A gentlemen asked what's the average income for a taxidermist and was told 10,000 to 20,000 per year and to check the survey in Breakthrough for more info. I am also interested so I checked and did the math you people provided and someone is way off.If you times the average mounts taken in by the average price charged in the survey you get about 80,000 gross I'm not giving the average, but I can use a calculator if the info provided isn't correct then why did they print this and why did the taxidermist give these figures. These are the averages given. 61.7 deer shoulder at $338 other shoulder 35.6 at$400 small mammals at$450 large life size 11.8 at $1,100 fish 62.5 at $150 birds 47.4 at $170 rugs 11.6 at $700 add allthese up and you get about 80,000 where the trueth.
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I believe this guy is on to us! Its a conspiracy, actually. We dont make jack for money, so we all inflate our numbers to look solvent. Its just good practice for when we go to the bank. Just the opposite of what we do when we sit down at tax time. Seriously though, I didnt even read the numbers in the magazine, I figured most of them were GUESStimates anyway! Have fun with those numbers, Im sure it does work out, maybe Larry just left something out, through editing.
I understand your logic to get $80,0000 GROSS. Keep in mind that this
business is going to have a few expenses. This is probably where the
10-20 thousand dollar income comes along. I was once told that the
real rough breakdown on a typical mount is like this. Fixed costs= 1/3,
(lights, electricity, advertising, etc.) Variable costs+ 1/3, (forms,
tanning, eyes, glues, etc.) and Labor or Profit 1/3 (Money you actually
get paid for providing a service.) Have looked at this over the years
and it varies but this is pretty close.
That can't get over the fact that we "make" $350-400 on a single deerhead. Come on now, for 8 - 10 hrs of work?
2+2=4, I think J gave you some pretty accurate formulas for calculations and guestimations. I ran other's business for a good number of years in management positions, and typically a 30-35% gross profit percentage makes the owners and stockholders happy. The easiest way to understand this is to become familiar with the preparation of a Profit & Loss statement and what "the bottom line" really refers to. Get a demo copy of any accounting software,like Quicken or the like, and that should help.
I hope this guy doesn't work for Uncle Sam because then we are all in deep doodoo. See....if I made 80 grand last year, my husband has alot of explaining to do. He told me I only made 10. But he did buy a new Browning 22-250, a Polaris 500 Sportsman, a Mathews Solocam, 2 dozen magnum goose decoys, a caribou trip to Quebec, a peacock bass trip to Chile, a camo paint job for our F-250, a pedicure for our pedigree lab, various items from Cabelas and Bass Pro catalog, a bear hunt in Maine, a mulie hunt in Wyoming, an elk hunt in Montana, a pheasant hunt in South Dakota, a buffalo hunt in Nebraska, not to mention the frivolous hunting, fishing, and camping crap he buys over the internet.
Gosh. I need to start doing my OWN books!
2+2=4,
The survey asked for average numbers for each type of mount. Not all taxidermists mount 61.7 and 35.6 other shoulders and 11.8 lifesize and 100 fish and etc. and etc. Some taxidermists only mount birds, some only fish and some only mammals. Just because a taxidermist mounts 61.7 deer heads a year doesn't mean he also mounts 100 fish also. This may skew the numbers that you have calculated.
And we ALL know how they make a killing wearing their little brown shorts and UPS monogrammed socks. Gouging us poor working stiffs by charging exhorbitant rates, losing packages, and always delivering smashed up boxes, leaving them for the dogs to tear into and forging our signatures. LOL. (But I still love you both.)
Mark Twain said that there are 3 types of liars. There are Liars, there are Damned Liars, and then there are Statiticians. You'll have to forgive 2+2=4. I wonder if he knows that in 1996, 90% of all people killed in automobile accidents had drunk a cup of coffee in the last 2 hours of their lives. Doe's that mean that coffee kills?
I think I'll send you a pair of those shat colored monogrammed socks you SO COVET via UPS! Aren't they the grossest thing?! No wonder our dog frenzies through the laundry heap and chooses THOSE as his shredding victim for the day! Love back at ya, you old son-of-a-B-heimer!
...the government gets its 1/3 for self employment, the ex-wife gets her 1/3 for self-improvement, and there's just about enough left to buy a beer and 1 spray can of camo paint before you go back to work the following year (I figure to have my F250 painted about the time my kids need money for college).
Gosh, I love this business, I definitely don't do it for the money, and 2+2=4 just proved to me why. I think I'll go to bed now. Good night, all.
Oh, Yeah, and before I go to bed, does anyone know where I can get .3 of a deer? I got a .7 from last year and the customer just doesn't think he looks right. Help, anyone?