Wanting to hire a couple full time taxidermists for my shop.

[hptaxidermy]

Hey all,

My business has grown to the point to where I need to hire a couple full time taxidermists. I was wondering if some of you guys who have schools might know of any talented students willing to move to southern Ohio to become a full time taxidermist. We do everything from fish, to birds, to African lifesize and exotics. All tools will be provided. I have been building this up for 18 years now. My dream is finally coming together. Of course, like many taxidermists, I work another full time job that has benefits. My business has grown to a point that I cannot handle it all by myself. I have tried training guys before and they have failed me. They all want full pay from day one while training. I cannot do this. I will go broke and nothing gets accomplished. So now I am looking at the schools to find students with skills that I don't have to teach. Someone that can come in and just start working. The pay will be 50% of the gross of the mount. My deerheads are going up to $400 this year. That's $200 per head. All employees will be given a 1099 form as contract labor to start with until we can get into this further. Employees will be responsible for their own taxes. We have deals with local hunting preserves and outfitters to get the taxidermy work not counting the local hunters and fishermen. If you know of anyone who may be interested, please have them e-mail me at  brandon@hptaxidermy.net  or call me. I am looking forward to finding and meeting the next addition to our family here at Hunters Pride Taxidermy. Come and grow with us! The sky is the limit! We have become the largest taxidermy business in the tri-state area of Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and western West Virginia. We have went national with the help of our local outfitters bringing business in from all over the country. Plenty to keep us busy and make a good living.
Call 740-533-9736 (home / shop) or 740-547-9851 (cell)

Thanks for your time!
Brandon Hitchcock
Hunters Pride Taxidermy
3897 State Route 243
Ironton, OH 45638

[murph]

Brandon,
            I graduated from Western PA School of Taxidermy in 09. I have my own business as we speak and could not move but can I suggest you give Marc Jordan a call. He has students all year round and I'm sure he might be able to recommend a guy or two. His school is listed in the title under schools in this site. Scroll all the way to bottom and you can see what he offers for his school. Give him a yell, Marc's an awesome guy and a great Taxidermist.

                          Thanks, Lance!

[*]

Going to sit back and watch this train wreck.....

http://www.hptaxidermy.net/Prices.html

You can't be serious can you?
Better keep that other job your going to need it.

Hey Harry Whitehead will you pay me 50% of the gross for what I mount?
If so I'll pack my things today....
I've been in this business for 42 years and I haven't seen such a scary post in a long time.

[Redwolf]

Dang, I really hope that website just hasn't been updated in a few decades

[Justin P.]

 

[mr.T aka mr. friendly]

" I am looking at the schools to find students with skills that I don't have to teach. Someone that can come in and just start working. "

Not to discourage you, but good luck with that one,, schools only give a student a two or three mount head start on a self taught guy, and students are still beginners when they leave school. You honestly believe that schools can turn out trained experienced experts in African animal mounting?
It sounds like you just haven't found anyone worth their salt yet for employees. They got to eat too. You got full pay at Sunoco when you started? And benefits too?

[Justin P.]

" I am looking at the schools to find students with skills that I don't have to teach. Someone that can come in and just start working. "

Not to discourage you, but good luck with that one,, schools only give a student a two or three mount head start on a self taught guy, and students are still beginners when they leave school. You honestly believe that schools can turn out trained experienced experts in African animal mounting?
It sounds like you just haven't found anyone worth their salt yet for employees. They got to eat too. You got full pay at Sunoco when you started? And benefits too?

What is your work load?  How many whitetails a season?  Bears?  African?  etc.....  Do you really have that much work?  I'm not trying to be a jerk but I know some folks get in what they think is a ton of work and end up "lost in the flood".  They think hiring is the next step.  It's  a tough business for one guy to make it let alone a shop with 3 full timers, skilled full timers at that.  Sometimes in this business we shop owners have to work like 10 guys to handle it.  Again not trying to discourage you but some more insight into what kind of work load you're up against would help.

[Old Fart]

The NEXT step is to raise your prices so that you can "afford" to hire someone! Dennis is right, this could be fun to watch.

[*]

If he has that muchand pays 50% of gross I'm packing right now.
I could make $100,000 + a year at this guys place in my sleep.


AND have no stress, except maybe getting my paycheck...

[lostpines]

Some of your retail prices are even lower than some of our wholesale prices. And your rug  prices....if you mounted the heads and we did the rugging, you would loose money. 50% of your gross? That is unheard of. You might want to rethink your offer as well as your prices. Good luck!
Kim

[Bill Yox]

Just trying to be nice here, but most taxidermists cant make a living on $400 deer heads, no less paying out half of that to the helper. And thats full time. Trusting someone running your place while youre still at your work job seems scary to me too. I wish you well though if you can make it work.

[snowhare]

F ME

Just try to open that website , and yup a friggen virus in it , thank god i have a very good protectino scanner in my computer , so better take care by looking at this website , stay away from it

snow

[hptaxidermy]

Guys, I know this is a shot in the dark. It is tuff for a guy to get up and move his whole family to a new state. They are looking at making around $30,000 a year to start with. Yes that's me making much, much less. I have acquired contracts with the local outfitters and that is steady work. Yes, I need to update my website. I'll put that on my list of things to do and no there is no virus. I have one of two choices to make now. Cut back and just do the contract work with outfitters or take the next step and get some guy that loves taxidermy as much as I do. No, I don't claim to be the best and my price shows that. Our stuff is priced with a certain profit margin figured in on all mounts. Most stuff is done in house to keep cost down. We have our own woodwork shop. I own my shop. Just have utilities to pay. Probably looking for a guy that has no wife and kids to move. This took a long time to come up with the decision to do this. I thought Taxidermy.net is the place to do it. Maybe not. I have a dream for this and I am still working at it after 18 years. I won't give up. I have a passion for it and am looking for someone who has the same passion for it as I do, who has the willingness to learn and improve upon their own skills. Who will have the freedom to grow in this industry as an artist and not just an employee. I have been around naysayers in the past that said you can't do this  or you can't do that who poke fun at what I do. I am still here doing what I do and get bigger and bigger every year putting out a great product for our local hunters and fisherman. I am not like others and keep putting out the same product. I continue to improve upon my skill levels in all areas to give my customers a better product each year. I have made a few contacts that look promising for the growth of Hunters Pride Taxidermy if it doesn't work out we will go a different route. You never know until you take a chance.

[epsoutdoors]

good post Brandon , with some luck and solid choices you will find the right  situation

[Redwolf]

Sounds like you have a plan. Good luck. There's nothing wrong with proving everyone else wrong. I kinda enjoy doing it myself. lol