hey i was just wondering what the average price is for a wt shoulder mount. i think im pretty low but ive only been doing it for four years. mainly just as a large hobbie. thank you.
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$400.00 is a top price. 200.00, or even less for the bargain deal. Skullboy.
Here in Jersey prices range from $400.00 to $550.00
$400 is not the top price...I personally know of shops getting upwards of $750..We get $495.
I was getting $200 for a deer head in 1983. If you want to work for nothing why not work at a convenience store. At least there you get free coffee.
When I started I could have charged less BUT I do not believe in undercutting your competition.It isn't how I do business.You know,saying heck I'll do your deer for $225 just to get customers.I charge what my competitors do and if they go up,I go up.I know a guy who before I started taxidermy,I took a pheasant to get mounted.It looked like crap and I wanted to do it myself,knew I could do better.Well,he tells a friend of mine that he taught me everything I know.I mean,I go to his house,drop off a bird,return 2 weeks later to pick up and he taught me everything? Well,I could have said alot but I didn't say a word.I don't bad-mouth competitors either.
Why do taxidermists insist on listing there prices on the basis of others, I'm 100 to 200 more than anyone around, I hear that from clients, I don't care. Every other taxidermist is driving around a old truck living in shack, And is about as unprofessional as they come,if your looking for price shopppers then worry about what you charge.If you want people that will pay for service dependability and quality, set your prices to make a good living not by someone else's prices, they want to struggle that's there chioce....
Yes, "undercutting" is a bad thing, if for the wrong reason. I guess most of you could say that I amlost work for nothing...but that is not so. I feel i do good quality work...but my WT goes for $250. Why? The cost of living is EXCEPTIONALLY low in my area..and some day i may go up..based on my competitors (highest being 325, lowest being 200). I price my items mid-range..not too high, not as low as some. Besdies, around here the customers aren't driving the nice trucks, going on paid hunts, and such..they ARE the people working at the convience store.
Just my 2 cents, though.
I've seen work by taxidermists that advertise '20 years experience', etc. Well, guess what? They're work looks as bad as it did 20 years ago! The amount of time you've been mounting deer isn't as important as the QUALITY of deer you mount. So, take a good, honest look at your work. Pick the brains of friends, family. Find out what the 'best' taxidermist in the area charges. If your work is as good, you should be able to get pretty close to what he/she charges. If your work is better, charge more! Don't worry about the one down the road doing 'bargain' prices. Let them take in the price shoppers.
Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention. Probably the BEST way to tell the quality of work you are doing is enter competitions! Not only will you discover your strengths and weaknesses, but you'll probably meet some great people with terrific ideas, too!
You may not get as much business by having a little higher prices but do remember. You're giving up time that could be spent doing what YOU like to do or spending time with family. NO ONE should take that away from you for $5 an hour. Truth- Jeff F.
I charge $275 for a standard WT shoulder mount...no panel. I liquatan my capes. I should charge more, but I work out of a small shop at the house, so overhead is almost nothing.
$200,$250,$275. I have no buisness telling anyone how much to charge because this is America and you don't need me or anyone else telling you or me what to do or how much to charge. However, I think alot of you folks are selling yourself short. With salt,shipping,tanning,and materials I have over $100 into a deer head. I usually have 8-10 hours into a head by the time its complete. (I'm a part timer so I have time). My time is very valuble as I'm sure your is too. No way would I mount a deer head for 100 dollars. I compete every year and strive to be the best I can be. Every deer gets better. In my humble opinion $400 or close to it should be the low end. Compare yourself to any other service. How much do you think a carpenter, electrician, plumber, auto mechanic, etc., would charge for 8 hours work. Overhead or no overhead, charge for your talent. Just my opinion, nothing more.
$545 plus a skinning charge of $35 per deer head.....and we are unindated with work.
I live in Ohio, and I charge $340.00 per shoulder mount, with no panel. This is definately on the high end for my area. I try to keep my prices above all of the area competition. The higher my prices go up, the more work that seems to come in the door! I figure that if everyone around me sees how much I am making on shoulder mounts, then their prices will go up as well. This will result in all of us taxidermists making more money!
first of all thank all who have responded. my next point is my shoulder mounts compare verywell to the local who charges $400. the lowest anywhere close to me is around $300. i on the other hand only charge $250 which is up from $175 last year. this will be my fourth year and i keep getting better. i have long past the "perfect to the average joe" stage and have started on the very good detail of the animal. i recently heard a little talk about the locals pissed off at me for charging so little. basicly taking their work b/c of my prices. i dont see why they should see me as a threat. they still get all the work they can handle. i also get all the work i can handle b/c im still in school and sports and everything. i know i could easily get what they are getting. is what i am doing a bad thing though? is charging $250 a bad thing for the other taxidermists by creating negatives to them for "charging too much" but they are acually normal prices, im just so low the costomers hear about me and think that. thank you all,
jared.
that I would be charging 350.00 if I were in your position. You get paid for your product. If you are comparable (as you say) to the 400.00 job- then you ought to be getting at least very close to that. Something that takes a little getting use to- it is okay to make good money if you have a tallent. There is nothing wrong with getting paid well for your skill. Check out your local car mechanic- they don't have reservations about charging their going rate. You should too.
I was getting at about undercutting.To put it simple,if you do good work then price it out close to what your competition is getting.No need to be so much lower and in return you will make more yourself.Keep it close or above and get the mounts done sooner.I am getting customers who are tired of waiting 3 to 5 years for their mounts.
I attended a seminar given by Mike Boyce at the 1992 World Taxidermy Championships........In that seminar he opened my eyes to the WIDE WORLD of PRICING.In every area someone has to be the highest priced....why cant it be YOU!Put it another way..when the dude down the street is mounting 100 heads at $200 a head...Here I'll be mounting 50 at $500....then going fishing ,hunting, and spending time with the family, and still making more money than him. The only catch is....if your gonna charge the price you'd better have the quality....it kinda goes hand and hand.
There is a very good artical on TaxidermyReference.com that talks about pricing a deer head and gives the break down on what you actually make when it is all said and done.It is a good artical and is worth checking out