When some people hear that you are a taxidermist they usually go yuck,that’s sick and that all thanks to the nitwits from Disney that stereo type them as old creeping guys that work in a dim lit basement. People that think like that must get out of thier “box” realize that the world does not rotate around them and there is a big world out there. Taxidermist, well some of them are very talented artist that works with a lot of different mediums,create works of art with great variety of scenes,great businessmen,and very professional . Want an example just visit www.afican-Montana-taxidermy.com to see a professional business. People think the same when they hear you are hunter,trapper , stereo typing again . They think you are killing poor little Bambi where in the real world they are controlling a huge variety of diseases,over population , stopping the spread of ticks, helping the economy and so on. They help to stock the meat for the hungry too. Like I said,do not complain about one until you walk in thier shoes– in other words, think about more than yourself, it’s a big world out there, so educate yourself and see it for what it is…..

Completion or turnaround ,same thing. Most studios have a turnaround of 1year max. Some others go to 2 or yrs. The studios that offer 3month turnaround own their own tannery and thats good for them but in the real world , it takes time for the tanners to do their job, the faster they do their job, the more screw ups that they do, so I like them to take their sweet old time and most of the time,all ends well. Next the taxidermist must work all the items into a schedule,( if they only have one or two clients, then you will have your trophy in no time but most studios have hundreds of trophies to do)one doesn’t just grab a tanned skin and goes to work on it. They must be sweated for a day or more . And then the parts must be ordered or made and that takes time. Then the form must to altered to fit the skin and the wishes of the clients. For birds, fish, reptiles one puts them up to dry and then will be finished when they are worked into the schedule. Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC completion time is up to 1 yr max(most all done within 8 mounts but I say that just in case the tanners are slow) for tanned mounts, 6 to 8 months for fish, birds, etc.. It takes time to create art so be patience and you will be very satisfied . If you are good than you are always busy and that great job security……

You can tell a lot by the way the website is designed on how professional the taxidermy studio is. If you go to www.african-montana-taxidermy.com you will find a very professional site. I designed he site and had a pro put it up, it has everything you need to see what the taxidermist can do for you, it has sound,gallery slide show,shipping info,sale page,link page that has many hunting and fishing links(most do not have this and what a stupid mistake,it’s free and it ranks you on the search engines), shows the studio and the artist, very professional. Most site that I see are one or two pages (it cost the same to host one page than to have eight pages) and have some lame color for the background with very limited graphics on it. If I was a client looking for a taxidermist and hit one of those sites,it would back to the search engine. About 78 percent of studios do not have a site. They must not believe in the power of the web and they only want local work and that’s fine. Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC we are very professional and that shows in every piece of work that is created here and the site showcases it and when the client calls they will hear what they want to hear after aski g their questions. So when searching for a taxidermist, search for professionalism , experience, rates to a degree, and on what the site looks like. Then call them and talk to them and see if they are what they are…

When you bring it a item to the taxidermist you must pick out a way you want the item done. Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC I try to tell the client to use their imagination. Go online and look up images on the search engines,web sites like www.african-montana-taxidermy.com etc.I like action, mounts in action by the way of running,chasing,hunting,anyway but just standing there. The client is going to look at this mount ,hopefully for many years to come and I would like to look at a mount doing something other than just looking out into space. A mount in action will please many more people also other than just yourself too. I also like other items in the scene too.For an example would be having a bear leaning up against a skull with a large rack of horns,looking down at a old kill site and having a couple of weasels or marten running away or hiding behind something looking up at the bear. Or another I just completed was a steenbok running on a grassed,level area with a jackel chasing it for a wall mount. Think of anything and if you can put it in my mind then it will be done. This is not the time to get cheap either,think about it and our taxidermist will make up some ideas for you to think of also. Use your imagination and you will be happy you did for many years..

When bring in work to a taxidermist people will always ask for a discount if they have more than one. Here at Capps’s Taxidermy Studio LLC — www.african-montana-taxidermy.com –I do hear that and I always tell them I do give discounts but only if you bring in 15 items or more in one years time. Reasons for no discounts are quite simple,I do not get any discounts from the tanneries,the suppliers,shippers,power co.,etc..And from past experiences, a large precent of the people (not all) that ask for them will take quite awhile to put down a deposit and longer to pay when completed. So I ask this, do you work for free, I don’t. I have this great older fish guide that brings in quite a few items every year and I mounted a fish for him personally and was just going to give it to him for nothing, just a way of saying thanks and he said something that I will always remember , he said do you work for free for I surely do not and I put that to my business plan. Like I wrote, I do give a discount to some with lots of work but it’s very minimum cuz I don’t work for free.

When deciding on pricing if you are a taxidermist depends on a few concerns.they are the following, one is where you live. Here in Montana , I have to be priced for the local economy so you can get work in from the local sportsmen with local game , but for the international game, I ‘m priced on a national level. Next is the overhead, if you have major expenses like workers, their insurance,rent or payments,etc. then that taxidermy shop will be priced very high and are good but not for their rates, when a life mount on a middle size game animal cost more than a new car, then something is wrong.Next is their talent,professionalism . This is the most important part. You want the taxidermist to experience the animals and that I will use me as example, I have ran mt. lions for decades and have seen very many alive and in lots of moods and that goes along way in detail and that is what makes a great taxidermist artist and just a taxidermist. The great ones can see the mount in their minds before they work on it,a great imagination. If they just started, then they know next to nothing about certain game, like one knows deer but nothing on moose. One can be good on hoofed game but are bad on predators. You want one with lots of years under their belt and have done just about all the game in that country and world, but some that just came out of one of those taxidermy schools think they know it all and surely they don’t and it will show in their work. Some taxidermist subcontract work out,so they are priced higher for the overhead and if I was a client, I would not bring it to a shop that subcontracts,why pay for the middle man. Check out their work online, in person and ask questions for not every taxidermist is the same,you are buying the talent and professionalism . One can check out a nice,professional studio on line at www.african-montana-taxidermist.com and see for yourself on reasonable rates plus experience ….

When picking a taxidermist one must consider some of the following. Pick one that is a true professional, in every stance. He or she must be a full time taxidermist, not these people that do it on the side cuz they have a “day job”. They must have a studio outside their house and I don’t mean their garage. A true professional taxidermist has a studio away from their home and pays double the bills a novice pays—he pays double the taxes,power,water,etc. A true artist can see the mount in their mind before they start on the mount so they can alter or sculpt the form . Check out their references,look at the mounts in good light,make sure that they have turn around time and they stick to it. Make sure that they do their owe mounts and do not sub contract work out like most so-so taxidermist do, they do nothing but hand the work over to another taxidermist and then hand it back to the client and takes all the credit and money! Make sure that they use a professional tannery or have been doing their own tanning for years.they should have a web site so you check out their work. The pricing should be reasonable,the pro will have to charge alittle more than the novice but not to a point that you can go broke paying for a mount. Check them out on line,phone calls but the best is to go to their studios and look at the work,best thing by far.Do not settle for second best.Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC we are a true professional,artistic studio that has been mounting the worlds game animals and been in business for 33yrs,and is one of the few studios that does all the work under one roof,except for the tanning, that is done by some of the nations best tanneries. We have a very professional web site–www.african-Montana-taxidermy.com . We think of the client all the way,we have major discounts on shipping,crating,fast turn arounds,check up on thier work with web pic’s, provide custom brokers,etc. for the international hunter and so on. In closing you must know what you want and don’t get hosed by being over priced, unartistic-this critter gave its all so it deserves to look like it did in life, and unprofessional . Not two taxidermist are the same.Every taxidermist is different,you are buying their talent , some are great and some are not,so buy the talent and enjoy the ever lasting memories …..

We all take things for granted.People take other people and thier business for granted.people think that you own the business that the product does not cost you anything but the truth is it cost just the same.In the taxidermy,art business you have to pay for tanning,form,jaws,etc. just like you would for when you have the job to do for the client, so that is why the taxidermist takes a long time to complete thier own trophies—it’s just they do not pay very well. Here in Montana, the residents take for granted the scenery,the wildlife etc..that someone from another part of the country ,say in a big city would just love to see snow covered mountains,elk,etc.. The hunter that hunts predators just takes for granted on seeing them all the time for they know the habits,routes,etc. of them and a hunter that comes from another part of the country that does not have those types of predators would just love to hunt them. So we all do it in one way or the other,the trick is not to take all of it for granted or it will come back to bite you someday at anytime…

Before you go to hunt international game,get ship tags to attach to your trophies. Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC we give the client a international hunting packet which has info on tips,custom brokers,ship options rates,etc.. and ship tags for their trophies-2 per critter,one for hide and the other for the horn,skull. They are printed out with the clients name,broker,port of entry,this studio and a USDA tannery. I have quite a few clients that go over the pond hunting and when they receive a shipping bill requesting port of entry is when they are aware that they are in need of help from the taxidermist.So get the tags and info before you go and that is one less headache……..Go have fun….

All hunters must take responsible in taking care of thier own game. On guided hunts the client assumes the guide will take care of the capes and most do but it’s yours and you should help, or watch over the people doing it, especially in other countries like Africa. I receive numerous trophies from around the world and some of the trophies out of Africa are the main ones with the problems. They are skinned and must be put into new , white salt, (used salt contains bacteria and will cause hair slippage) as soon as possible–like now. Then they are dipped,and some are dipped again and then are folded and left in storage until its thier turn to be packed and shipped-anywhere from 4months to 16 months and most all have bug shells on them but all are dead when they go through customs. On North American game
you can salt and take them with you or fed ex them to your taxidermist like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC and it will be taken care of . Main idea here is that do not show it off for to long and get it taken care so you can have a great memory . Taxidermist are not magician ….