Your opinion?

[bdorsett]

I am new at this and am needing some guidance. I am trying to decide on a flesher.
Would you wait and by a full size flesher (Dakota V) or would the smaller flesher do (Dakota IV)?
Would probably be doing no more than 20 deer a year and some small mammals. I know I can send them off to get tanned but I would like to do it myself.
Thanks for the help!

[bullwhacker]

At 20 buy the Pro. I am preparing to sell my V and get the Pro

[insane1]

i have Dakota 5 only thing i don't like about it is hard to adjust and clean

[CrabCrazy]

I would just hand flesh them...salt and send to a tanner

[Tanglewood Taxidermy]

At 5 a year I  bought the pro. Best purchase I made, I'll never regret it.

[Matt]

Personally 20 a year would't justify buying the flesher to me, but in the long run if you get busier and decide you really want to do them yourself, you will have the equipment to do so.

[George Roof]

Sort of a conundrum when you think it out.  LOGICALLY, Crab Crazy has the best idea and I agree with him and Matt.  REALISTICALLY, however, if you're doing 20 this year: is that number going to increase next year? ... do you plan on staying at this for the long run?..... are you planning on tanning your own hides? ... Is your time valuble to you?  Then you get to the point of deciding what it's worth to YOU.  I bought a Dakota before they ever had numbers and I bought it not because of the volume of work I had (I was a GI working parttime), but the fact that I'd rather be beaten with a rubber hose than having to use a damned fleshing beam and necker knife.  The investment,even if you decide you don't want to do this, is still not that bad - though you'll never get as much out of it as you paid for it.

I figure I've sold enough Pro's that Tom Powell should have given me one a few years back, but I know there ain't no taxidermy fairies out there either.  Still, in for a dime, in for a dollar.  If you buy, you should think about buying the best. I understand ithe V is half the price, but if you stay for the long run, you'll simply hate yourself later for not have invested in the best.  Good luck in your decision.

[bdorsett]

Haven't decided what I will do yet but this gives me something to think about.
Thanks for taking the time to answer.