Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game tipping taxidermists?

I say if the work pleases you to the extent you feel inspired to tip than tip if you can afford to do so. There is nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with showing appreciation how ever you choose to do it if you can afford to.

Thats why I tip a stripper!

To tip, or not to tip...

I'd give the top one a tip!!-------------------------------------


Seek a new profesion!!!

Nice job,Drew.

RS

Rufous: With the prices taxidermists charge today I may never use the services of any of them for the rest of my life - let alone "tipping" one of them!
And this is coming from a Hunter who has over 25 sets of taxidermied horns and hides hung and on display - and 2 worked on Bear pelts also in my home.
I also have a huge Boar Badger made into an expensive rug on my coffee table - this taxidermy job was my "last" use of a taxidermist.
I also display several Fox pelts, Coyote pelts and a huge River Otter.
I and many of my Hunting friends simply feel the cost of taxidermy work is way excessive these days and are curtailing our use of same.
I have been a taxidermy cash paying customer since I was 15 years of age and paid to have a Snowy Owl mounted up - that was 49 years ago - and it is with sadness that I now refuse to pay the exhorbitant prices most all taxidermists are charging these days.
Tipping a taxidermist in this economy - not a chance!
Pictures, self tanning and boiled skulls will have to do me in the future.
Congratulations on the Bear harvest.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

God forbid a taxidermist makes enough to cover his overhead, and earn a wage from a mount.

Direct overhead on an elk alone is $500, just to cover tanning, form, eyes, glue, clay, and earliners. Then factor in self employment taxes, utilities, and wages.

I got a quote on a half lifesize mount for my Aoudad from two guys that are known for quality work. $2950.

$85 for the form, $75-$100 for tanning. What, $100 misc.? That's about $300. 3 Days labor at $300 per day.

$1200.00 Not quite sure where the other $1,700.00 comes in.

I'm all ears.

Your numbers are way off.

Tanning is $255.
Form is $300.

Plus shipping the cape to the tannery oversized is another $50, then return shipping is probably $30. Plus oversized shipping on the form is another $50.

They will have longer than three days in labor too. Prepping the hide alone takes a day. Then babysitting it while it salt dries.

After it gets back they probably have another half day just prepping the hide. Not to mention, the form itself never fits right on lifesized, so they have to chop it all up, and foam it back together. Foam is pricey too.

After it all fits, it is easily an all day job mounting it. Sewing on a lifesized alone takes hours.

Then you have another few hours doing finish work.

Then you lose a couple more days just building a habitat base...

After all is said and done, the labor gets taxed at 30%, plus paying the employees and other overhead.

Look again at my post and see what size the mount is. No chopping involved.

I bought the form for $85 from a supplier.

My Taxi gave me the tanning price.

When I allowed for $300 a day, for 3 days, I'm saying 3-8 hour days. 24 hours of labor. If it takes more than 24 actual hours to do that mount, a taxidermist needs to find another line of work. I'm not paying him to babysit salt drying. He's doing other taxidermy while salt is drying, making money off that mount.

The base for that 1/2 life size is a catalog item, the taxi doesn't have to build it.

The tax for the labor, gets rolled right back to me, at the time I pay my bill.

This ain't my first rodeo. No matter how you cut it, it's still a $1500 profit for MAYBE 3-8 hour days of work. I wish I could take home $500 per day.

If I have to explain all the expenses one is faced with when running a business, then you best work for the man.

You don't have to explain anything to me, I think I've figured it out. But, thanks.

Funny I just thought about my 2010 antelope.....tip him hell!!! Wish he would answer the phone and work on my goat!!!