The big question now is: Are YOU happy with the workmanship?

Glad you got 'em.

I had two hog heads mtd in Fla by the game seller or whatever the crooked bastard is called. When I got them after paying in full.
The noses were rubbed to the plastic, all four cutters busted off at the roots. I glued them back on ok. Tips of the ears were broken off. All these things poked out thru the sides of the boxes. Because they threw in a dirty old pillow and handful of paper napkins. No other packing or way to keep the heads from bouncing around. I was fighting thru the C/U card company over it when I got sick last yr. Do believe I would have recovered half the costs for the damages IF I'd been where I could have continued the fight. In a coma for 21 days it was out of the question and much too late once I did get home three months later.

The only other time I had a problem was with a local guy that was a crook. Had to get it all up front and he stiffed many of us. I never did get my buck rack nor head back, but, the local DA's office recovered the cash outlay I'd paid.
Luckily that was "just a locally killed muley buck" and nothing special.

Thanks, we're waiting on pictures now.
George

Some one that can post pictures give me an email address I will forward when I get some taken. Basically OK but some problems i e the poses of the birds. I sent pictures of "live" birds and ask they be posed in manner of the pictures and this was not done, also I ask for the 2 pygmy geese be mounted flying which he did but placed them both on the same mounting board (log). One has to be taken to Marcus Zimmerman to be completed I e the habitat. I want the Hornbill in a tree and Marcus can do that and not have the big freight bill.

Ed,

you can send them to me at numzaan@zoho.com if you like.

As a taxidermist for over 55 years, I'd sooner watch you stand and burn that amount of money in front of me than take your birds and not get a 100% deposit.

Most of you have no idea the number of BIRDS that we get stuck with unless we require payment in full. How many of you have taken a bird in to be mounted and (1) changed your mind, (2) decided you really didn't want to spend that much and simply forfeited your deposit. I can tell you this: enough to put a taxidermist out of business.

Birds take as long to do as a full shoulder mount. At least a QUALITY job like Shane would do for you would take longer than a deer to mount. If you decide you don't want it, Shane has to eat it. We are prohibited by Federal law to sell any migratory bird and most state laws have riders to that requirement by stating "game birds". On top of that, each and every bird has to be tagged and logged in to a record that must be maintained for a minimum of 7 years. When we get inspected (by state and federal wardens who seem to enjoy skewering taxidermists for log error entries) we will have to explain exactly what we did with the bird after it was abandoned. If we donated (read "GAVE" as it is also illegal to charge for supplies or time spent mounting the bird) to any agency authorized to have them (certain schools, librarys, museums, or government agenceis) we also have to have receipts for the birds.

If I had the talent and dedication in doing birds that Shane does, I really wouldn't care if you didn't want to pay up front. I'd have a hundred others right behind you whose work would simply move up on the calendar where yours was scheduled to be.

BTW, any professional taxidermist who DOESN'T get 100% deposit on birds likely is new to the business or he figures that 50% is all his work is really worth anyway.

Thank you George for explaining your side of things. Good to get both sides to evaluate with.
George

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
As a taxidermist for over 55 years, I'd sooner watch you stand and burn that amount of money in front of me than take your birds and not get a 100% deposit.

Most of you have no idea the number of BIRDS that we get stuck with unless we require payment in full. How many of you have taken a bird in to be mounted and (1) changed your mind, (2) decided you really didn't want to spend that much and simply forfeited your deposit. I can tell you this: enough to put a taxidermist out of business.

Birds take as long to do as a full shoulder mount. At least a QUALITY job like Shane would do for you would take longer than a deer to mount. If you decide you don't want it, Shane has to eat it. We are prohibited by Federal law to sell any migratory bird and most state laws have riders to that requirement by stating "game birds". On top of that, each and every bird has to be tagged and logged in to a record that must be maintained for a minimum of 7 years. When we get inspected (by state and federal wardens who seem to enjoy skewering taxidermists for log error entries) we will have to explain exactly what we did with the bird after it was abandoned. If we donated (read "GAVE" as it is also illegal to charge for supplies or time spent mounting the bird) to any agency authorized to have them (certain schools, librarys, museums, or government agenceis) we also have to have receipts for the birds.

If I had the talent and dedication in doing birds that Shane does, I really wouldn't care if you didn't want to pay up front. I'd have a hundred others right behind you whose work would simply move up on the calendar where yours was scheduled to be.

BTW, any professional taxidermist who DOESN'T get 100% deposit on birds likely is new to the business or he figures that 50% is all his work is really worth anyway.

never thought about it like that, but damn good points! i guess my problem is that if i commit to buying something( in this case taxidermy work) - I BUY IT! no buyer's remorse…

Well George it must be a profitable area of taxidermy or why would a taxidermist do ONLY birds. In my profession we produce 99% of our services with no money up front and much of it requires lengthy periods of time, our staff are paid as the project proceeds. It is called working capital and yes some times we have to resign from a job and walk away with nothing. I would like to know the other side of the story where a finished product is promised in 6 to 9 months and is delivered 15 months later. Oh I know the dog P*ssed on his shoe and he couldn't work for a month.

Ed

Did you get my email?

Here you go:

Kingfisher




Pygmy geese




Bee eater under glass



Bee eater



Bee eater



Hornbill

Thanks Steve. The metal prong sticking out of the Pied Hornbill was just there for shipping. I delivered it to Marcus last evening and he removed same. This mount will end up being at the top of a dead tree as part of my life size Limpopo mount.

No worries Ed. I really like the taxidermy but that kingfisher is especially stunning.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
As a taxidermist for over 55 years, I'd sooner watch you stand and burn that amount of money in front of me than take your birds and not get a 100% deposit.

Most of you have no idea the number of BIRDS that we get stuck with unless we require payment in full. How many of you have taken a bird in to be mounted and (1) changed your mind, (2) decided you really didn't want to spend that much and simply forfeited your deposit. I can tell you this: enough to put a taxidermist out of business.

Birds take as long to do as a full shoulder mount. At least a QUALITY job like Shane would do for you would take longer than a deer to mount. If you decide you don't want it, Shane has to eat it. We are prohibited by Federal law to sell any migratory bird and most state laws have riders to that requirement by stating "game birds". On top of that, each and every bird has to be tagged and logged in to a record that must be maintained for a minimum of 7 years. When we get inspected (by state and federal wardens who seem to enjoy skewering taxidermists for log error entries) we will have to explain exactly what we did with the bird after it was abandoned. If we donated (read "GAVE" as it is also illegal to charge for supplies or time spent mounting the bird) to any agency authorized to have them (certain schools, librarys, museums, or government agenceis) we also have to have receipts for the birds.

If I had the talent and dedication in doing birds that Shane does, I really wouldn't care if you didn't want to pay up front. I'd have a hundred others right behind you whose work would simply move up on the calendar where yours was scheduled to be.

BTW, any professional taxidermist who DOESN'T get 100% deposit on birds likely is new to the business or he figures that 50% is all his work is really worth anyway.

Great stuff George...It sure gives me a better perspective of how bird taxidermy is run...much appreciated sir

Die Ou Jagter, that's a good question, but let me preface my answer with one of my own: When I do to my dentist or my doctor, why does he have to refer me to a "specialist"? Isn't he supposed to be a doctor?

Today's taxidermy has grown to that scale. Sure, like me, there are a bazilion "GP" taxidermists who offer "full service". But a new trend has developed in the last decade or so where both fish and bird "specialists" have sprung up. When I mount your bird,they tend to look (sorry if this offends someone) much like the birds pictured: OK to look at but a bit rough around the edges when compared to a live bird. A guy like Shane is a member of a very elite group of "bird specialists" who will have every feather laying in place and the mount looking better than the actual bird did when he was alive. You ahould see his hummingbirds. Look at some of his work and find a feather out of place or sticking up (check your kingfisher's back and chin or the placement of the primary feathers of your hornbill below the tail instead of above it). LITTLE THINGS like that don't happen when the top end specialist get to it.

When you decide to specialize, it's usually because the demand for a certain item mounted to that detail takes excessive time in baby sitting and grooming and they don't have time to bother with mammals, gameheads, reptiles,and fish. If you've seen the AFLAC duck, it was done by one of the very best bird guys I ever met. Certainly he's in Hollywood and the images are probably manipulated by computer, but the orignal duck was mounted to absolute perfection. But those guys are truly "specialists" in every way. I've written about these guys in BREAKTHROUGH magazine and I attribute their skills to "magic in their hands". They do the same things I do, but their work looks nothing like what I produce. I charge a lot to do birds because I don't like the labor intensity it takes to pull off a decent mount, but a guy like Shane charges it because he's worth every penny of it.

I'd say both of you have a point.
The difference is paying for something that is for business or making money on it and paying for pleasure things (taxidermy).
I'd say things for show or pleasure you pay up front. Never had a problem with it. It's just like paying up front for hunting trip.
On the other end I don't charge money up front in business and Yes, sometimes I pay for it.
Ultimately we all make our own decisions and deal with the consequences

Nice birds. Seeing interesting birds were a big part of my safari and I never really thought of bringing any home. Gotta give this some thought...

George,
You forgot to mention these are birds coming from Africa that have been through hell and back. I'm pretty sure they were skinned in Africa by a person used to caping a buffalo and all of these birds have skin like tissue paper. Now add to that the long wait, abuse from customs inspecting the skins, on and on and on.
This is a lot different from a freshly killed pheasant treated like a fine piece of china and hand delivered to the taxidermist.
I have brought several birds back from Africa and they are a taxidermist nightmare. The fact that this guy restored them to their present condition is just short of a miracle. My hats off to that guy!!

To make things clear the PH that skinned the birds did so with great care and he does birds all the time along with Pygmy Antelope i e Royal Antelope etc. He uses surgeons scaples and is very precise in his work. The hunter in camp before me collected almost 20 birds to take home to England for his collection. I am sure caping a Buffalo is childs play for Gideon.

I love bird mounts and these are great. My question is how did you import them?

They just came along with the Royal and Maxwell.