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What Do You Charge For A Deer Head

Discussion in 'Deer and Gameheads' started by 13 point, Sep 13, 2019.

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  1. Sep 13, 2019 #1
    13 point

    13 point Well-Known Member

    4,322
    9,568
    Goldsboro MD
    9AAB997F-22EE-4002-8913-57E024FA952A.jpeg I was just wondering what different states and areas in those states get for a standard deer head . Please be honest, I know some areas can’t get what others do . That said I also know newer taxidermist just starting out charge less as they feel there not as good and are trying to build a client base , but what they don’t understand is the client base they are building are cheap skates that don’t care and will probably not pick the finished mount up on time and will leave there shop as soon as they find the next cheap Taxidermy shop . I learned a long time ago your never going to make everyone happy , so do the best you can and charge for it . I’m not cheap but my garuntee is , and this is on all my mounts , if my client pays the fees to enter it , I will put a 1st - 3rd place ribbon on it in the master category. I do all my mounts competition quality but again I charge for it , I don’t get all the work in my area because of my prices , but I’d rather mount 1 pcs and make the same profit that it takes others to get by mounting 2-3 pcs . I’m in MD on what they call the Eastern Shore , not to far from Dover Delaware, My area gets $650. To $700. I charge $825. For a standard shoulder mount but that’s with all the bells and whistles you might say , but no alterations, fixing points , excessive holes and such are extra. I do 40 deer or so a year . So what do you all get for your standard client mount ? what state ? And post a pic of one of your mounts. Thanks for joining in , I believe it be neat to see what’s going on in the rest the country.
     
    swampfox2, kythunter, tem and 1 other person like this.
  3. Sep 13, 2019 #2
    tem

    tem Well-Known Member

    3,014
    2,434
    michigan 49043
    im in lower south west mi. im at $450.00 thats about average here.
     
    Triple J Taxidermy, rogerswildlife and 13 point like this.

  5. Sep 14, 2019 #3
    Wildthings

    Wildthings Well-Known Member

    1,600
    2,071
    I'm in the Houston, TX area and my commercials mounts go for $550. I'm not the highest around but on the upper end
    Final East 2015.jpg
     
    bucksnort10, tem, rogerswildlife and 1 other person like this.
  6. Sep 14, 2019 #4
    joeym

    joeym Old Murphey

    14,559
    10,590
    Chunky, Mississippi
    $470 here
     
    tem, Triple J Taxidermy, rogerswildlife and 1 other person like this.
  7. Sep 14, 2019 #5
    Dave Byrd

    Dave Byrd Active Member

    981
    232
    East Texas
    I'm a little garage guy in east Texas and charge 525. I did around 112 shoulder mounts this past season. 009.JPG
     
    Amurdo, Lance.G, tem and 2 others like this.
  8. Sep 14, 2019 #6
    Tanglewood Taxidermy

    Tanglewood Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    10,826
    11,890
    dallas oregon
    I was over $700 when I retired.
     
    tem, 13 point and rogerswildlife like this.
  9. Sep 14, 2019 #7
    13 point

    13 point Well-Known Member

    4,322
    9,568
    Goldsboro MD
    Keep them coming folks , it’s crazy with just a few post so far how the price very so much . Again thanks for posting just so we can see what the differences are from different places.
     
    rogerswildlife likes this.
  10. Sep 14, 2019 #8
    rogerswildlife

    rogerswildlife Rogers Wildlife Taxidermy Tommy Rogers

    1,168
    1,135
    Yorkville Georgia
    Dave nothing wrong with the little garage guys I'm one myself. Great deer by the way . Some of the best work is done out of small shops.
    Tommy
     
    Amurdo, jessewild, tem and 4 others like this.
  11. Sep 14, 2019 #9
    13 point

    13 point Well-Known Member

    4,322
    9,568
    Goldsboro MD
    Agree 100% I work out of a small shop behind my house also
     
    jessewild, tem, Dave Byrd and 1 other person like this.
  12. Sep 14, 2019 #10
    rogerswildlife

    rogerswildlife Rogers Wildlife Taxidermy Tommy Rogers

    1,168
    1,135
    Yorkville Georgia
    I myself dont worry about what anyone in my area is charging. Reason being I'm the only one in my area that is a member of our association and competes to get better at what I do . I'm also one of the higher priced taxidermist in my area . It is crazy how the price is so different in different parts of the country too. Some areas will not allow you to charge for a higher priced mount .
    Tommy
     
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  13. Sep 14, 2019 #11
    13 point

    13 point Well-Known Member

    4,322
    9,568
    Goldsboro MD
    Yea I’m the highest around here , and I also compete a lot . Others ask how I get so much for a deer and I tell them it’s because I charge that and don’t worry bout not getting deer . As I said I’d rather do 1 deer and make the same profit as some do having to mount 2-3 heads . Another thing is I have a great client list , meaning I take in min deposit all my mounts are done by June and I’m never stuck with or have to worry bout being pd
     
    rogerswildlife likes this.
  14. Sep 14, 2019 #12
    jrandall71

    jrandall71 Member

    72
    61
    Standard commercial mounts start at $550 in lower AL.
     
    13 point likes this.
  15. Sep 14, 2019 #13
    Richard C

    Richard C Well-Known Member

    2,840
    2,273
    Interesting post. I am retired but in 1990 I was charging $650.00 . The average around here then was 350 to 400.00. There was a taxidermist 20 miles from me that I tried to get him to raise his price as he did a decent job and we were long time friends, but all I got was the usual " i can't get that price around here . Yet I had customers drive past him to bring deer to me . He couldn't understand that . He had a constant line of customers that screwed him as he was a nice guy. Dick Idol in Rougemount, NC told me in the 1970's that i needed to raise my prices as a high price was a automatic A hole eliminator !
    We all must remember that even poor "commercial" (what ever that is ) , work has a manufacturing cost, supplies /materials , overhead , labor (most make less than minimum wage with NO benefits, and the elusive or non existent profit for most.
    13 Point , you do a excellent competition quality mount,it's worth more than $825.00 !
    The prices of the better deer taxidermists here in the north east that I know of personally are at $850.00 to the highest $975.00 and I know of one in Utah that's at $900.00 . There is one 850.00 guy south of me that is at 850.00 that does a "bad" job but he is a excellent business man and gets top dollar for his quick shoddy commercial work. He make money and a profit . most don't !
    The rising cost of supplies and shipping has raised the price in areas where they "couldn't get that price in that area " for there same "commercial " job to the price they couldn't get before , in there area , go figure.
    Nice work 13 Point !
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2019
    swampfox2, Tanglewood Taxidermy, rogerswildlife and 1 other person like this.
  16. Sep 15, 2019 #14
    Richs Taxidermy

    Richs Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    716
    364
    Northern Illinois
    500 here in northern illinois,not Chicago,
     
    13 point likes this.
  17. Sep 15, 2019 #15
    Stuff39

    Stuff39 New Member

    4
    2
    $585 in southeast Pennsylvania
     
    13 point likes this.
  18. Sep 16, 2019 #16
    Rick Carter

    Rick Carter Administrator

    2,378
    456
    Bogart, GA
    $800 in Georgia. The average is around $400.
     
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  19. Sep 16, 2019 #17
    Richard C

    Richard C Well-Known Member

    2,840
    2,273
    Wow Rick , Your cutting a fat hog down there. Don't you feel bad for all the guys that can't get that price around you.
    You need to donate a business seminar for them . Explain how even bad work has a manufacturing cost , you know supplies,shipping, overhead, labor and profit.
    They would be better off if the tooth fairy came in at night and finished all their deer , then they could give them to the customers for free as it didn't cost them anything.
    Most of these "can't get that price in my area guys that" don't charge living wage prices , do so because they wouldn't want to pay that for a deer head.
    If you can get them to raise their price to 800.00 then you could get 1,200.00 and the volume of work would stay relative , except they will get a living wage for their labor.
    Dick Idol told me that in the 70's , we haven't progressed very far in 50 years.
     
    swampfox2, Rick Carter and 13 point like this.
  20. Sep 16, 2019 #18
    pir^2h

    pir^2h Retrievers give you the bird

    4,684
    5,055
    Tennessee
    There is a point where if you are too expensive you will lose your shirt and won't have enough business to survive. It's a balancing act. The trick is to find that median where you can make a fair profit and a decent living. Before I would do a deer head for $299.00 like two shops around me do I will just remain a hobbyist. Both work between 60 - 80 hours a week, barely make ends meet and have a hard time getting clients to pick up their mounts.
     
    rogerswildlife, tem and Dave Byrd like this.
  21. Sep 16, 2019 #19
    13 point

    13 point Well-Known Member

    4,322
    9,568
    Goldsboro MD
    That is exactly my point , I believe my mounts are worth what I charge , but at the same by charging more for your work you weed out the trash , the people that don’t pick up . When I get a new client especially if it’s a small buck or doe I get half down and explain ur mount will be done in six months at which time I will send you a pic of it the day I mount it , it takes 2-3 weeks from that time to dry and be finished. I then will send you a picture of your finished mount , you now have 2 weeks to pick it up . If you don’t pick up I start charging a storage fee of $100 for 2 weeks at that time and not picked up you will loose your mount , I take the rack out and use it for someone that is waiting for a cape or wants a remount of and older mount . They loose all deposits but I will give them there rack back . This only happens like on 1 out of every 500 mounts and as I said I do maybe 40 heads a year plus other things of course. So bottom line higher price better clients.
     
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  22. Sep 16, 2019 #20
    Randy

    Randy Huntin Chamios on Mount Cook, New Zealand

    894
    35
    Pacific North West, the left coast
    $750 for standard shoulder mount. Some guys are $800. Obviously some areas of the USA are flooded with taxidermists. Its really to bad that some guys on this site get stuck with $400 or less.
     
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