How Long Is Too Long?

[AZantlerhead]

I am still waiting on my 2008 coues buck.... Finding it hard to be "friendly" with my taxidermist as time passes.... I have no doubt it will turn out great, but wondering where to draw the line.

I see many bucks turned around within months, or sometimes 2-3 yrs at most....

just wondering if anyone has been through this or is it just me??!!

[bonecollector]

I havent had anything mounted yet, but I would say almost 3 yrs is way too long! JMO

[THOR]

I am still waiting on my 2008 coues buck.... Finding it hard to be "friendly" with my taxidermist as time passes.... I have no doubt it will turn out great, but wondering where to draw the line.

I see many bucks turned around within months, or sometimes 2-3 yrs at most....

just wondering if anyone has been through this or is it just me??!!

I would be drawing the line right now...That is way too long in my eyes. I would go in there and talk to the person, maybe there is a reasonable explanation. Good luck....for it taking that long it better look GREAT!

[luvdemcoues]

They must be running on Show Low standard time!

[firstcoueswas80]

If my mounts take more than 6 months after he has received the hides back, I knock on Scotts door! (hasnt happened, and dont expect it to!)

[Gr8 White Jr]

That is WAY too long to wait for a shoulder mount. You have to assume that your mount has been set aside while other work that was dropped off after yours was completed. Unfortunately A LOT of taxidermists prioritize their work based on the "squeaky wheel" method. If I were you I would have a serious talk with the guy and then stay on him. Call him on a regular basis to see if he's making any progress and make it very clear that you expect your mount to be done ASAP.

 

-Tracy

[pwrguy]

Way too long. I am used to a year or less.

[Millhouse]

I would not expect it to take longer than 13 months....I would have drawn the line years ago....

[Santana Outdoors]

Is 28 years to long and counting?

 

I am still waiting on a mount (not a deer) that I gave a taxidermist 28 years ago. I killed a Javalina in 1983 with a BOW. Gave it to a taxidermist that I wont mention his name and $150 for a head mount. He disappeared. Then 10 years later he showed up again, I went and talked to him and he remembered and said he was sorry and promised to get me one. Then disappeared again. He showed up again not long ago in Flagstaff, I need to go see if it is done!

 

Good luck on yours!

[firstcoueswas80]

If this taxidermist has screwed you for 28 years, why are you with holding his name instead of putting it out to try and keep others from falling victim to him as well?

[bustedknuckleinc]

If this taxidermist has screwed you for 28 years, why are you with holding his name instead of putting it out to try and keep others from falling victim to him as well?

 

 

+1

[Red Rabbit]

There seems to be an unfortunate trend occuring.

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=26438

 

I have usually figured one year for turnaround.

[AZantlerhead]

I've decided Halloween that will be 3 yrs and I'm picking it up,finshed or not....finished would be great, even this late..But I will pick up my rack, tanned cape and the balance I have on deposit except the tanning cost if it's not...

 

Whoa@ SANTANA, and I thought I was patiant

[DCS]

A year is about right with a tanned hide.I have heard of turnaround time of a month,but you don't want that because the hide is pickled-not tanned,and will not last.

[swwildlife]

Now I may open a can of worms, however this is my opinion on this subject. I know there are exceptions to what I am about to say, but in the 36 years I’ve been in the industry, this is my take.

 

When you first decide to start your own taxidermy business, your turn around time is dependent on how fast you receive your skins from the tannery. Assuming you use a tannery. And if not, 99 percent of the taxidermists out there know nothing about how to provide a quality tan. That’s like the mechanic saying he can machine the parts for your car himself to save money and time. So the fastest you can get a mount done is about 4 months, using a tanned cape, not home tan or dry preserve. Now as you get more business the turn around time increases.

As you get better and news travels, the one man shop at best can get turn around time to about 11-13 months. The problem arises when the taxidermist just keeps getting in more and more and can never say “sorry, I’m full” or give you an accurate turn around time. Then, these problems exist. Most taxidermists are artist not businessmen. So they don’t find quality people to help them with their workload and it gets worse. Then quality suffers. Then these problems exist.

 

Here is another problem that creeps up. Commercial tanneries only warrant their product for 12 months after they are tanned. (That’s another story). So unless the taxidermist has taken the correct precautions the skins start to fall apart after about a year and a half. Now some do and some don’t. But after that time they become much more difficult to mount.

 

Here is something you can do as a customer. When you drop off your animal make sure he gives you an approximate completion time. Make sure you let him know how you want the animal mounted. If you don’t at the time make your minds up as soon as you can, and let him know. When it is about 1 month from that completion time he gave you call him and see how it’s going. And politely stay on him for the next 2 month.

 

For the ones that are over 1 ½ years I would call him up and tell him that it has been way too long and you want your animal done in the next 30 days or you will pick the animal and deposit back up and take it else where.

 

I think if more customers would treat taxidermist as business, and more taxidermist would treat taxidermy as a business. Then it would be so much more enjoyable to have your trophies mounted. Everyone would know what to expect from each other.

 

That’s my take.