4th mount and they have all been 6 months or less. I plan to take this deer to the guy that did my other 3.

He has never contacted me, I contact him every 2-3 months to see where things are at. I don’t think I expect too much.

 

[Coues123]

With that information.
Sounds reasonable to ask for your cape back.
Hope it works out well and you enjoy the memories for years of that hunt.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Yikes taxidermist are a wierd deal man.
Mine is getting older and having health problems.
I keep telling him he can't quit till I shoot a big deer.
I think I payed him $450 to have a full bear hide tanned.
All I would pay is the tanning.

Why didn't you take it to the guy that did your other ones in the first place?

 

[coyotecreek]

Yikes taxidermist are a wierd deal man.
Mine is getting older and having health problems.
I keep telling him he can't quit till I shoot a big deer.
I think I payed him $450 to have a full bear hide tanned.
All I would pay is the tanning.

Why didn't you take it to the guy that did your other ones in the first place?

Similar situation as you. He’s closing in on retirement and I was looking for someone I could trust to do work down the road.

 

[Buckshot85]

I wait 12-15 months around here. No biggie.
The guy is very good and I’m ok with that.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

It might not be the taxidermist fault. There are a bunch of tanning companies way behind. And yes around here its over a year to get mounts back. It took me 10 months to get my elk horns back and they were just on a plack. Most good taxidermist are very busy. But remember "they grease the wheels that squeaks"

 

[coyotecreek]

It might not be the taxidermist fault. There are a bunch of tanning companies way behind. And yes around here its over a year to get mounts back. It took me 10 months to get my elk horns back and they were just on a plack. Most good taxidermist are very busy. But remember "they grease the wheels that squeaks"

I agree that it might not be his fault, and I understand that some places take longer. However, I no longer feel comfortable with him doing this deer for me.

 

[WCB]

I'm lucky and have a really good taxidermist that is a long time family friend. I don't wait normal time but a year to 18months is not uncommon.

However, the supply excuse seems odd. I brought three deer in this year so far. 1 mule deer from last year and an archery buck (whitetail) I shot opening week in ND this year. Brought them in around mid Oct. Had an hour long discussion when I dropped them off and besides a slight delay on tanning this spring and summer no other issues on supply side.

Then a couple weeks later brought in an archery whitetail I shot early Nov. He just called me 3 days ago and informed me they are all back from the tannery and he will start on them just after the holidays. He asked if I wanted them sooner hahaha. Nope we can spread those payments out a bit since I will also be bringing him another Muley I shot this year.

 

[EKU]

12 to 18 months is common in my area.

 

[coyotecreek]

Wow, I’m fortunate to be able to get one back in a short time then. It will cost me $150 for tanning the cape and cleaning the skull plate. I am picking it up this week. I actually shot a buck this morning and saved the cape just in case. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Sevens]

About 12 months for the guy I use. I do know the tanneries shutdown for awhile during COVID, so had a deer go closer to 14 months this year.

I usually estimate quoted time + 3 months for taxidermy unfortunately. Just seems to be the norm unless you use a large outfit like the Wildlife Gallery or Animal Artistry. Believe the old motto of "cheap, good, quick; pick two" is applicable here.

 

[coyotecreek]

Well I took my cape and antlers to my trusted taxidermist and found out that my cape had never been tanned. He had it for 13 months, charged me $150 and all he did was cape it out. At least I got it back and it’s in good hands now.

 

[butcherboy]

Was it turned, fleshed, and salted? If so, I agree with the $150 charge. Apparently, you didn’t give him a deposit. I don’t start any Taxidermy work after the cape is salted and dried unless I have the deposit. Been burned too many times by customers. I have thousands of dollars of tanned hides, capes, euro’s, and antler plaques that have been abandoned.

 

[coyotecreek]

Was it turned, fleshed, and salted? If so, I agree with the $150 charge. Apparently, you didn’t give him a deposit. I don’t start any Taxidermy work after the cape is salted and dried unless I have the deposit. Been burned too many times by customers. I have thousands of dollars of tanned hides, capes, euro’s, and antler plaques that have been abandoned.

He asked for $150 deposit and I paid him $200 cash. I caped the deer from mid body to the base of the skull and brought it in frozen. All that he did was finish caping, and cut the antlers from the skull, barely cleaning the skull plate. He then froze the cape in a trash bag and that is what I got back along with $50 cash. I’m happy that I got my deer back, and was fortunate to shoot a buck two days before picking up this deer so I had an extra cape that I gave to the guy I typically do business with just in case.

 

[butcherboy]

If that’s all he did then you should have gotten at least $150 back. He could keep $50 for his labor for caping the head. Average tanning cost for a deer cape is about $60 and most deer manikin’s are about $60-$80. Eyes are about $12. Earliners are about $8. $200 should have been enough to pay for tanning and buy the supplies. Sounds like a bad expierence and I’m glad you got your cape back.

I’m getting out of the Taxidermy business. My turn around time is way too long because my main business is meat processing and we have been swamped since Covid hit. I work 10 hours then another 4-5 every night and all weekend trying to get mounts done. I’m burned out and even called my customers to see if they wanted to use someone else because I’m so far behind. They all agreed to have me finish the work and I have all the tanning paid for and in the freezer with all the manikin’s at my shop waiting. Just a time thing now.

 

[ttubudd]

Let's see a picture of both of the bucks. Glad it worked out.