Submitted by Ryan Hrabe on 8/9/99. ( rhrabe@burnsmcd.com )
I recently finished my first two white-tail mounts. I mounted them for hunting buddies. I informed my friends of my new interest in taxidermy and they gave me deer to mount they probably wouldn't have paid a professional to do. The mounts turned out o.k. I've seen better and most certainly worse. I only charged them for the materials ($50.00). All of my training has come from a video I purchased. I wet tanned the hides myself and am quite proud of that fact. Both my "customers" were quite happy with the results and informed me they would be sending future business my way. Here's my question.
When do I consider myself good enough to charge for my time? I absolutely do not want to be considered a "hack-a-dermist" and have reminded my "customers" I am just a beginner. I did make mistakes and gained a ton of experience from the two deer I mounted. I was thinking of charging $100.00 next year. Expecting at least 5 customers. I'm sure I will make some mistakes and am unsure whether I should charge for my time yet. I have already infomed my hunting buddies that I would not feel comfortable mounting their once in a lifetime buck should they harvest him next year. Please- all opinions would be welcome (good or bad).
Return to Beginners Category Menu
This response submitted by John C on 8/9/99. ( taxidermist118@hotmail.com )
Your ok, with your plans. Just never let that business run your life.
Many people that start the way you are, sooner or later forget and get greedy. Then its "Oh gee I could make $50.00 today instead of being with the family at the reunion. Start saving your money to reivest in your training. From every head you do save all the left ove??? cash and plan on going to someones workshop!! Then start looking into your state association too.
One day you will realize you can charge $325 to $350 for your deerheads.
Start planning your taxidermy education NOW.
John C
This response submitted by Gary on 8/9/99. ( buxtaxdari@oregoncoast.com )
Ryan, That's exactly how I started 4 years ago and business started doubling and in some species tripled. Just besure as your skills improve you raise your prices. After a year and a half of tanning my own capes i tried a commercial tan and haven't tanned myself since. ifeel this gives me more time to devote to mounting the animal. Another thing that is stressed by just about everybody including myself is reference you just can't get enough.Also go to every competition and seminar you can not only will you pick up great mounting tips but you will learn how others interprete reference not everyone see's the same thing. hope this helps you out Ryan, good luck Gary. P.S. Ryan get in touch with you state taxidermy association and join they will be glad to help you and well worth it.
This response submitted by John Bellucci on 8/9/99. ( ArtistExpr@aol.com )
I know it's the "off-season", but try and make some purchases of some extra whitetail capes, and practice, practice, practice. While you won't need large trophy size deer for practice, that will leave you with a good selection at some fair prices.
If I had some extra capes laying around I'd say ... "Hey, I can sell you some" ... but I don't.
A good place to try is the eBay auction site. Right now, there are several tanned deer capes up for auction. Their board explains how to register to become a bidder, and it's great to find skins, capes, and horns or antlers to practice furthering your education.
Learning by doing is a good place to start. So invest a few bucks in a few bucks :) and improve your skills. Then by the time hunting season rolls around again, you'll have a "leg-up" on where you where last seaon. You'll have more of that all important experience under your belt, and you won't have to practice on friends or customers' deer.
Each one you do "on your own" will just advance you more and more. Just remember, the learning never stops. With more and more experience you can really perfect your skills.
Just try and get a head start on it before the season hits. One more suggestion ... unless you have the equipment, you would do well to have your capes professionally tanned ... you knowat a commercial tannery. I know it's about $30.00 or so, but you can figure the tanning and shipping charges into your new prices. Just a helpful suggestion.
Best of luck to you ... John B.
This response submitted by Rob on 8/9/99. ( )
Please don't take this the wrong way -you said good or bad.I looked in the Breakthrough whitetail manual printed in 1987--12 years ago,the direct costs listed for material totaled 48.25.This was 12 years ago.I know your doing it for learning experience but you done lost money doing your first two mounts as a favor.Thought that might be interesting to you.
This response submitted by Ryan Hrabe on 8/10/99. ( rhrabe@burnsmcd.com )
Thanks to all for the great advice. And thanks to those for the personal emails. I did consider trying to buy some capes but was unsure how to go about it. Are the capes already tanned? How do you know the deer was taken legally? One more question-- in what condition do you send the capes to a professional tannery? I assume they are fleshed, but how well? OK I lied two questions.
This response submitted by John Bellucci on 8/10/99. ( ArtistExpr@aol.com )
Hey Ryan,
Most people that advertise in the trade magazines are honest, hard-working taxidermists themselves, and are not looking to steer you in the wrong direction. They know they can get in deep trouble if they traffic in illegal hides!
How do you know if the capes are tanned or not? Well, the first thing is to read the description in the ad. If it is still not clear, just give them a call and ask. I know this sounds too simple, but I also know from selling capes and skins, that many times, ads are not read thoroughly enough, and questions are asked and answered.
Okay, now as to how to send a cape to a tannery. Some folks "rough-flesh" the skins, salt them, and ship them off. Rough-fleshing is removing some of the excess flesh, partially splitting lips, nostrils, eyelids (sometimes not even going that far!), and turning the ears ... somewhat. Not the best scenario! Tanneries don't like this.
The best way to prep a cape or full skin is to thoroughly and completely split the lips, nostrils, and eyelids, and remove as much excess facial "meat" from around these features. Be sure to fully and carefully turn the ears, and remove all red meat from here also. Then do a full and thorough job of fleshing the balance of the skin.
Following this, an even layer of salt is rubbed into the cape, making sure the salt gets into every "nook-and-cranny" of the face ... make sure no flaps of skin on the eyelids, lips or nostrils go unsalted.
Roll the skin lengthwise - flesh-side in - and allow it to drain overnight on a slanting surface. Next day unroll the hide, scrape off the old wet salt with a paint scraper, and re-apply a new layer of fresh salt all over again, being just as careful this time as you were the first. Let the skin lay out open like this until the next day and repeat the proccess.
Depepnding on the weather, it may take three or four saltings before the skin can be folded, first lengthwise, flesh-side-in, then rolled, head to back. Now wrap the cape in a piece of burlap, box it up and ship it off to the tannery of your choice. By the way, most tanneries will give you specific instructions as to how they prefer to receive skins for tanning.
That's about it. If I've forgotten anything, someone else will jump in and help out.
Best of luck to you ... John B.
This response submitted by Test me on 8/12/99. ( )
Ryan,
Sounds like a great way to get going into the business part time. Too bad the lawmakers in PA don't see it that way. You must first pass their rediculous testing procedure which would require you to have either years of experience or be schooled by an overrated accomplice of theirs. Go for it...and by the way..stay away from business seminars at conventions...all they do is try to regulate pricing. Good luck.
Return to Beginners Category Menu