Jump to content

What taxidermist do you use?

CantrellTaxidermy

By CantrellTaxidermy,
in General Hunting

 Share

Recommended Posts

steve863 Community Regular

steve863

Posted
Posted

I honestly don't think I will be spending a red cent to get anything mounted in the future even if it was a B&C sized buck.  The taxidermist I did use a few times a good many years ago now was Luther Kuhlman Taxidermy on Long Island.  The guy did do some nice work and I think he is still in business.  I used to get a kick out of talking to him.  If you dropped off your head to be mounted you knew you were going to be practically kidnapped by him for a couple of hours and have to suffer thru endless bragging on how he is without question the best taxidermist around! LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr VJP Newbie

Mr VJP

Posted
Posted

Hey guys just curious who you guys use for your taxidermy. I just started my business and am curious what drives New York hunters when choosing a taxidermist. Just looking for who you use and why, Is it price, turnaround, quality, or just because thats who your friends use? Thanks for your time.

It's price and quality that matters most.  It's often by word of mouth after seeing someone else's mount and asking where it was done.  If it looks great and the cost was reasonable, that's where a guy will go with his.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CantrellTaxidermy Newbie

CantrellTaxidermy

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Steve why wouldnt you get anything mounted? In my opinion quality should come first and formost. Prices are generally within a hundred dollars of one another and if one guy spends that much more time to make your deer look as real as possible he should make more. The taxidermy industry is a funny one, I dont look at any other taxidermist as competition there is a taxidermist for everyone. I just try to provide the best quality I am capable of, and let the rest take care of its self.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nyantler Apprentice

nyantler

Posted
Posted

Absolutely .. quality before price... in taxidermy you definitely get what you pay for... most mounts look ok when you first get them... but what they look like 10-20 years from now is what counts... and I won't have a mount done unless the taxidermist has the hide tanned professionally.. the quick tanning process or wet tanning doesn't hold up. It makes for getting your mount back quicker but that's the only benefit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steve863 Community Regular

steve863

Posted
Posted

Steve why wouldnt you get anything mounted?

Because I could care less to have any more mounts.  I have actually given away several heads that I had to anyone who wanted them.  I basically hunt for some venison in the freezer these days.  I guess in my earlier years I did want a few example specimans for the wall, eventhough I was never a trophy hunter.  However, this trophy on the wall stuff doesn't do anything for me anymore.  I honestly got tired of looking at them, and all they have become are dust collectors.  So I guess I am an example of a hunter who has become LESS interested in trophies as they age and not MORE like some theories like to claim.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WNYBuckHunter Experienced

WNYBuckHunter

Posted
Posted

I use RM Taxidermy here in Rochester. I found him through the processor I used to use. He had a mount he did 10 years ago and it still looked great, even after being out in the garage/meat cutting shop for all that time. His turn around is pretty good, quality is great and prices are reasonable. He has done a deer and fox for me so far, though Id say the deer is the better mount of the two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nyantler Apprentice

nyantler

Posted
Posted

Remember too.. one persons idea of a quality mount is different than anothers.. make sure you see the guys work yourself... if you know someone that has an older mount that still looks great.. then that might be the taxidermist you want to go with... once you pick a good one.. he should be your guy forever or as long as he's in business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
First-light Grand Master

First-light

Posted
Posted

My brother used Rich at fins to feathers. He did a real good job on his deer. He actually blew off one of the horns on this 10 pt (at the base with little damage) Rich fixed it up and looks great. I used a guy up near Watkins Glen area I believe the name was Hancocks taxidermist. Real nice guy and I loved the job he did on my two bucks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rock Newbie

rock

Posted
Posted

i use jeff balmer.. its crazy how many hacks are out there .... the first thing i look at is the antler placement and if its streched right in the mouth aera.. it drives me nuts when a see a buck with the horns to far back the peticle should line up with the v at the back of the eye

Link to comment
Share on other sites
erussell Newbie

erussell

Posted
Posted

i use jeff balmer.. its crazy how many hacks are out there .... the first thing i look at is the antler placement and if its streched right in the mouth aera.. it drives me nuts when a see a buck with the horns to far back the peticle should line up with the v at the back of the eye

He's probably the best in the area. Does nice work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lawdwaz Grand Master

Lawdwaz

Posted
Posted

The world renowned Bernie Seitz from Akron, NY.  He is mounting my buck from 2010 and it's almost ready (that's taxi' speak for 4 more months :( ) to be picked up.

He's a good guy and done things for me and other friends for the past 25 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
G-Man Veteran

G-Man

Posted
Posted

Depends on what I get mounted deer I use bill mansell in lancaster(semi retired) for small game I used bob thuman lancaster(now dicesed). And ken mc murry in lyndon,for sm game and fish. Everyone has a speciality fish,birds,deer,sm game. The quality will show in what each does best. I had a friend who had a mount that he loved 9pt that I thought was junk looked good to him. Her then got a big 10 so he asked who I used. When he got his 10pt back and put it on the wall with his 9 he immeadiatly saw what I had told him was wrong. He now keeps the mounts in seperate rooms so the can't be seen together..  quality and a fair price will keep people comming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WNYBuckHunter Experienced

WNYBuckHunter

Posted
Posted

Wnybuckhunter was Gary in spencerport your meat cutter? It also depends on how a customer takes care of his head once its home, just because a mount looks rough, other than anatomy issues, it could be how a customer cared for it.

Nope, I used to use Larry's in Avon. I grew up with his nephew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lawdwaz Grand Master

Lawdwaz

Posted
Posted

Depends on what I get mounted deer I use bill mansell in lancaster(semi retired) for small game I used bob thuman lancaster(now dicesed). And ken mc murry in lyndon,for sm game and fish. Everyone has a speciality fish,birds,deer,sm game. The quality will show in what each does best. I had a friend who had a mount that he loved 9pt that I thought was junk looked good to him. Her then got a big 10 so he asked who I used. When he got his 10pt back and put it on the wall with his 9 he immeadiatly saw what I had told him was wrong. He now keeps the mounts in seperate rooms so the can't be seen together..  quality and a fair price will keep people comming.

I had Bill Mansell do a buck for me in 1998 (?) and hed did a great job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
G-Man Veteran

G-Man

Posted
Posted

Yeah Bill Mansell was a judge for a few years in taxidermy contests, (i remember seeing a lot of best in show and blue ribbons in his shop when i was a lot younger). I think he use to work under the name j&b taxidermy as well. He speciaizes in whitetail deer but is easing out of the buisness, he's in his mid 60's i believe had to talk him into mounting my buck for me this year... whish i had the time i'd love to learn from him..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

Posted
Posted

I go for quality.  I use Fox Studios Taxidermy in Cold Spring, NY.  I travel from Long Island to use them.  He did a great job on my bear rug, and I feel the deer look lifelike.

agreed....he has done most of the work in my thread under "trophy room"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...