Turn around time for a Euro mount?

[HookUp]

I shot a bull in October and took the head to a local "business" has FB and about 10 positive reviews. I drop the head off and its a younger guy who works three jobs. He has a pile of heads and says turn around is 4-6 months for a euro. I offer to tip him to move closer to the front of the line, he agrees.

I texted him last night reminding him we are at 4 months and my head isn't done. I remind him I paid extra and he goes on to say he hasn't delivered one head yet to anyone but would be picking up the pace. What would you do in this situation? My current plan is to keep waiting. Whats the normal turn around time for a euro?

 

[mt100gr.]

The taxidermist I use is busy year round but has to keep the heads and finished skulls out of his way. Usually 3 weeks for a clean skull with nothing extra.

 

[Wapiti406]

I’m not sure where you’re located but I had Wade at High Mountain Skull Cleaning in Anaconda, MT clean a moose for me this fall. He uses beetles and did a A+ job. He had it back to me in 8 weeks.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I'd just go get it and do it yourself.
There is already another thread with good explanations on how it's done.
It's all about waiting your turn in line. Paying extra is kinda a dick move imo. What if the next 20 guys payed more then you.?
But on average I'd say 4-6 months.

 

[HookUp]

He is working on the bull, sent me a pic. I had another local do my euros and he was always 1-2 months.
I will certainly start doing my own, how much I've spent on euro's is adding up.

 

[Planopurist]

The beetle route is the ticket for euros. I’ve had 3 whitetails done by a guy here in Texas. Awesome job!


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[Planopurist]

The beetle route is the ticket for euros. I’ve had 3 whitetails done by a guy here in Texas. Awesome job!


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[Fitzwho]

I do my own. My turn around from starting the boil to applying whitening compound is about an hour and half. If I’m doing one for a friend it’s about a week usually. But all but a day of that is it sitting in the freezer in the garage. 1.5 hours to clean the skull and 12-24 hours to bleach and dry depending on the weather.

 

[colersu22]

Mine took about 4 months but I was the last skull he took for the year and he told me that it would be 4-5 months with beetles and then he whitened it somehow but I was happy with the whole process.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

My local pro shop did my last buck in 4 weeks. My first I had a guy take 10 months. Turn around time was 9 - 12 months so I knew what I was getting myself into. I think for the most part it’s all about the taxidermists expectations.

 

[ColoMtn]

The turn around time here (Craig, CO) during hunting season is 24-48 hrs. A lot of the hunters that we have come each year have their European mounts ready to go when they drive home.

 

[30338]

I'm not a fan of boiling. I do maceration and turn time is 2-3 weeks. They turn out really nice.

The beetles do a great job as well. Had a guy do a very large bear skull my son got last fall. Guy uses beetles and it was about 3-4 months but looks terrific.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Big difference on boil and blast vs beetles. The guy doing beetles I have used is 2-4mo depending on timing you drop it off (middle of fall there is a backlog stacking up).

 

[Hunt_fish_Hawaii]

Anyone buy their own beetles?

 

[BassBoysLLP]

About of month for beetles. A couple weeks otherwise.

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[30338]

Anyone buy their own beetles?

The beetle process is quite smelly and they do require a good heat source. So they are not really an easy solution, though in the right situation they are very good. I'd suggest you look at maceration. Also very smelly, but you only have to keep the water warm and there is no risk of beetles escaping and eating other stuff around your place.

 

[Sundance]

Without know lead time or backlog of work it's hard to say. Actual time to complete a euro with boiling is a few days. Beetles is 1-2 weeks. Maceration (the method I use at home) is 4-6 weeks depending on grease levels. If I was paying a taxidermist I wouldn't wait longer then 2 months to receive a euro. IMO beetles and maceration are the best methods, maceration being the easiest for a DIY guy. Maceration is smelly and takes awhile but I believe it produces a higher quality mount over boiling (another easy DIY method).

 

[Holocene]

I outsourced this once to a reputable man who does taxidermy on the side. $75 for an elk euro mount and TAT was 3 weeks if I remember right. In that many months, you could have bought a starter dermestic beetle colony, raised them and done the work yourself. There are snazzy euro mount brackets online that most anyone can outfit to create a handsome mount.

Sorry this took so long for you. I would say that's beyond reasonable. For this work.

 

[LostArra]

Skulls Unlimited in Oklahoma City probably does more Euro mounts than anyone anywhere and they are museum quality. They turn them around in 4-8 weeks with the 8 weeks during peak rifle season.

 

[Fatcamp]

The turn around time here (Craig, CO) during hunting season is 24-48 hrs. A lot of the hunters that we have come each year have their European mounts ready to go when they drive home.

Can I get the name of who is doing that, please?