HOW LONG CAN IT TAKE!!!!!

[kgauker7]

just a question for anyone thats had a mount down or a taxidermist..... background on the story i shot a beautiful drake gadwall on oct. 10, 2008 i brought it into the taxidermist later that day picked the pose out and everything and asked how long it would take the guy said well your the first guy to bring a duck in this year and we've only had a deer or two come in but couldn't tell me exactly how long it would take but said it shouldn't be to long........well its now march 11 and i still don't have it back when i called he said it might not be til early summer so how long is to long seriously this better be the best looking bird mount i've ever seen if its taken this long

[kenhuntin]

Taxidermy isn't like service at Mcdonalds. Some have systems that they will work on a batch of fish then deer, ducks etc. If he has alot of fish from the summer that could be the case. Hopefully you were not promised an earlier date. The wait you have been experiencing is not odd. It is rather common. which is a good sign because if he has alot of work he must be good.

[stevejedlenski]

i agree with kenhuntin,
my brother brought in a hooded merganser and he wont be getting it back for over a year. if you get it back within a few months chances are its not going to be a very good mount by anyones standards. it takes time for quality and thats what youll have to put up with.

[mathews4ever]

Turnaround is also effected by whether or not taxidermy is his full time job or something he does out of his home for extra money.

[Go Big Red!]

What is the going rate these days for ducks?  Deer?  Fish?

[Pegg]

I know it takes some time for it. I have a buddy that it took about 6 to 8 months to get his items back.

Should check with Auggie. Heard his stuff is good.

[dakids]

Took 14 months to get my last deer head back.  He has had 3 record years in a row for him.  This year was bad for a lot of taxadermists because of the lack of numbers af big bucks killed.  He still had 5 less deer this year than last.  If the guy is good then it might be a while before he gets your to your duck. 

[kgauker7]

well the only reason i posted this is because my buddy had another duck mount done from a different guy turned it into him in early december and already got his back and from the guy but i really liked the guys work when i looked at in on the web and in his shop but i didn't know it would take this long for a duck

o yea big red mine is costin me about 2 bills

[lightsout]

Taxidermist are "artist's" .  Let them take there time and it will turn out better.  I hurried one a little on the biggest bear I've shot to date and it was ruined.

[Auggie]

You got it in Oct. You shouldn't be worried about it yet. 1+ years is not uncommon. I turn around fish very fast because of the volume I do. I get my deer heads out the door in 3-6 months because I have a great tanner that does my prep work. (I only have 8 left at the tanner for those of you wondering where yours is at. I expect them any day.) I have brought my lead time back under a year on most other stuff, (for the first time in a few years) including larger game heads, life size and so on. My freeze dry work can have a lead time up to 8 months. Just depends on the guys system and most of all work ethic. $200 bucks for a duck is pretty cheap. It would cost another $100 if it would have come through my door. And to be honest, if it came in Oct. 10th I would still not even have looked at it since you brought it in. I will not get into any birds other than turkeys till mid summer. And here is something else to chew on. Every time a guy calls me to see how is mount is coming, it gets delayed another month. Don't take this personally kgauker7 as I am sure this is not the case with you, but I have found over the years that most people looking for a deal done fast are the worst customers to have. They never seem to have any money to pay for the work when you finish it up. Kinda funny how things work.

[Mayfly]

Taxidermist are "artist's" .  Let them take there time and it will turn out better.  I hurried one a little on the biggest bear I've shot to date and it was ruined.

Very Good point!

[Auggie]

Another thing to consider is with waterfowl it can't be sold. Period. Unless it is toe clipped and papered from a pen. So for this reason I will not do anything but skin waterfowl until it is 75% paid for. Then when you call to tell them it is finished most guys rush right over and I am not stuck with a bird I can't sell. Some guys like to make installments any way. It is easier to tell the wife this way when it is finished.

[Jdrummer]

so how long is to long seriously this better be the best looking bird mount i've ever seen if its taken this long

Hey thanks for the comic relief! 

[stevejedlenski]

like stated earlier it depends on his work load as well. one year we got our mounts back in 4 months and this last one took almost 11 months. but he also made it a lot nicer than the last one. he even asked if he could change the way it was mounted to show spread a little better. i trust him so i said go for it. it did take longer but i am well pleased.

if you keep on him about it im sure he will rush through it and youll have a nice hunk of junk soon enough. haha

[kgauker7]

yea i haven't bugged him since january specially after what auggie said but i think i'm gonna go up there and put a lil more money on it since i have it maybe check and see how its doing if i can

[kenhuntin]

yea i haven't bugged him since january specially after what auggie said but i think i'm gonna go up there and put a lil more money on it since i have it maybe check and see how its doing if i can

Great call there Kgauker7 That kind of behavior will get you your mount back faster than any other tactic.

[kgauker7]

great news i just got a card in the mail saying the bird is ready to be picked up i will have pics within the next week hopefully depending on my work schedule!!!!!!!!

[Auggie]

Ken is right. $ talks and  walks. I do offer an express service for some specimens for the people that are willing to pay for it and just can't wait.. Some people do not like the idea, some do. Glad you are getting your mount backkgauker7!

[Go Big Red!]

I guess this is directed at Auggie since he is the resident pro, but other input is appreciated since I have no idea what to do.

What is the way to preserve a small bird (duck, pheasant, grouse) before getting it to a taxidermist? A fish? Deer?   

What should I not do?

I shot a huge drake mallard last year, older bird I guess since I pulled 5 curly feathers from it.  And I should have had it mounted.  Stupid.   

[Auggie]

I guess this is directed at Auggie since he is the resident pro, but other input is appreciated since I have no idea what to do.

What is the way to preserve a small bird (duck, pheasant, grouse) before getting it to a taxidermist? A fish? Deer?   

What should I not do?

I shot a huge drake mallard last year, older bird I guess since I pulled 5 curly feathers from it.  And I should have had it mounted.  Stupid.   

   Bring them to the taxidermist as soon as possible is the best advice. Many people end up leaving stuff in the freezer to long and it gets bumped, broken, and damaged just from all the constant shuffling. Most guys will take stuff in and at least get it skinned without a large down payment. Once it is skinned we have a few options to help extend shelf life while you make installments to pay for it. No money is the most common excuse for not bringing something in right away. I can really think of no other.
    Birds I like to see come in wrapped in plastic. Rinse as much blood from the feathers with COLD water before wrapping up and freezing. Some people put smaller birds like ducks and pheasants in a pair of old pantyhose before freezing. This is fine also but still wrap in plastic.
     Fish need to be placed in a wet towel and wrapped in plastic. Very simple.
     Deer and other mammal are pretty much the same I like to see them wrapped in plastic and frozen if they are not brought in fresh. When they are brought in fresh they can be skinned split and salted immediately and then tanned. A small portion of the cost of that mount really to extend the shelf life.
     AVOID PAPER AND NEWS PAPER. For everything! Paper wicks the moisture out of stuff even faster once in the freezer. Especially with all the newer frost free type freezers out there these days. The only time I like to see something in paper is if it was already frozen and it is being shipped to me. Then an outside layer of paper will act as an insulator.
     Any other questions feel free to ask.

[kenhuntin]

I guess this is directed at Auggie since he is the resident pro, but other input is appreciated since I have no idea what to do.

What is the way to preserve a small bird (duck, pheasant, grouse) before getting it to a taxidermist? A fish? Deer?   

What should I not do?

I shot a huge drake mallard last year, older bird I guess since I pulled 5 curly feathers from it.  And I should have had it mounted.  Stupid.   

If you have pulled off the curly tail feathers it would be hard for you to find a taxidermist to replace them. Federal regs. prohibit them from transplanting feathers on migratory birds.

[Auggie]

    Actually Ken, mallards would not be a problem. Anyone can go to Runnings or mail order and buy them. As for the others pen raised are easily accessible for most species and even if they were not that would fall into a very gray area of interpretation of the federal regulations. You can almost bet your bottom $ that the fly tying stuff you see on eBay was not all raised in a pen.

[kgauker7]

here's the duck i just got back

[Go Big Red!]

I guess this is directed at Auggie since he is the resident pro, but other input is appreciated since I have no idea what to do.

What is the way to preserve a small bird (duck, pheasant, grouse) before getting it to a taxidermist? A fish? Deer?   

What should I not do?

I shot a huge drake mallard last year, older bird I guess since I pulled 5 curly feathers from it.  And I should have had it mounted.  Stupid.   

If you have pulled off the curly tail feathers it would be hard for you to find a taxidermist to replace them. Federal regs. prohibit them from transplanting feathers on migratory birds.

At the time, I wasn't sure if I was going to have it mounted so I pulled the feathers and gave them to my son to spike his interest in ducks.  I regret that now since it was a relly big duck with the biggest green head I have ever shot.

My boy is now 4 and he can identify between the mallards, woodies, and teals that land in our backyard.  He can tell which ones are the drakes and hens based on the head colors. Pretty cool in my book.  Now my little girl is duck crazy too!!!

Kgauker7 - Beautiful duck.  Very neat stance too.

[Randy Kaar]

That turned out nice, Very nice mount!

randy

[kenhuntin]

    Actually Ken, mallards would not be a problem. Anyone can go to Runnings or mail order and buy them. As for the others pen raised are easily accessible for most species and even if they were not that would fall into a very gray area of interpretation of the federal regulations. You can almost bet your bottom $ that the fly tying stuff you see on eBay was not all raised in a pen.

Thanks for the heads up. I thought the rules were alot more strict. If you as a taxidermist had unlabeled or unregistered migratory feathers in your possesion when you got checked how much if any trouble could that be for you Auggie?

[Auggie]

    Actually Ken, mallards would not be a problem. Anyone can go to Runnings or mail order and buy them. As for the others pen raised are easily accessible for most species and even if they were not that would fall into a very gray area of interpretation of the federal regulations. You can almost bet your bottom $ that the fly tying stuff you see on eBay was not all raised in a pen.

Thanks for the heads up. I thought the rules were alot more strict. If you as a taxidermist had unlabeled or unregistered migratory feathers in your possesion when you got checked how much if any trouble could that be for you Auggie?

  Quite a bit if they wanted to push it. The rules are pretty strict. Paperwork and correctly tagged birds and log books are pretty important on Migratory birds. The gray area I speak of is how is anybody gonna know if you repair a set of scaps or primary feathers with a pen raised or shot duck. Or for the guys that raise these birds and harvest feathers, how do they really know how many times a year they harvest? These kind of violations would be the minnows in a ocean of whales. They are focusing on the whales for the most part.

[Super Star!]

whales.... what about the chicks on the beach???   

well was the wait worth it??