Hi, I have been using this sight for about a year, so far this has been the biggest help of all. I have cloose freinds that do taxi in other towns.
Do you have to go to school to become a good taxi?
All my freinds have gone to school, but I can't afford to,
I have repaired deer heads that have been done before, that the eyes lids pulling away and skin cracks, and most people say sould be thrown away, but they are surpised that I can repair them like I do.
I try to take my time and do it right, looks are inportant to me, I have never charged for work, just helping familey and freinds.
Is the tallent that I have usefull in taxi, or is it just comen.
I have done my own heads and they came out great, but have a lot of idea's to do with my mounts.
My question is, do you need, or must go to school, to become a taxi.
I'm 26 years old, and there is no schools in my state, the wife won't let me go to another state for a school.
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If you search here with the orange button you will find that many taxidermists did not take formal courses. You can start with manuals and videos from any of the major taxidermy suppliers listed at the home page. If your state has a taxidermy association, that would be the best place to start tapping into to get some advice and training ideas. Good luck and use the search, you'll find some good stuff here.
I have video's and did my mounts from them. I have no other references though, is there any free refer, or just the ones you buy, I make most of mine, but would like to require more.
I used the search and there is allot of people using schools, or tring to find them, is it that inportant to use them, or to attend, my mounts seem to ok, but alway's room to improve.
Is there allot of need for repairing old mounts. I can do that well.
I have repaired over 25 old mounts and they turned out great. Is repairing just apart of taxi, or is it anouther fild of it's own.
like alot of other things alot of it depends on your situation. If you are going into it full time and have snough savings to invest and live off of until you build a client base and reputation then i don't know who wouldn't recommend a school to you. Schools will give you alot of knowledge. However schools don't give you alot of experience or practice, customers, or natural talent. And if you don't catch on real fast you might not get full advantage, although the good schools have excellent instructors that attend to you personally. I am not sure what the final tally would be for most people who go to school but i would think 10,000 dollars for the full nine yards would be the least you could do it for(that would include travel, tuition, specimens, food, lodging, tools, etc..) Now if you are doing it for a hobby or sideline and are not going to depend on it for full time business then i would think you could take that 10,000 dollars and buy any and all equipment you could possibly want or need and buys lots of practice and display animals. And prolly still have enough left over for a down payment on a small shop. Schools won't give you experience and that is what most people lack. You just got to keep practicing. Use good critters and more importantly use good equipment and supplies, you will be amazed at how much better you mounts look when you spend the extra money to buy top end stuff.
I assume you are at another job, and i would suggest staying with that job and letting your taxidermy business grow and still be a relaxing hobby instead of something that will stress you and your family out and be a liability and burden instead of an asset and pleasure. Just get better and keep the course and charge plenty for your work, don't try to undercut your competitiors and use the money you saved by not going to school to get some good refernce and equipment and supplies. Also buy the wife something nice, you got to keep her on your side, it is a team effort even if she don't help out, and you should keep involved let alone happy.
Good luck and knowledge should be the least of your worries, cause there is more info in here than you will ever need.
Oh yeah , repairing mounts is a part of the business and maybe you could cash in on a niche market, but in all reality refurbishing mounts is something most taxidermists find easy. It is just a part of taxidermy. Personally i much rather mount than refurbish, but that is just my preference.
I thank you for your comments and will keep it all in mine, I going to practice on my own mounts for awhile, and see from there. I work in the summer, so if this works out, this will be good for me in the winter and off times. My boss likes the idea, and say's he'll work with me, if I need time.
thanks for your comments, micheal.