Caribou Gear Tarp

taxidermy costs?

willyqbc

New member
Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Messages
38
Location
Quesnel B.C., Canada
I am wondering what the cost of taxidermy is where you live? How much for a deer shoulder mount for example? Would it be worth the hassle to you to ship it to Canada if it could be done cheaper here? I am going to be unemployed fairly soon (mill shuttin down) and am probably going to go get trained for taxidermy, just wondering if there's a market in takin in work from you Americans or not. Shoulder mount here runs around $350-$400 cnd (200-225 US). I'm thinking $100 US should get it here and back again. So how does say $300 - $350 US compare to what you pay now??
Chris
 
Willy

I think your gonna have a hard time taking in taxidermy work from across the border. People tend to use their local taxidermist, or their favorite. I'm partial to one taxidermist in Alaska. Since moving to Idaho from there, I am faced with the decision "should I find someone local, or stick to the norm". I've decided to continue using the one in Alaska, so anything I kill in the lower 48 will eventually make its way back to Alaska. I however will tend to the tanning here though. He uses a tannery in Montana, therefore I will send any capes directly to MT and then have them forward it on to Alaska. Anyhow, unless your an established taxidermist with a name, I don't think your gonna get too much business from this side. Unless you deal with non-resident hunters coming into BC who have killed something Cannuck specific, i.e. a goat, sheep, etc, and they have more confidence in the taxidermy where the animal was taken, then say down in Mississippi where all the taxidermist ever do is whitetail deer. As far as cost goes, you always get what you pay for. A guy who does flawless work isn't gonna let you rob him of it for a measely $250, nope, that is Joe beginner. Anyone with a name and is proud of their work is gonna put a ding in the pocketbook. So as far as your prices go, those seem like low end charges for a mount here. Not sure, because I have never taken an animal out of the US, but I think your gonna have additional paperwork to handle due to the trophy crossing borders. I'd stick to your local economy. Besides, if your bringing in customers there, your gonna get in over your head if your taking in too many customers and it is just you doing the work. Most people like to get their trophies back from the taxidermist within a year.

Good luck with your new future, and sorry to hear about the job.

smile.gif
vis

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 02-23-2003 11:52: Message edited by: Ovis ]</font>
 
Prices range drasticly from one guy to the next. also unless you see his work why would you risk shipping it to someone. If you dont have the cash to do a mount now heres what you can do. If you know how to cape something out go a little further and flesh the lips and nose, turn and split the ears, and flint dry it with a lot of salt. rub the salt into every part of the hide. It will pull the juice out of the hide and make it hard as a Jerky. It will be good that way for a couple years at least, so you can have it mounted later. The other option is to have someone tan the cape and keep it stored that way.
 
Schmalts

I get the impression Willy himself is going into the taxidermy business and he is only trying to get an idea if he could expand his business south of the border. Not that he is trying to find a cheap taxidermist. None the less, good info.
 
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