FYI Besides being a 30 year vet including Viet Nam service George is an awesome taxidermist and businessman, hard worker and much admired and looked up to mentor to many. He is also a published writer. I agree with George that sometimes just replacing a badly damaged skin from a "common" animal trophy and never even mentioning it to the client so as to produce a great mount is the way to go and it is common practice in taxidermy. Sometimes a taxidermist has to just sit and spend hours fine stitching a huge bullet hole, sometimes its just easier and better not to.

Thank you Jim, but you're too kind. My work doesn't hold a candle to the things you do.

Graybird, thank you as well. Knowing you're NOT a taxidermist lets everyone else know you couldn't distinguish your anal orifice from a deep depression in the earth. MOST taxidermists work with one year lead times so that they, too, may enjoy some of the other joys in life. My light bill is covered, thank you, as well as all the other things I have. When you start contributing to them, I might be interested in what you have to say.

Wheeeew! Tough crowd! Tom, great little trophy, you should be proud. Being 28 and in my infant stages of taxidermy, I only hope to start doing african work. It's a bit intimidating. I just got a nice warthog and a decent impala that I'll send off to the tannery shortly. I also have a nice hartebeest to do. When I get the time to, I'll mount em up and post some pics. I'm sure I'll get blasted, but it's good to get constructive critisism. Anyway, I enjoy seeing work from all over. They did a good job repairing your mount Tom!!!

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
Knowing you're NOT a taxidermist lets everyone else know you couldn't distinguish your anal orifice from a deep depression in the earth.

I never claimed to be a taxidermist, and I know you can't hold a candle to me in my profession either, which I'm very well educated, and those in my profession refer to me as Dr. Graybird. So, I'll let you think what you want to think.

I know I can spot a senile, self-centered asshole in a crowd, and I got my sights on you!

LOL Talk about EGO!!! No one would ever accuse you of being conceited. You're convinced. I'll bet they call you those same names you called me in private. But I'll let you have the last word on this if you'd like. I know with an ego like that, you'll just HAVE to say something. ROTFLMAO

quote:

Originally posted by rjrtaxidermy:
Wheeeew! Tough crowd! Tom, great little trophy, you should be proud. Being 28 and in my infant stages of taxidermy, I only hope to start doing african work. It's a bit intimidating. I just got a nice warthog and a decent impala that I'll send off to the tannery shortly. I also have a nice hartebeest to do. When I get the time to, I'll mount em up and post some pics. I'm sure I'll get blasted, but it's good to get constructive critisism. Anyway, I enjoy seeing work from all over. They did a good job repairing your mount Tom!!!

hopefully the criticism will be constructive and not destructive but i wouldn't count on it around here. if the work isn't competition grade, forget it. at least you seem to feel that the animals aren't goofy looking or non-descript little nothings and that is DEFINITELY a step in the right direction.

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
I've been trying to retire now for the last 10 years, so for every piece I get coming through my door (I have 2 lifesized muskox, 2 blue wildebeest, a silverback jackal, 7 lifesized bears, and 6 large whitetail bucks in full velvet for shoulder mounts that have come in since September 1), that delays my plans just that much longer.

Sounds like you need to get your ass in the shop and get to work instead of playing on the internet! I hope you get a good nights sleep with all the work on your shoulders!! At least you'll be able to pay the light bill in the future!!

I happen to be one of Georges customers, I have over 30 Animals done by George. He does great work. I don't think he will ever have a problem paying his light bill. In the last month only, George has received 2 Musk Ox for life size mounts, 2 Wildebeest, 5 or 6 deer in Velvet and 4 black bear, and more is coming in. He customer base is very well established and he has a lot of repeat customers.

It is easy to come here and run your mouth about someone you don't know, but in the long run, it will be you that looks foolish in others eyes.

Awh don't worry Redhawk1. I think George and I are straight! I'm glad you enjoy his work. You need to quit taking him stuff to work on though because he wants to retire!

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
It is easy to come here and run your mouth about someone you don't know, but in the long run, it will be you that looks foolish in others eyes.

I hope you'll excuse me for pointing this out, but that's exactly what George is doing every time he posts comments about how bad all African taxidermists are and how good American taxidermists are etc............. Simple logic tells us that those comments are nothing more than simple self serving, crass commercialism in it's lowest form. The same simple logic tells us that there are good and bad taxidermists all over the world. As proof of that all you have to do is a simple search on this forum. There have been some shockingly bad and some brilliantly good examples of both American and African taxidermy......... wasn't that long ago that someone (can't remember who) posted pics of a Lion with what looked like spray painted feet on Christ knows what form....... but it sure as hell wasn't a Lion form. or if it was, whoever made it, was dumber than a sack of spuds.

Steve, you're absolutely correct and it was unfair for me to use such a broad brush to paint EVERY African taxidermist that way. But we both know that the labor used by many of those mass production houses is less than competent and do their work from rote. Here, we only have a few of those type businesses and they tend to be weeded out by themselves. When a worker gains enough confidence, he moves on to his own business. In Africa, that's seldom or never the case.

I guess it all goes back to the body politic. When we say "American" we are speaking of one country. When we speak of Africa, some fail to realize that it's a continent of many countries. Many of them are corrupt. I've been waiting for over a year for a Cape buffalo to clear Zimbabwe while others got theirs with no problems. Local tribes and politicians openly graft clients and it all depends how tight your PH is with them whether you ever see your animal or not. Here in America, a few calls to a state wildlife agency and a guide association can work miracles. So with that part, there truly IS a big difference.

Still, I don't have to go to Africa to find bad work. Taxidermy has no checks and balances and in most cases, if you say you're one, you can be one. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware.

George,

I don't mean to be rude but I do mean to be accurate, and with that in mind, I have to say, you're wrong in many of your points.

To say people don't move on to start their own businesses here just isn't true and I wonder on what facts you make that statement? - From my experience, there's plenty of new businesses springing up here.

Quite why you believe corruption is part of the export process in most African countries I simply don't know and believe me, it's not generally true. What happens in most African countries is that the GD/PB etc don't issue export permits until all the Govt fees are paid and clearances issued. Probably the main reason it sometimes takes longer than others for that to happen is the quality of the company the client books with. - The cheap companies juggle the money and only pay the fees when they can and often don' have all the permits lined up when they should.......... second most common cause might be location of hunting area. The more remote the area, the more likely they might be to wait until they have a truckload of trophies to take out through the inspection post and game reserve etc. That's just two of the major factors that can affect things. - there are others, but graft simply isn't one of them.

Thank you Steve for that perspective. You know as taxidermists, many if not most of us doing the work here are not familiar first hand with what you're saying. We only have what our clients tell us to go on. The guy who's had the Cape stuck over there for a year now hunts all over the world. He left Russia hunting blue sheep last week and is in BC now hunting moose, caribou and goat. But then after dolling out that kind of money, he'll come in my shop looking for a "deal". So I can see what you're describing happening with him in trying to save a dime to prop up a dollar. Now I know MORE of the story than I would have without your input. Thanx.

I simply never understand why so many hunters fail to understand that quality costs money and pick the cheapest offer rather than the best one....... and then bleat about how poor the quality was.......... they wouldn't do when they buy a car, a meal or a house but they will with a hunt etc..............

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I simply never understand why so many hunters fail to understand that quality costs money and pick the cheapest offer rather than the best one....... and then bleat about how poor the quality was.......... they wouldn't do when they buy a car, a meal or a house but they will with a hunt etc..............

Personally, I knew exactly what compromise I was making. I got average for either side of the pond, taxidermy and a good save on the little dudes (shot a duiker with the same .375 but at greater range so as not as much carnage to the animal.

If my hunt had gone differently and I, had had an opportunity on a buff, lion, or ele, I would have had no taxidermy money at all after the trophy fees were paid. Life's a compromise and you try to be as informed as possible and play your cards the best you can, correct? On that trip I could have taken a nice giraffe for a $500 fee because the farmer wanted rid of it but I couldn't afford even a cheap African shoulder mount of one along with everything else I'd planned and done already.

Jealous Regards of one who gets to LIVE there,
Tom

You go, Tom. When the roll is called and they ask for those who've been there, your name may be down in the list, but it will still be on the roll. Those of us who've never been simply have the stories of others to listen to. You were THERE, and in the big scheme of things, that's all that really matters anyway.