From another thread:
Quote from: FullfanYou will be impressed want that lil #9 shot will do to a gobbler at 40 yards
Didn't wanna hijack the other discussion, so.........
Was talking to my taxidermist last week about how many years payment it's gonna take for.me to square up for.my 2018 spring season...... :/
Anyhow.........he was semi singing the blues over how labor intensive and time consuming it is to repair/salvage birds that have been shot with HTL shot and the TSS 8's and 9's in particular. There are so many pellets and most times the majority of them leave an entrance AND an exit hole...... He said it is a painstaking and expensive process to mount them.
Just a random, passing thought if you're gonna be taking a trip of a lifetime and hoping to bring back precious trophies for mounting.
Never thought about that. But I could only imagine how TSS could be a taxidermist's worst nightmare.
That's really interesting. Never gave it much thought. I shoot lead anymore so I don't guess I need to worry too much about it.
On a side note it seems to me there would be a lot less work dealing with a lot of tiny #9 holes rather than some lead #4 or #5 cannon ball holes.
Well since I only saw off the spurs and stuff the beard in a beer mug I guess it's of no consequence how much tissue is gone.
The last time I checked a local taxidermist here wanted 570.00 to mount a bird. Don't think they have any room to complain with a price like that. Maybe he should find another way to make his living.
Quote from: Fullfan on March 12, 2019, 07:39:17 AM
The last time I checked a local taxidermist here wanted 570.00 to mount a bird. Don't think they have any room to complain with a price like that. Maybe he should find another way to make his living.
Was 750 here 3 years ago.
Quote from: Fullfan on March 12, 2019, 07:39:17 AM
The last time I checked a local taxidermist here wanted 570.00 to mount a bird. Don't think they have any room to complain with a price like that. Maybe he should find another way to make his living.
Giving them away at that price, assuming they are good quality.
My taxi never complains. He is well compensted for his troubles.
My taxidermist uses the synthetic heads and they look awesome....
Quote from: Sir-diealot on March 12, 2019, 07:43:55 AM
Quote from: Fullfan on March 12, 2019, 07:39:17 AM
The last time I checked a local taxidermist here wanted 570.00 to mount a bird. Don't think they have any room to complain with a price like that. Maybe he should find another way to make his living.
Was 750 here 3 years ago.
Ouch the last bird I was going to have become a dust collector was a public land stud with 1.5 daggers. I just could not bring myself to spend that kind of money. 750.00 is just crazy..
Quote from: Fullfan on March 12, 2019, 07:39:17 AM
The last time I checked a local taxidermist here wanted 570.00 to mount a bird. Don't think they have any room to complain with a price like that. Maybe he should find another way to make his living.
Maybe you should actually know what's involved. An I damaged bird for a bunch more than that isn't worth doing. Imo turkey are a great bargain. No wonder so many mounts are bugged eyed, pointy nosed on mammals, etc. Fellas are trying to make money n rushing. I'd rather not do anything for cheaper than I need to
Maybe you should do what gooserbat does if you think 570 is too high? Or...
Maybe you can try mounting one n see what's involved??
Quote from: Gobble! on March 12, 2019, 07:48:28 AM
Quote from: Fullfan on March 12, 2019, 07:39:17 AM
The last time I checked a local taxidermist here wanted 570.00 to mount a bird. Don't think they have any room to complain with a price like that. Maybe he should find another way to make his living.
Giving them away at that price, assuming they are good quality.
They can't be good quality unless he saves money by not eating or paying rent
My local Taxidermist charges $550.00 for a full mount. Now this is in Kentucky not sure if varies by state or something but they look good to me the few I have seen done.
Are these full strut mounts? Would it make a difference?
What most people think looks good are actually pretty bad. If a taxidermist only wanted $570, I'd walk away.
Quote from: dejake on March 12, 2019, 02:45:22 PM
What most people think looks good are actually pretty bad. If a taxidermist only wanted $570, I'd walk away.
This
priced out a quality taxi last year and the price was $850-950 with the habitat i wanted.. cut the spurs and legs off and bought a bow. one of these days i'll shoot a bird deserving of the price
My taxidermist uses free dried heads. Don't know if it adds to the cost. And the guy he buys them from will buy the head, spurs and wings for $17.00 and that will pay for a Mo residents tag
Wasn't looking to start a taxidermy spat with my post........
All I was getting at is that a man who has held the title of "Best Overall Taxidermist in the State".......a man who owns and teaches a certified taxidermy school.......told me that the new technology coming along is making his job harder and cost more. Just food for thought if a guy has his heart set on having a bird.of a lifetime mounted.
My taxidermist uses the actual head and he sends it off to have it freeze dried. He does great work at $600 a bird.
I figure if it's the bird of a lifetime or hunt of a lifetime ammo or the cost of taxidermy is not high on the list of worries.
Never shot a Gobbler with TSS but the ones I've seen are not torn up nearly as bad as the ones I've shot with #5s ,the head is most times barley hanging on and shredded. The TSS was not even really bloody just bunches of small holes. I can guarantee you can't carry one I've shot by the head or neck and I see people carrying TSS shot birds with a strap around the head and feet sling over there back. I would think taxidermist would rather a bunch of small holes vs torn up heads
Quote from: dejake on March 12, 2019, 02:45:22 PM
What most people think looks good are actually pretty bad. If a taxidermist only wanted $570, I'd walk away.
That's a fact.
Dang y'all getting some deals on mounts
I called around two weeks ago and they wanting $1050-$1250 a bird
About decided guess I'll never own one!!
I am surprised at the wide range of prices for taxidermy work. But-to the topic of damage by HTL or TSS loads- I think that besides traditional lead loads- it seems there may be something to it. I shot a bird last year at 20 yards with long beard 5's and it was not pretty. Winchester has longbeards, Federal uses the flight control wad, and hevi and tss loads pattern tighter than traditional lead loads. They all will make it ugly on a gobbler at close range. With today's loads and chokes- lethal ranges might increase but the close range shots can be ugly.