Turkey taxidermist

[spaightlabs]

Can't have a taxidermy discussion without Chuck Testa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJP1DphOWPs

[Bowguy]

I believe Hazel Creek will be more than 700.  I think they were in that range 10 years ago if not more.

Well that's what I originally said. 700 bucks is gonna be tough to get a good guy. If you guys ever saw what's in a turk you'd see why they're expensive

[spaightlabs]

I've smelled what's inside a turk.  I figured that was why they were expensive.

[Hooksfan]

Timberland Taxidermy in Missouri does good work.

[BHMTitan]

Check out John Beard at BirdsOnlyTaxidermy.  Great work!  Tennessee.

[eorlando]

Check out John Beard at BirdsOnlyTaxidermy.  Great work!  Tennessee.

This. Incredible work. He did my smoke phase Osceola.

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[hobbes]

I know what's in a turkey.  I ran quite a few on the wire wheel before changing over to a pressure washer.  It's been over 10 years now but I've not forgotten: 

I've got three in the freezer that I keep saying I'm going to mount.  I think I've even got a freeze dried head or two left over.

[mtns2hunt]

Wow, kill "the bird of a lifetime and then want to skimp on having it mounted. Unbeilvable. I will be writing a check for 1600.00 not including the down payment for two Merriam turkeys I killed last year. I expect to be enjoying these Turkeys for the next twenty years. I do not want a poorly mounted Turkey. You get what you pay for.

I have two Rios in my frezzer that I will be switching out when I pick up my Merriams. I paid 4 grand to have my Mountain lion mounted and don't regret it for a moment. I would suggest you leave those turkeys in a frezzer untill you can afford a decent taxidermist. Just my nickles worth.

[hobbes]

Apparently I missed that he was looking for cheaper than 700.  I just thought his old guy was 700 but he was looking for someone worthy of mounting a bird of a lifetime. 
Generally speaking, cheap taxidermists are a dime a dozen and they typically aren't worth a dime.

[J-Shaped]

Check out John Beard at BirdsOnlyTaxidermy.  Great work!  Tennessee.

This. Incredible work. He did my smoke phase Osceola.

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Ditto on this. Only reason I didn't mention it earlier was because I thought the OP may have wanted to stay local. Not only is John's work top notch, but he's a great guy too.

[fallhnt]

I'm with you Hobbes,I didn't read into it,"I want cheep".

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[djrcm7]

   mtns2hunt, congrats on having plenty of dough to burn on mounts. my brother is 17 and does not. The rest of yall, thanks for all the input, like I said my original guy does a great job and upped his price by 200 recently. 700 is average for a good mount from what I see. Hazel creek does phenomenal work, but like i said a 17 year old does not have 1200 lying around. just looking for taxidermists in the 5-700 range with recommendations from people that have used them. .

[hobbes]

Hope you find what you are looking for.  Congrats to your brother again.

[MK M GOBL]

Buddy I don't do tons anymore but the price seems cheap to me. Tons of work, check some of his pieces. Turkeys are lots of work

Hey Bowguy how long can a bird you want to mount stay in the freezer without ruining it? If I where short of funds and looking at a true Turkey of a Lifetime, I would see what I could save up and have it mounted right. Just don't know what that wait period is before it would no longer be good to be able to mount.

MK M GOBL

[Bowguy]

With frost free freezers you could actually freeze dry it, the quicker the better. Normally I'd skin the head out asap n start the freeze drying on that but for 500-700 it might be a plastic head. I'd also take the fan off n card that. I take the tails off even pheasant n bondo them into form. It makes them rigid/secure the way just pinning them won't.
If it was like 6 months or so id not worry. Prob even a bit more but why not bring it to a guy n give the deposit n get it started. Be honest n tell him you need time to get the rest up so he doesn't finish the piece n it sits. Have him call to ensure funds are available before he mounts it. Any taxidermist worth his salt is gonna be almost a year out  due to having lots of guys use him.
The better you wrap it the less moisture escapes. Birds have very thin skin so don't wait forever