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Breiner, I suppose I understand WHY people make the remarks such as yours, but I really can't say I understand HOW you reached that conclusion without making some comparisons.  "Organizations" centering around talented individuals and independent thinking people seldom IF EVER prove successful long term without major overhauls and restructuring.  There's another NTA - the National Trappers Association- that suffered a very public meltdown a few years back concerning exactly these same issues. Within THIS INDUSTRY, there's never been a successful organization. (As a disclaimer, I am also a life member of the UTA, and THUS FAR, they've escaped this syndrome. Still, history is not very kind to them and they're still quite yound. I commented on this to Craig Lewis and Craig tells me the UTA "is different". I'm hoping he's right, but I'm a perpetual questioner.)

In these times, theres always those who interject: "Can't we all be friends and just get along."  The answer is a resounding "NO!!!" We CAN'T just "get along" simply because as artisans, we each develop our own methods that work for us and we think OUR methods far exceed those of others.  The second we tell that other guy that he has "an ugly baby", the fight starts. Even families fight.  If you tell me you've never had a cross word with your "significant other", then I'll presume that person is dead. It's simply not human nature and some of you are in denial of that.

Over the years we've had many of these fights that seldom has a winner. We just stopped fighting because we tired of the battle and went on. The internet allows many fights to foment and many times, conversations between parties quell that. Certainly face-to-face encounters resolve that many times.  Though some of you will claim this runs you away from a professional organization, I have to question your allegiance to your own talents. If you don't find somethings worth defending - even to the point of shouting matches - are you really a person who exemplifies our profession?  (I think there's a country song about "if you don't stand up for something, you'll likely fall for anything")  I fight with Harry, but I've never lost respect for him or his ability as a taxidermist. There's nothing like a big thunderstorm to clear the air anyway and that's all that's happened here. I felt Harry was not addressing my questions and he felt I was questioning his integrity. Stuff happens. But be honest now. Tell me truthfully that you didn't  learn SOMETHING from this post.

Long hair, short y incision, commercially tanned, ready to mount. 17 inch. No holes. Quality cape.  I will guarantee the quality and size.
75$ and 15$ to ship. Add 3%if paying with paypal.

Email or call. Please do not post here.


801-425-6018
shane@danielsacademy.net

thanks,
Shane

Was it tanned, or just air-dried?

Glad for you that you mentioned "degreaser" in there. You'll need it. My first coon, I thought I could get by without a degreaser.. no, just no.

looking for an average moose cape, around 30 or so inches for a small bull.....must be tanned.....

I prefer the slotted skulls as well.  I use Bondo/Cabosil mixture to build up under the skull cap before screwing it down to the form and then Apoxie Sculpt to contour the cap with the form.  I paint mine with Kilz and when dried, coat it again with Elmer's Glue.

For the pedicel mounts, the best way I've found is to use wooden slats on the antlers.  I criss-cross the antlers with the slats and duct tape them into the spread and position I want. I make a slotted hole in the antler to allow me to push them down over the rods, fill them with epoxy paste and then position them on the skull. I can hold them for about 5 minutes until the epoxy starts to cure.  Then I take Apoxie Sculpt to fill any gaps and contour the skull area to teh pedicel.

I'd like to know how someone can go from saying he does dozens to over 100 mounts a day (more than most taxidermists do in a year; I'm part time and do close to 100 and I'm pretty slow so I gotta think the full timers average many more in a year), to saying someone else is the "Walmart" of taxidermy without ever seeing the person's work.  It's just one slam after another.  I  think we have to award the prize for arrogance to the "expert" here.

wow...I didn't know you could mount Eagles back then.

A sad affair.  Though reading this has been more entertaining than a soap opera, the public accusations between major players in the NTA sends one definite message to non-members..Don't join the NTA!  Why would anyone want to be associated with this debacle?

X2 Jake , air tight are the way to go an a wood burner . I use water base paints also.