3-2011 GOBBLER BACK FROM TAXIDERMIST WHATS YALLS OPINION ON THE JOB? **UPDATED**

[hookedspur]

First i absolutely love the coloration of the bird in the first picture of when you killed it, i would have had to mount it too!! Now for the critique, I think it looks awful!! The bird is not full strut, his wings arent down like they should be, from the side especially he looks all out of whack, his feathers on his back are too high and his tail fan is way too high and sticking out and back too far for full strut.  I think his head and beard look good but thats about it.  Sorry for the crappy comments but im just being honest, i dont think i would take anything else to that taxidermist.  Great bird, crappy mount.  Sorry man.

It doesnt look like the same bird with all the bronze .

[RutnNStrutn]

You asked for honest, well, here goes. Its OK but I wouldn't be happy. He definitely looks like he is squatting. The right wing seems to be somewhat down but the left wing doesn't appear to be down at all. My idea of "all blown up" is full strut, and that is definitely not full strut. The feathers on his rump before the fan look all jacked up and out of proportion.
I'd take it back and see what he can do with it. Then I would let everyone know not to use that guy!! Man, what a shame. A unique trophy, you wait a year, and then you get a disappointment. I know the feeling. I had the same thing happen with my first deer. Never used anything but a quality taxidermist that I checked out his work thoroughly first.

[heathwesley]

A lot about the look of how he did this is very odd and I am not impressed and if I was you I would not be very satisfied with this.  My honest opinion.

[busta biggun]

I agree with the other guys here. As a former taxidermist, I will add some specifics as to why it doesn't look right. The reason that taxidermists charge more for a full strut mount is this: a good taxidermist has to fluff the feathers up, against the grain, every single day as the skin is curing. If they don't, the feather pull flat and they look like a normal bird with his but in the air. if they fluff them every once in a while, the feathers are half up, half down and the turkey looks like it was caught in the rain. This guy did not take the time to fluff it as it was drying.

[bird]

I'm sorry dude but if it were me I would be taking that mount back to the taxidermist and asking for my money back.  No I would be demanding to have my money returned to me. 

bird

[renegade19]

Might as well jump on the dogpile!  I don't think the beard is from the same bird either.

[renegade19]

With me being a taxidermist and doing Turkey's only, I have to say your mount is not worthy of the price you paid. Please look at my work www.birdsonly1.shutterfly.com I get a lot of my work from people who have experienced what you are now experiencing and I charge $600.  I'm not going to go into all the things I see wrong with the mount because any picture of a real strutting bird will do that for you. That being said, if you like it, that's all that matters.

Checked out the pics on your site.  Impressive!   Very nice work.

[yukonhunter]

not a good job

[titansfan2104]

sorry, but looks like he is playing a game of twister !! that mount is almost like an abstract pic by picasso. i have seen very few turkey mounts i would be pleased with over the years!! Although there are some awesome ones out there ..

[titansfan2104]

With me being a taxidermist and doing Turkey's only, I have to say your mount is not worthy of the price you paid. Please look at my work www.birdsonly1.shutterfly.com I get a lot of my work from people who have experienced what you are now experiencing and I charge $600.  I'm not going to go into all the things I see wrong with the mount because any picture of a real strutting bird will do that for you. That being said, if you like it, that's all that matters.

Beautiful work!!!!! those are some nice mounts!!! have seen way to many that look fake and all bent out of shape.  Glad you live within driving distance if i ever decide to mount one
On his ssite, under the 2011 pics the third pic down on the first column there is a light colored bird that is a super nice mount and a perfect example of a full strut life like mount!!

[TANK]

Thanks to all that posted.................I returned it to him Friday evening. He said he can fix some of the things so I'm gona see what happens..................

[bowhunter84]

I'm sorry dude but if it were me I would be taking that mount back to the taxidermist and asking for my money back.  No I would be demanding to have my money returned to me. 

bird

[spitndrum]

Everything but the FAN fan is terrible looking its worth a try and him fixin it, my best friend had one mounted and the guy that did it is a good friend but he went to get it and the taxidermist said what do you think and my buddy said repaint the head so he did they end you have to have em what you want if your paying for it.

[GobbleNut]

Looks to me like an entirely different cape.  Could be just the lighting of the pictures, but I would almost bet it is a different bird entirely than the one you took in to have mounted. My guess is that the taxidermist ruined your original cape and substituted this one.  Probably did not take adequate care with the original bird and the cape slipped and he couldn't save it.
The mount is not the best, but I have definitely seen much worse,....and with the owner being very proud and happy with the product.  That is the work of a taxidermist that is most likely just trying to put out a product as quickly as possible without regard to detail in the mount.  That quality of mount should cost less than half of what you paid for it.....at best.

[TANK]

The 2 after pictures was taken with my iPhone. Thats why they are so crappy................its definatly the same turkey. When I killed him I shot some neck feathers out and a wing feather on his left side. The coloration is there also you just can't see it....................