Do we have any taxidermist here? If so, lets hear how did you get into it? Do you do it as a hobby, or a full/part time job? I'm 20 yrs old and just recently I have been thinking about learning more about taxidermy. A local taxidermist said he would be more than happy to guide me in the right direction.
I'm going to be hopefully starting this year. I will be doing it for a hobby, money saver and for extra income. I'll be only focusing on whitetail deer, I don't want to get in over my head. Whitetails are my passion, so I want to become excellent at it!
I've played around with it some. Mostly because I wanted a bunch of mounts to decorate my basement and it was too expensive to have them all done. I've done racoons, coyotes, fox, mink, beaver, turkeys, deer, wild boar, squirrels, and a bobcat. I can do a pretty good job, but my painting needs a little work. I learned from my friend who does it full time. Ita a messy nasty job and it will cost you some hunting time. So just think about that.
I've "helped" do some of my own stuff since I got into trapping heavily... mainly because I've racked up quite a few things I wanted mounted or displayed in some manner or another, and like John said, I couldn't afford to do all I wanted to do if I was paying outright retail. I'm on my way back from my taxidermist's right now with my latest big tom bobcat we did a wall rug on... I skinned, fleshed and did most of the initial prep work on but he put the head in and layed the skin on and did all the finish work. My problem is my taxi is a World Champion in the Master's Division, and I think all taxidermy work should look like it does when he finishes it... and -- trust me -- I could't get CLOSE to achieving what he does. It's a LOT of work to do it right, and I couldn't and wouldn't settle for anything less that didn't look world-class hanging in my room. Therefore, that pretty much settles it on me doing any stuff for real.
I've been doing taxidermy for a few years now. Started out as a part time job in highschool. Learned alot! I still do it on the side as a hobby and even for work every now and again. I would highly recommend getting into it. Save you lots of money down the road and its a great sense of accomplishment when you look at it everyday.
I'd like to learn to do it, but honestly I don't think I have the patience for it. I have a couple of buddies that are taxidermists that would be more then willing to help learn and have even offered.
I will be doing my own tanning as well, which will be good, that I won't have to pay the extra cost of a tannery doing the hides and overworking them. Plus the shipping cost to the tannery and back. And won't have any down time where I have to wait months to get the hides back.
