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Post by 2shotjoe on Oct 26, 2006 19:44:41 GMT -5
my question is what would you pay for a deer mount , theres a guy in Hayden (Jennings county) who raised his prices to $500 granted he does nice work but thats way to much money there are plenty of other taxidermist who do just as good of job for $300 the cost for materials is only about $100 so i dont know what this guy is thinking but he lost my buisness
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Post by kjrackmaster on Oct 26, 2006 20:20:33 GMT -5
Well i recently paid $350 for mine and ur right it does only cost no more than $100 in materials but u have to look at their work. The best way to find out is catch them offgurard when they are in their shops working on their animals and there will be some pieces of their work on the wall waiting to be picked up. Look at those animals and decide if that is good enough for u. U will find out that younger taxiderist are cheaper than those with more experience bc they wanna get the business. But also look at thier turn around time. Mine will be done in the next month or two wich was about 11 months. That's not bad at all. But i'm completly agreeing with u that $500 is too much for a shoulder mount.
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Post by shinglemonkey on Oct 26, 2006 20:30:48 GMT -5
If you are too busy and can only do X amount of work, raise your prices, sure you will loose some business but the work that you do now pays more money.
Atleast thats how it works in the roofing world:)
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Post by hoyt1166 on Oct 26, 2006 21:00:23 GMT -5
I pay $500 for mine but I think I've got the best guy around when it comes to deer. For something that will last a lifetime, I think $500 versus $350 is worth it if the work is good.
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Post by mullis56 on Oct 26, 2006 21:18:17 GMT -5
Most taxidermist are cheaper in Indiana then in IL or WI. They been getting (most taxidermist) $400-$600 for 5 years now! Just another sign that they are busy and don't want more work you know.
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Post by wtlhaven on Oct 27, 2006 5:48:06 GMT -5
2shotjoe, down here I charge $350.00 and normally have all my heads back to the customer by spring turkey season. I am located between 2 guys that charge $500 plus and their turn around time is (from what I was told) way over a year and closer to 2. Had a new customer just this past fall tell me that he had taken a turkey to one of them and still hadn't gotten it back after 2 years. From what I was told is that these taxis are so busy that in order to steer away from more new business that they have raised their prices sky high, which I think is rediculous. Keep the prices so they make their profit and just turn down the new customers. I'm not the highest priced taxi in the area, but I sure am not the cheapest. I'm not going to cut my throat when it comes to making a profit, but I'm not going to shaft anyone.
You are correct on the materials cost. They normally run right at $100.00 for a basic shoulder mount. You also need to add in the utilities cost for running the freezers, lights, heat, water, phone calls, etc........ I figured up a while back what I'm making with the time that I've got in a single deer head with the breakdown of utilities and materials. Turns out that I'm making right at $16.00 an hour. It's not bad money at all. Although my day job pays me a dollar more on the hour. I could just work some O.T. and forget about the taxi work, but I enjoy it too much.
What ever you do, don't base where you take your deer on price. That's the first thing I get with a new customer calling. "How much do you charge???". Dont' expect because this guy charges the most that he the "best". Go look at their work and then go look at other's work. Do your comparisons and then look at pricing. You might be surprised. I always invite any callers to stop by and take a look at my work, but have yet to see one person just "drop by". I also tell people to go look for their taxi before season starts so the day the might get that wall hanger, they aren't in a rush to get it somewhere and then wind up regretting their decision, as they'll be reminded about it every day when they look at it........
Good luck guys!!!!!!!!
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Oct 27, 2006 6:02:59 GMT -5
I quit having mounts done about 15 years ago due to the increasing prices "up front" & long turn around times. I am perfectly happy with the many Van Dyke skull plate kit mounts I have done. I still enjoy the memories of each successful hunt & the lessons learned from ones that got away.
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Post by Decatur on Oct 27, 2006 6:11:14 GMT -5
I quit having mounts done about 15 years ago due to the increasing prices "up front" & long turn around times. I am perfectly happy with the many Van **** skull plate kit mounts I have done. I still enjoy the memories of each successful hunt & the lessons learned from ones that got away. It censored Van D Y K E? LOL |
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Post by LawrenceCoBowhunter on Oct 27, 2006 7:09:42 GMT -5
I know cheaper isn't always better..My very first buck I had mounted I went with a guy who charged $225 and promised to have it done in a year or less.That turned into 17 months,and a crappy job.I also screwed up when I paid him $200 up front on it.On my next one I went with one of the best guys in this area(Downham's Taxidermy for $300) and he did a great job it and had it back in like 8 or 9 months and has a lifetime guarentee,he also makes you sign a contract.I couldn't be happier with it.I'd like to get into Taxidermy myself..Here is a pic of his work. www.taxidermyusa.com/downhamstaxidermy/ |
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Post by dec on Oct 27, 2006 7:13:07 GMT -5
I've paid between 350 and 450. The 350 job sucked. The 450 job was so good, I would pay the guy twice that if he said that is what it cost. Needless to day, he's done some other work for me since that deer and the cheaper guy lost my business.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Oct 27, 2006 7:15:00 GMT -5
I quit having mounts done about 15 years ago due to the increasing prices "up front" & long turn around times. I am perfectly happy with the many Van **** skull plate kit mounts I have done. I still enjoy the memories of each successful hunt & the lessons learned from ones that got away. It censored Van D Y K E? LOL I knew when I posted that you, bsu, or chico would bust my chops. I love it!!!! You 3 guys slay me with your wit ;D ;D ;D |
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 27, 2006 7:22:47 GMT -5
$375 at American Taxidermy in Boonville Indiana.
Dean and Todd do a GREAT job.
Turn around is about a year on a gun killed deer.
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Post by taxidermyman on Oct 27, 2006 7:32:14 GMT -5
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Post by parrothead on Oct 27, 2006 7:42:10 GMT -5
Is that Whitters Tax. He is a nice guy but I will take mine to Coal Hollow.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2006 12:21:43 GMT -5
I have had both my mounts done by Charlie Masheck at Hoosier Trapper Supply in Greenwood. They are not the cheapest or fastest, but they are very good. I paid $385 for the buck I killed last November. I got him back in August and I was very pleased with the result. They did an outstanding job on my first mount in '03 as well.
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Post by hunter480 on Oct 27, 2006 14:31:20 GMT -5
Check out this website members.iquest.net/~dpr/TaxidermyPrices.html#mammalsDale Richardson charges $275.00 for a deer mounts-and the guy flat out does great work. He lives off old 36 between Avon and Danville-you can go to his house and check out a ton of his work. He has a huge buck on the wall-maybe a 20 pointer?-vehicle kill found by the sheriff not far from my house 7 or 8 years ago-this thing looks like a deer you would see fron Canada-it`s just a stud. Dale did a great job on it. |
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Post by 2shotjoe on Oct 27, 2006 18:32:43 GMT -5
Is that Whitters Tax. He is a nice guy but I will take mine to Coal Hollow. |
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Post by 2shotjoe on Oct 27, 2006 18:34:21 GMT -5
i wont say it wasn't whitters , but i took one to Scott Smith in Queensville , he did a great job for 300 and had it done in 9 weeks , can't argue with that
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Post by nitro351 on Oct 27, 2006 20:14:40 GMT -5
I had my 10 pointer done at Brownsburg taxidermy took It to him weekend before thanksgiving. Had it back the end of march.Cost 360 dollars he wanted 100 dollars deposit.It turned out real nice my friend took his somewhere else and you can see a nail up in his deers nose he paid less than I did.I would go back to brownsburg taxidermy again.I live 5 miles from trapper supply they also do real nice work but I think they get real busy.
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Post by bsutravis on Oct 28, 2006 6:20:11 GMT -5
Too funny about the D Y K E S......deertracks!!!!
I'm not trying to take away business from the taxidermists out there...but I'm tellin' ya fellas..... It's not that hard to do your own buck. Van D Y K E S has a kit for $65! You can use a dry preserveative so you don't have the hastle of truly "tanning" the hide.....its very easy. If you can gut your buck than you can mount your own head! Don't be afraid to try it!
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