Finally getting around to mounting last years buck

[Bill]

You could call Krowtan taboo In the taxidermy world. I used it one time, with no real complaints. It's going on ten yeArs and the mount still looks the same. It still is about $15 a tan.
I pay $45 and the tannery shaves or thins the leather down to a certain extent like I was talking about earlier. I also don't care to be messing around with acids. I'm not going to buy a shaving machine for the few critters I do a year. When I do a couple mounts for friends, they are paying the tannery cost anyway.
If I was a customer I would want my cape professionally tanned. Unless the guy really knew a lot about the chemicals used and the tannery process.

Not that I'm ever going to mount another deer but you have me curious now. The tannery shaves the hide for you ? Obviously you have to get the fleshy stuff off but do the actually run it over a fleshing machine? Do they do the nose? That was the worst for me.

Used to use Rhineharts tanning solution and do my own. There out of business now except for the son teaching.

 

[dipper]

You have to properly flesh it before it goes to the tannery. They shave it down some. But the taxidermist has to "thin" it. There are a few steps haha

 

[West Branch]

Very cool process, I know nothing about taxidermy. Where are the pictures of the bear???

 

[dipper]

Wi bow buck...making progress

 

[Tree Spud]

Nice color rack ... I believe you have a lot of tag alders?

 

[dipper]

Bear is not finished however. In process of painting

 

[dipper]

Nice color rack ... I believe you have a lot of tag alders?

I'm not sure where this buck came from, shot him beginning of November, never seen him prior.

 

[kabic]

Wi bow buck...making progress

Mn and Wi mounts using the same form? My guess is not but I had to get both pics side by side. It looks like the Wi buck head will turned more (full peak?)

 

[dipper]

Similar forms, by same sculptor

 

[strawhead]

Looking good dipper. I have a couple done by Wagner. Not the cheapest in town, but I like his work.

 

[dipper]

Looking good dipper. I have a couple done by Wagner. Not the cheapest in town, but I like his work.

He's not the cheapest cause he's world class. You don't need his insane detail for commercial mounts, but you do need it to win world taxidermy titles.

 

[non-pro-archer]

Nice mounts dipper. Taxidermy is something I have wanted to learn how to do. There is a taxidermy school not far from me and I've told my wife quite a few times that I wanted to go, I just never seem to make the time to do it.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Nice mounts dipper. Taxidermy is something I have wanted to learn how to do. There is a taxidermy school not far from me and I've told my wife quite a few times that I wanted to go, I just never seem to make the time to do it.

I would skip the school. I got more out of instructional dvd's and helping out at local shop part time.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I would skip the school. I got more out of instructional dvd's and helping out at local shop part time.

I would agree. Unless you can take classes on a short term basis. Most schools are usually in the 6 week range and a few thousand dollars in cost. It is a well known fact that over 80% of the people that get into taxidermy are no longer in it after a very short time. I know 3 local guys that went to taxidermy school and are no longer taxidermists ......thats ok makes more work for me!:) I followed the same path as Jordan outlined above besides competing at the state, national and world shows. Competing IMO makes you a better taxidermist faster than anything else, you learn to get better quick or learn to like watching everybody else win. I will take a little exception with what Dipper said about not needing competition quality detail in a mount. If you want to go that route fine, but if you dont seperate yourself from the business competition some how you dont stay in business long. I have at least 6 other taxidermists within a 45 min drive, so I need to make sure my customers know that they came to me for a reason. And its not cheap price, I dont work for free!

 

[dipper]

Tc- I don't want to get in a pissing match with you, it sounds like you take pride and do good work. I just can't see how you can make any money if all your commercial mounts are good enough to win blue ribbons. Unless you are charging thousands of dollars a shoulder mount. I get you put great care into your work, but you also have to get work done to make money. Your just not going to make money on competition quality mounts for $600.
I kinda taught myself via online and video instruction. Than I got involved in the wisconsin taxidermy association. That really helped me, they have a couple seminars a year. Awesome stuff if you want to improve. The wta introduced me to the best taxidermists in wi. I spent some money spending a couple days at their shops, which was also really nice. All and all, I trained myself for a thousand dollars or so. I'm not as involved as I used to be, because I like being on my land more. I help out a local shop a little during some of my free time during the cold winter months. I like working on my own stuff, but I'm not very efficient. That bear is from 3 years ago now, and I stop in the middle of things. Haha

 

[non-pro-archer]

What videos would you guys recommend?

 

[Turkey Creek]

I like working on my own stuff, but I'm not very efficient. That bear is from 3 years ago now, and I stop in the middle of things. Haha

Dipper your work looks good. My comments have nothing to do with your work so no need to take it personally. You hit on an important item there. Efficiency. I do taxidermy full time and what I can get done in a days time and what you can get done in a days time in a taxidermy sense I am sure is very different. Just as I could not get done what you get done at your full time job in a days work. I dont do African mounts, skin mount fish, life size bears and anything else that I cant be efficient at. Time is money. My only point above is that if an individual is looking to get into taxidermy as anything more than just a hobby, then you need to do what it takes to set you apart from the competition in order to be successful. Thousands of taxidermists have tried the approach of cheaper than my competitor or faster than my competitor most of those taxidermists are out of business. What it takes to win a blue ribbon at the professional level at a show takes an experienced taxidermist far less time than you might think, especially if you are incorporating those techniques into customers mount everyday.

PS I have animals and birds destined to be mounts of my own that have been dead for longer than 3years!:)

 

[dipper]

I'm not taking offense. I'm not nearly as fast as a full time guy. By my efficient comment, I don't complete things. Like getting the flesh color painted on the bear and leaving it for 5 months. I have 4 other mounts that are dry; they've been waiting to get finished for a couple months.
You might be right, but I don't see the same competition quality in commercial work.
If anyone is interested in seeing world class work the wisconsin taxidermy association is having there competition in stevens point the end of February.