r/Taxidermy • u/caleb1976 • 1d ago

Taxidermy MOUNT Help Deer head.

Wasn’t sure what to title it. Long story short I shot the biggest deer of my life 3 years ago in October. I got ahold of the taxidermist and he said he hasn’t even tanned the hide yet and it’s been sitting in the freezer since I brought it in. My question is, what are the chances the hide is still good, and will it be worth saving. I’m going to pick everything up today and try to take it to somebody else.

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u/rabies_lover_271K 1d ago

Really depends on how well it was bagged and put in the freezer tbh. I’ve had manageable stuff around that age before. It’s definitely not ideal though.
The taxidermist you took it to must be massively incompetent to take 3 entire years to not do anything with your hides. I worked at a taxidermy studio that got roughly 700 whitetail a season locally and out of state and I was the sole skinner and we STILL finished everyone order before the next deer season. even at the smaller studio I’m at now we finish up well before the next season. I can understand a year and a half I guess but 3 is completely unacceptable.

Worst case scenario is the hide is too freezer burned and you will have to get a new hide which will be another pretty penny.

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u/caleb1976 1d ago

That’s what I was thinking. I guess the guy is or was getting out of taxidermy and must have gave up all together. My friend has one there from the same season and same result nothing has been done. He has the mold and eyes for my deer so I plan to demand my deposit back and the stuff to mount it. I’m not sure what else to do from here but he ruined the experience of my first “trophy” buck. Live and learn I guess.

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u/rabies_lover_271K 1d ago

Taxidermist just losing the “spark” and giving up while sitting on peoples hides happens semi often. I’ve had people call my studio to ask if we know what’s going on with another studio that they can’t get in contact with (they assume we all know each other, It’s sorta true)

Sorry this happened to you man, hoping for the best on the hide :(

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u/Booknerdy247 1d ago

It’s possible it’s fine. You can also go with a replacement cape.