Well here I am a fairly new taxidermist and I thought I'd share my findings of this board. Great place for information, not so good for buying specimens.
I have asked a number of rookie questions and always found people more than willing to share knowledge, that has been awesome.
As far as buying, I first bought a deer cape from someone here and it arrived in fairly good shape except the ears were in dire need of repair. One was split along both edges from the tip to about halfway down, the other was cut straight down the middle from the tip to about halfway down, both front and back. I was surprised there was no mention of this damage beforehand, but in reality I had paid $30 for a $30 cape, and needed some sewing practice, so I was ok with that deal.
Next I bought two coyotes which the seller said would make beautiful mounts. When they arrived, one was a pup (not mentioned by seller) and the other had no feet. Have you ever seen a beautiful mount with no feet?
Lastly, I paid someone for two woodchucks and five squirrels. The box arrived today with two woodchucks (very nice ones) and five chipmunks.
In fairness, I have not addressed these issues with the sellers because I was anxious to get mounting and making some money, and perhaps I just didn't ask enough questions beforehand. It does seem reasonable, though that if someone sells a coyote for mounting it should come with feet, and if I pay someone for squirrels I should not be sent chipmunks.
One OK transaction and two bad ones out of three total is a bad average. I will continue to tap the expertise of the many helpful veterans who post here, but as far as buying from the people here goes, I will be asking plenty of stupid questions before I mail out end another money order. So to that effect, if you advertise that you have coyotes that will make beautiful mounts, please don't be insulted if I ask you if they come with feet.
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Still better than e-bay! I bought two yotes from ebay for "beautiful mounts" and both were air dried and stretched with no lips one had no tail, both had no feet! And the ears slipped! They were advertised as "dry tanned for life sized mounts". Oh well.
BTW, got any pictures of the chipmunks? I had a guy sell me two "chipmunks" that were actualy 13 line ground squirrels.
and a customer last year tried to sell me two "deer capes" that were actualy just hides (he wanted $30.00 each for them!)
Have a good one!
to taxidermy.net
get used to it.
Because this is new to you, you have to slow down, and relax and don't jump on the first deal you come across. If you want things cheaply priced, you will get just what you pay for, garbage. You will rip your own pile of ears in the future; get use to fixing things, part of taxidermy is repairing things. Search the archive to see who are the proven vendors for specimens, and when you find a good one stick with them and pay what they want so you aren't burnt anymore. Stop buying critters that you will never do, but someday hope to do, they will just take up room in the freezer.
Sounds like you are pretty level headed, and seem to "get" whats happening here. Hope your future transactions are better. What exactly are you looking for in specimens?
gives you more than enuf leverage - plus i am a real a$$ to deal with - dont let anyone take advantage of you
I have no immediate need for specimens because, as stated, I need to work on whats in my freezer.
I am however looking for a decent supplier of coyote capes to mount as staple work. Based on inquiries so far, I'm fairly sure I can sell yote shoulder mounts as quickly as I can put them together.