Love Hearing From The Taxidermist

[klallen]

Was able to pick these up yesterday.  Turned out real nice.  Mouflon, especially.
 
Ran back out this morning early and dropped off the elk horns.  Guess he's pushing that ahead of the rest of the stuff he's got on the "to do" rack.  Said he was gonna start next week so should have finished pics real soon.
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

[Alboy]

Nice work by you and the taxidermist

[RatherBHuntin]

Nice lookin mounts, how long was the turnaround?

[klallen]

Thanks, guys.
 

how long was the turnaround?

RBH, honestly, I don't know exactly how long it took him to put it all together once he put his mind to it. Longest wait is the capes. Forms don't take that long to arrive. We got back from Nebraska mid-April of last year. I turned in the capes then, paid in full and kinda forgot about it. We told him there was no major rush with our stuff back then as he had a pretty full shop at the time. I guess I look at taxidermists and gunsmiths the same way. The real good ones will always have a load of work backed up and they need time to spin their magic. When you find a top notch one (of either), you let him take as long as he needs to get the job done right. LOL.
 
I got notice about three weeks ago that he'd started my two sheep and my brothers Fallow Deer from the same hunt. Once an animal comes up in the rotation order, he really can bust through them quick.
 
We'll see how long the elk take. I know he bumped these ahead of everything he's currently got in his shop.  Guess there's some perks to paying in full up front all the time. I think he's just excited to get working on two 400+ bulls and have them in his shop for clients to peruse. He's always treated us well and we're very appreciative of that. >> klallen

[RatherBHuntin]

Klallen,
I spose you're right about that.  I know my big buck I got while in Texas was moved up somewhat, and he cut me a break on the wall pedestal price and got it done a little quicker than most.  He said it was a special deer  and needed special attention, not sure it had anything to do with me.  He did an awesome job on it too, probably the best shoulder mount I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, he's a little too far to take my work to now (you know, if I had any).  I do have a fox I want a full body done on and I kept trying to find a place that can get it done locally, before I move this summer, and I think it's impossible.  A year is just about average for anything and everywhere here.

[davidlt89]

a busy taxidermist will wait and send out all the pelts to get cured. that is what usually causes the wait. then it is "whenever he gets to it". last time I had anything done I brought a bear and a deer head to my guy along with two of my friends who did the same. We brought them in November and he gave them back in January, two months!!! I spoke with another guy I knew who got a deer that year and he waited a better part of a year for his from the same guy. So, just like it is with everything else in this world, it is all who you know!!!!! God Bless.
 
Oh, nice looking mounts klallen!!!!

[klallen]

Thanks, DAVIDLT89.
 
Yeah, our guy sends hides out in groups, too.  I think most do it that way.  Just makes sense.  We wanted to get our mounts in and out as fast as we could cause one of our friends has several trophies from an African hunt coming in sometime first of this year.  I'd imagine once they arrive, he'll be working on them pretty steady.  Should have the elk done well before that, I'm hoping.
 
I have 4 Mulie horns sitting in the corner scoring 150" and larger that I want to get shoudler mounted eventually.  Love to get them in now but don't quite have the $2K necessary to get them all done before the African stuff hits.  Maybe I'll sneak one or two of the larger ones in.  We'll see.  >>  klallen

[kombi1976]

So how much does a shoulder mount like those rams cost?

[klallen]

So how much does a shoulder mount like those rams cost?

$400 per animal.

[kombi1976]

Wow, that's pretty good.
I'm pretty sure they cost a fair bit more here.
Mind you, I've never had anything worth mounting.

[davidlt89]

Mind you, I've never had anything worth mounting.

I have seen the pictures you have been posting the last few hunts with your friend. You would actually have to quit shooting stuff in half to get a mount (lol). Seriously though Kombi, I would  do a fox mount in a minute. some taxidermist up here do a good fox mount with a rabbit mount in its mouth. God Bless.