Thought this would be a good place to show the bad against the good.

Some of you might recognize the photos that actually look like a lion. It is a mount done by Chris Krueger of Krueger Creations. His wife Mary posts here.

The bad:


The Good:


The Bad:


The Good:

quote:

There are some risks involved and we may end up doing some sort of wall pedistal mount instead of a life size, but it's better than nothing. Once he gets the hide off he will look it over and we will discuss our options and go from there.

If you end up with a only a shoulder mount or nothing from trying to fix it at least it won't be taking up the space you could be using for something else.

that is indeed a sad situation. the quicker he gets it to another taxidermist the better. hopefully the glue isn't to set and the guy didn't use much of it. i had a similar with a taxidermist friend who did my work for 20+ years, and then one day he looked at his stock portfolio and decided he didn't need the taxidermy business anymore. he mounted a 46" lifesize sable for me that i took one look at and drove it to another taxidermist. fortunately he could redo it well

Sad, very sad!!

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Was he the low bidder?

Pathetic. I have seen worse but only by beginners or a blind person.

From the "let's ship so late the sap will be happy with any old crap we ship" school.

Same guy as this?

I am sick just looking at that mount, I feel very bad for your friend.

Jack, is that lion cross eyed?

Actually, it's quite an accurate reproduction of a catamount......in the "mange phase".

All kidding aside, I'd be devastated......hope you can have a sense of humor about it at this point.....and congrats on getting another cat.

Is there a chance that the skin could be removed and used for a rug?

John

Gibbs
That crosseyed Lion just ate a Lemon ,that's why he looks like that.

Mate i feel very sorry for you as he has ruined your wonderful trophy. If it had been me i would have punched his lights out !!!!! I sure as shit hope you didn't pay him ! and i also hope that some of the better taxidermists out there are able to save it for you

This might have been the reference used for Tim's lion.

One of the best 'possum mounts I have ever seen.

Note the lifelike qualities, comparable to this one from nature:



Bravo!

I just figured out what this cat looks like
Looks like it is from the Steven King movie
Pet Cemetary.

Sorry for your loss. I too had a taxidermist or two rip me off.

quote:

I too had a taxidermist or two rip me off.

those damn taxidermists

Well maybe this was just a 30 yearold lion that had lost all his teeth and was totally emaciated if that was the case its a realistic mount

I haven't read any of the other replies, but I can't imagine anybody saying he likes this mount. This is a TERRIBLE mount, and reason for a full refund I would think. That doesn't give you back the trophy you thought you would have in your house which is very sad.

Frans

I think these should be used in taxidermy school as example of how bad it can get!

This is a horrible mount. What's wrong with it?

Let me itemize:

The head - The eyes are way too big and the wrong shape and don't even look like cat eyes, the nose is all wrong (puffy looking), the muzzle is too wide and the shape is all wrong, the ears are too low and to the sides, the chin is still the wrong shape even after it was redone, the skin on the head is not even properly adjusted, even the wiskers are crooked.

The body - The entire body position is horrible, there is NO musculature on the body, the shape of the rump is all wrong, the fur on the back of the legs is scruffy, the skin looks too big for the form and is not adjusted properly, the tail does not have a smooth arc. I could go on and on.

I'd take it to a good taxidermist and see if he can salvage any part of it, even if it means possibly losing the entire skin, because you're not really going to display this disaster anyway, are you?

I've never gotten a bad mount back because I always do my homework. I've been inside a LOT of taxidermy shops inspecting their work. If I want a fish mounted, I take it to a good fish specialist. If I want a bird mounted, I take it to a guy who specializes in birds - the best one I can find. (There's usually at least one guy in every city who does ONLY birds.) If I ever get a cat, I'll take it to someone who does fantastic cats. Why is this process so hard for some people to figure out? All you have to do is invest a little time and do some research and look at their work and reputation before you make a decision about who to use. It's really not that difficult.

I'm sorry to post this, but I looked at the taxidermist's website and all I can say is friend or not, the hunter should have know better.

I am one of those who really does not like mounts, but I can see the talent of the artist in the finished piece.

The taxidermist in question is very "utility grade" and that can be seen in nearly every mount on his website.

His specialty is coues deer. Take a look at some of those mounts.


And how about the lower tusks on the warthog.

I'd go to the Leader of the Blind and get that taxidermist a dog that would bite him!

Straight from the mouth of the Taxidermist himself:
"Selecting a taxidermist - This is a personal choice many individuals go about incorrectly. Most simply pick up the phone and go by price alone. This can be a terrible mistake. Be sure to visit a few studio's in your area before choosing. Make sure you are dealing with a legitimate business owner. Every year we have a host of new "taxidermists" open up for business often illegally due to zoning restrictions etc. Check to see if they are licensed, insured and how long they have been in business. Every year 100's of mounts are lost to illegal businesses.
Hunters often buy the best rifle or bow, 4X4 truck, top quality optics, spend months scouting then use the cheapest taxidermist. 5 or 6 years down the road the bow is out of date, truck sold and all that is left is a cheap mount that is falling apart. Like most things, taxidermy included, you get what you pay for.
Try to visit studios before your hunt so you are not rushed."

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:
I'm sorry to post this, but I looked at the taxidermist's website and all I can say is friend or not, the hunter should have know better.

I am one of those who really does not like mounts, but I can see the talent of the artist in the finished piece.

The taxidermist in question is very "utility grade" and that can be seen in nearly every mount on his website.

His specialty is coues deer. Take a look at some of those mounts.


And how about the lower tusks on the warthog.

What is the website address?

You asked......It's shit.

Thanks 1/2 slam. While the mounts on the site may not be world class, none other than the pronghorn mount would suggest to me the disaster that befell the mountain lion. The pronghorn looks like he was up all night drinking - and apparently playing poker where he lost his arse.

quote:

Originally posted by RREESE:
Thanks 1/2 slam. While the mounts on the site may not be world class, none other than the pronghorn mount would suggest to me the disaster that befell the mountain lion. The pronghorn looks like he was up all night drinking - and apparently playing poker where he lost his arse.

I agree. I don't know the taxidermist or have I ever heard of him before but that site is professional looking as is the work on it in general in my opinion. It does not look like the site of a taxidermist that produced that really bad lion "twice." Something is wrong or missing about this whole story.

I do know this taxidermist and we will leave it at that as I have a very negative opinion about the man for something extremely unethical he had done to sabotage our taxidermy business, stating it was a "practical joke"!

I will add, I have heard from a trusted taxidermist colleague, he is no longer accepting business and has gone back to his former profession. Maybe this is why this piece looks as it does. He may be simply getting things out the door in haste, to tie up the loose ends.

it would be hard for me to call the person who ruined that cat a taxidermist. I'm just not that big of a liar.

Who ever knew Stevie Wonder was an amateur taxidermist?

thanks dave, you just painted a really funny picture in my head.

it's bad...

Rich
DRSS

quote:

Originally posted by Jack D Bold:
From the "let's ship so late the sap will be happy with any old crap we ship" school.

Same guy as this?

Classic

OH NO OH Sh...t

and they were friends at the time????

This is your lion.
This is your lion on drugs and and after having shared a needle and contracting Hepatitis C.
Any questions??