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Do you get taxidermy anxiety?

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
Just dropped off my buck. Kind of an anxiety provoking experience. So I was wondering how many of you get anxiety over picking the right taxidermist, the right pose, the right turn, etc?

I went with a full sneak, left turn, ears semi-back/back.

And now the waiting begins.......The day I pick him up can't get here soon enough!
 

Kaiser878

Senior Member
2,633
97
ohio
I have one taxidermist I will let mount my animals! I will go to no one else! I trust him and he does a great job. He has mounted every deer for me since 2007. He has also mounted all my dads bucks since 08, including this years as well as mine fro mthis year. Its kinda like a barber, you find one you like and you dont stop going to him until he no longer does the work!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Schu- You have nothing to worry about. With a buck like yours, he will look good in any mount you choose!
 

Gern186

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,171
201
NW Ohio Tundra
One taxidermist for me also. I have taken 13 deer to him since 1996. Like Kaiser, I will trust no one else until the day he retires. The day you get to go and pick up your head is like Christmas morning, that's for sure.
 

Buckmaster

Senior Member
14,362
191
Portage
My neighbor took his deer to his taxidermist and the guy lost it. :smiley_confused_vra
It's been gone for two years now.

That would create a little anxiety. :smiley_blackeye:
 

formerbowhunter1023

Now Posts as Jesse..
0
0
SE Ohio
It's a horrible disease Scott. It straight fuggin' sucks...

I also have one dude now. (Old dude fucked me over, then died. Striking coincidence I know, but he had health problems!) The new guy has done two deer for me (mine and Jacob's) and also my duck. He's doing my cousin PJ's buck too. He's a good dude, so we'll see how it goes...
 

Matt

Active Member
932
61
Norton, OH
Nope. I dropped mine off at Knight's Taxidermy. Dude seemed like a stand-up guy and we actually stood around and shot the shit for about an hour. Lot's of awesome work hanging up in his office, plus he is the state and national champion. So, I am not too concerned that he would do shoddy work. As far as deciding the pose, etc... I basically told him I wanted an upright slightly turned, didn't care what he did with the ears or anything. I trusted him to make the best judgement. Should be exciting to get back, that's for sure!
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
The guy I selected was recommended by a friend. I checked out the two whitetails and the mulie he had done by this guy. I also spoke with the taxidermist at length about technique and supplies. Everything at the shop looked great as well. I feel better about the workmanship than anything else. The previous 3 deer were done by a different taxi, they were fairly typical commercial mount. With this deer I wanted to go a different route. The troubling thing is that this deer is not symmetrical at all. The right antler comes off the head at a different angle and is over 5 inches shorter. That's where the majority of the anxiety started. Selecting the best pose and head turn to accentuate his attributes and hide his flaws!

BTW Buckmaster something similar happened to my wife's cousin. Took his deer in, guy went out of business never finished or returned any of the mounts he was working on! Now all he has are pictures.:smiley_cry:
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
I'm a nervous wreck! The guy I usually get takes like two years to do them and he charges way too much. I went to the guy who did my skull mount and he said it may be done by Christmas (remember, i got mine really early). So, I've given him a couple calls telling him I have the cash for the payoff and to let me know what the progress is. I haven't gotten a call back. Oh... the agony!!!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I've never really gotten anxiety from it, but my dad was going to the guy for years, so I already trusted the work. That was Mike's over in Port Clinton. Now that I moved out here to Medina County, I started using Knight's over in Clinton. Like Matt said, he's a heck of a nice guy and will talk your ear off if you let him. He does some top notch work... best in the country right now, actually. I haven't had a shoulder mount done yet, but my euro turned out awesome and he got it back to me pretty quick.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Maybe who you use as a taxidermist has something to do with it. Mine was recommended to me from a buddy that has a bunch of mounts (deer, bear full body, coyote full body, etc). Steve's Taxidermy in Ottoville is doing mine. Did the first one, and is doing this one. Picking my mount was easy. I will be cutting down the tree he was rubbing on when I arrowed him. I will be building a shelf below the mount to anchor the tree to and place up through his antlers. Narrowed down the choices for which pose to use.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Maybe who you use as a taxidermist has something to do with it. Mine was recommended to me from a buddy that has a bunch of mounts (deer, bear full body, coyote full body, etc). Steve's Taxidermy in Ottoville is doing mine. Did the first one, and is doing this one. Picking my mount was easy. I will be cutting down the tree he was rubbing on when I arrowed him. I will be building a shelf below the mount to anchor the tree to and place up through his antlers. Narrowed down the choices for which pose to use.

Great idea!
 

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,707
191
Mahoning Co.
Maybe who you use as a taxidermist has something to do with it. Mine was recommended to me from a buddy that has a bunch of mounts (deer, bear full body, coyote full body, etc). Steve's Taxidermy in Ottoville is doing mine. Did the first one, and is doing this one. Picking my mount was easy. I will be cutting down the tree he was rubbing on when I arrowed him. I will be building a shelf below the mount to anchor the tree to and place up through his antlers. Narrowed down the choices for which pose to use.

I expect pictures!

Yep, I've had second thoughts about the pose I requested but I'm not worried about the quality of the work. I hope it's done by Easter.

Funny story about a local taxidermist, he's got a great reputation as a taxidermist, he also has a reputation for drinking. He mounted a caribou for a guy and when he was done he was delivering it, just happened his favorite bar was between his shop and the guy's house. So he stops in for a drink or two and when he came out the caribou was gone! Not sure how you make that one up to your customer.