Best ways to hint at a taxidermist that there work isnt up to scratch

Mind your business

 

What Mike said

 

I've seen people stabbed over a bar of soap. Best get some of your own.......b u s i n e s s , and get out of theirs.

 

Yes whenwolveshowl I saw the post were you forgot to apply glue to a form. So listen to above. Poking fun about his or her hat is fine but start on there work thems fighting words.

 

I think everyone has the Correct Idea about what not to do.... So I'm going to tell you what you can do and that is "Do a Better Job". Show your customer what you do and why you think yours is worth the cost. Then let the customer determine if the other guy is up to (as you call it ) scratch. Customers may not always know if someone is good or not, (they look at Horns, and Cost) but you can bet that telling them that the guy down the road stinks will either drive them away from you are they may even think your an arrogant fool. I don't tell anyone that their work sucks. I have enough problems with my own work.

 

I've had good friends get mad at me AFTER they ASKED for a critique. Slippery Slope. Everyone is in love with their own ugly babies. They may already realize that their babies ain't gonna win a beauty contest, but if you go and tell them that......well partner.........them there's fighting words. Do what you want, but my advice would be to take a gun with you. You may need it.

 

I have gone to clients homes and have had them ask me about their taxidermy. Never really answer if its bad or poor taxidermy work. "That's a nice buck" , etc. and let it go. Same goes for visiting a fellow taxidermists shop if you think the work is poor. That is always the best advise.

 

Try this one on for size:

A few years back, I and a buddy had gone to Ontario bear hunting. On the opening afternoon, he dusted a 250 pound boar that had really good hair for a fall bear. He quickly decided that he wanted it standing erect with a closed mouth (just like it was when he shot it - ever heard that one??????). OK, since I was there, I laid the bear out on the skinning table belly down. I had my scalpel and a black Sharpie marker. I started my cut right between the ears and went right down the spine to the base of the tail. Every 6 inches, I marked the hide on both sides of the cut so I'd be able to sew it back up evenly and easier.

As I'm doing this, a member of the other hunting party in camp came over. It started off all wrong when he said to me, "What the hell are you doing?" I was a bit dumbstruck but I said, "I'm dorsal caping the bear for an upright mount." Then came his indignant reply, " I've never heard of anything like that in the 15 years I've been a professional taxidermist. You'd better ask someone who knows something about taxidermy how to do it correctly before you hack up a mans trophy." Instead of turning and backhanding him, I laid the scalpel down on the table and stood up. I told him that when I'd been in the taxidermy business for 15 years, his daddy was just a twinkle in his granddaddy's eye and that if he didn't know any more about taxidermy that he was running his mouth about, he should stick to redsquirrels and gophers. That was the last time I saw him that week.

Never ASSUME that your judgment is better than somone elses. Perhaps his work ISN'T up to snuff but maybe you're no judge of that yourself. His clients will let him know and they simply aren't a concern to you or to him. UNLESS he specifically ASKS for your opinion and understands it may hurt his feelings, keep them to yourself and move on.

Like James, I truly hate having someone show me a mount they've had done and ask what I think of it. My pat answer today is "Let me ask you a question: Are you pleased with how it looks?" They usually tell me they think it's great and then I respond, "Then it really doesn't MATTER what I think. If you're happy with it, it must look great."

 

Great story George!!

Like Michael said.

 

Yep. Don't talk bad about any other dermist. It'll work itself out

 

George... Great Story. And your 100% right that if the customer/client likes the mount it doesn't matter what we think and we should just agree with him and move on.

 

I've been trying for years to hone my mental telepathy skills. I just say in my head, WOW that sucks, and hope they hear it...... they never have yet...
But it's a close friend I say it out loud. Client.....side step if asked....never offer a opinion just don't do it !

Think of it as looking at BABY Pictures.....ever hear anyone say WOW that's an ugly kid.....NOPE But some are....

 

I agree with what RichMO said. Sell yourself, sell your work....never criticize a competitor, it makes you look bad, imo.

 

who cares, one of the greatest exponents of junkadermy in Australia was my best friend (and he still is),,, 35 years ago,,and he was rolling over 300 thousand bucks PA,, owned 4 houses, travelled the world and levered up,, now he is an eccentric antique dealer.
And he never caped a head or stuffed a specimen in his entire career of 15 years!!!!!
If only I had followed his lead!
and his motto
pump it out, pump it out

 

Clients (at least most of them) and taxidermists look at a mount and they see two completely different specimens. In the clients eyes, if the deer has a nice rack, it might as well not have eyes, nose or lips. Honestly, before I got into taxidermy, I had several mounts that I was completely satisfied with... now that I'm somewhat educated in the field, I see the mistakes the taxidermist made. I also notice mistakes when I see other pieces at a friends house, the local hardware store or some other place... but I'm not going to point them out. Most of the problems, no one will ever notice and client is satisfied. But if it's a complete hack-job, the piece will speak for itself and that taxidermist will soon be out of business.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again we all have different skill levels Student just coming out of Taxi school lacks Experience, he will get better and better until they peak and maybe with any luck will continue to turn around quality work through his golden years.. As time goes and we get older some of us will lose ability, eye sight and so on, and then there are some who are just happy with the average mount, some that are happy with less than average and some who want better than average.. It all starts with how much determination, artist ability, know how, common sense, patients and drive you have to get to the top.. Not everyone has the drive to be average or better and it will show in there work.. I bet all of us look at other's work and judge to some degree I know when I go into places and see mounts I go and look at what they could have improve on and also what I could improve on. I don't ever put and item out that could of been improved a bit here or there.. So I'd take others advise and mind your business and work on what needs improved in your work and if you want to post a picture of some of your work I think not just me but several other's will be willing to give you a critique...

 

Ditto.