Trouble in Missouri

[parttimetaxidermist]

Hey guys just wanted to give you all a heads up about what is happening in Missouri. As you can see from my name i am a Part Time Taxidermist, and do not claim to be anything else. We have a certain Gentleman in Missouri that seems to have made it his mission to put every home taxidermist out of business. Apparently according to my home county if you do taxidermy work from your home, you the same as running a mortuary!!! This guy has contacted at least 4 counties so far and 2 have sent letters to taxidermist in their counties stating the we must cease operation immediately. According to this guy, the only true professional taxidermist are ones who own a commercial building which they work out of. I in no way claim to be a professional, this is something i do for fun, but under the codes of Missouri Department of Conservation, I must have a Taxidermy License if anyone reimburses me for materials. The counties involved went to the Conservation Department and got our address and license numbers and sent out letters to all in the county to cease operation unless you could prove you were in a commercial non residential area.

From my understanding he is attempting to do this state wide and knowing how much of a tool he is he will try it. He has pulled some entertaining things in the past. Seems if he is such a Professional he would let his work do his talking, but from what i have heard he charges large prices and the quality is just not what the customer sees when they go in his shop. He thinks if he puts all the home shops out he will get all the business. I guess reputation has nothing to do with it anymore.

I want to adhere to the policy of this forum and will not post his name or his shops name but will tell you he is located about 40 miles west of St Louis and has been around for some time. Any one driving up and down Interstate 44 has seen his shop.

[Bucknut]

Most townships/cities/counties require you to have some sort of conditional use permit to run a biz out of your home. If you ddn't get one - it's not his fault.

Bruce

[parttimetaxidermist]

I could understand that if you were running a business out of your home, but there are a lot of guys out there that are learning and doing this for fun not a business, we still have to have a license to take in a animal from anyone, and by law in MO if you even accept reimbursement of materials you have to have the license.

[AndyO]

Just buy a license...duh

[BDrake]

If you are doing the work for yourself and a few friends, no matter, the State ain't gonna find out about that.
Now if your going around advertising for business, ie. passing out business cards, a sign, etc. in order to make some money, then you just gotta pay the State that they think belongs to them.
Better call the other parttime taxis in your area, no spare shoulders here.

[GBRUCH]

I have to agree with the postings.   If you want to practice taxidermy than do your own stuff or do it absolutely free for friends and family.  If doing taxidermy  for free isn't fun then by law you need to pay the piper.  It is the same way here in Pa.

I personally wouldn't turn anyone in though unless they are blatantly persuing clients

[James Parrish]

You need to get your state assoc involved quick.  Sadly, lawyers will probably need to get involved.  If the state is singling out taxidermists that work from their home, I would think you could file some sort of discrimination suit....think about all the businesses that are run out of folks' homes.  How about the folks that sell all the crap the women have parties for (candles, tupperware, make up, jewelry, "adult toys", etc)?  Are they required to operate out of a commercial building?   

[James Parrish]

Just buy a license...duh

Sounds like he has a taxidermy license...thats how the county knew to send him a letter.

[jtcjr]

Half the full-time taxidermist i know work out of there home or garage. Like James said this would require all other home business be done away with also .

[parttimetaxidermist]

I did get the license from Missouri, and have joined the Missouri taxidermy association, all the things i thought i was suppose to do, i have been learning to do taxidermy for the last 2 years, have paid the piper as you say, by sending my money into all the organizations  to help do my part to support. It makes me no difference what happens, as far as the state, and county are concerned, i have ceased my "commercial operation". like i said i do it for fun, just wanted to throw this out there for all the other full time taxidermist who are operating out of there homes, which is about 95 percent of the taxidermist i know in Missouri, and i am sure other states as well. Just think its pretty crappy of this guy to do, but from what i have heard of him he is well known by other taxidermist as well as the taxidermy supply houses for pulling stunts like this.

Think its getting to be a pretty sad day when the government can tell you not only what you can do for a living in you own home, but what you can do for a hobby out of your own home. Whats next model car building or stamp collecting that will be illegal???

[bw]

Sounds like he is burning lots of bridges at one time.  I have benefited many times from the friendships I have with other taxidermists....even COMPETEING shops.  Pissing all of them off wouldn't be a wise move.

Sounds like a true .

James made some good points.

[krusher167]

what an , who is this guy to take business from people who probably make up a small percentage of his competition, i mean how many mounts can one guy churn out in a year while working PART TIME- or in some cases, how many would a part timer want to do.  i could go on and on with how this jack-knob is hurting the industry, but id rather not.
BS like this really disgusts me

[copper]

The guys name is Paul Kantor and he is a . Hes a world class taxidermist, ask him, he'll tell you so. I wouldnt hang his crap in my garage.

[TallTine]

rent a $20 self storge unit, get a po box for an address, use your cell phone as a business line and operate out of that if you want a way around it. Fight fire with fire and learn the exact language of the ordinance of home base business ordinances and find out what you can and cant do. Dont let some overjealous jerk get the best of you guys. I delt with that crap for 22 years and was always able to legally get around it somehow with a little research

[psycho]

I love it when full time taxidermist  about part timers.  When I was approached and told that some of the full time shops had a problem with my part time  I told him to tell everyone of the [edit]s to raise their prices to what mine were and then they could .  I have never understood how a full time shop could  about a part timer who was charging more than they were?  Now if I was under cutting all of them by $100 and putting out the same quality mounts.  I could see why they would have a problem.

Copper are you sure that it is Paul Kantor?  Don't know if I know him from the association or seminars/meetings?  

Whoever it is he is a bag.  I guess if he succeeds then he will get more business by default.  What 2 counties has he done this to?