# How long does a shoulder mount take?



## johndeere506

Im waiting on a couple shoulder mounts from last Nov and Dec from a local shop. How long does this normally take? The guy just says he isnt done yet, and I dont want to rush him. Just curious on what the average time to get a shoulder mount back really is. Thanks!


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## 2PawsRiver

A lot of variables.........depending on how many he took in, does he do it full time, work ethics and such. Not unusual to wait close to a year. Had two done this year. First one took 2 months, but it was the biggest he took in and he wanted to use it at a taxidermy competition. Second one 8 months, but he was still working on others when I picked it up.


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## Time_Will_Tell

If someone has a quick turn around on there deer head i would have to question just how they cared for the hide becouse they didnt have it sent out to be tanned about a year is the norm depending on how many they took in and if they have to wait on the fur dressing company to get the hides back to them or not i would not let anyone work on my head if its not wet tanned just for the simple reason there not going to hold up but to each there own its also going to depend on if there doing fish birds or what ever inbetween deer head batches


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## chris_kreiner

Time_Will_Tell said:


> If someone has a quick turn around on there deer head i would have to question just how they cared for the hide becouse they didnt have it sent out to be tanned about a year is the norm depending on how many they took in and if they have to wait on the fur dressing company to get the hides back to them or not i would not let anyone work on my head if its not wet tanned just for the simple reason there not going to hold up but to each there own its also going to depend on if there doing fish birds or what ever inbetween deer head batches


I am going to have to argue that statement as I am one who typically has a quick turn around time and I also tan my own hides. I use a wet tan solution so all my hides are pickled and then tanned. I have never had a problem with this tanning solution. This allows me to have a quick turnaround without having to wait on a tannery. While the tannery is working on your hide the taxidermist is now twiddling his thumbs waiting for them. (Ok he probably isn't but he can't work on your deer when it is at a tannery.) Now I know there are a few that use a dry preservative which they will argue is the best but I am not convinced. I do agree that a hide must be tanned but it does NOT have to be done at a tannery. Any competant taxidermist can do this in his shop!!!
If it is taking a taxidermist a long time he could just flat out be that busy or his work ethic, as noted before. I usually have all my deer completed before March. This year has been different because of my full time job has been swamped so I am still working on deer heads when I can get to them, but my clients are all aware of my situation. However waiting a year for a shoulder mount is not uncommon at all. The quality and durablity of a mount is upto the taxidermist to determine how long it will last. I am currently remounting a deer for my Uncle that was mounted about 10 years ago. At first glance it didn't look to bad, some shrinkage around the eyes, back seam was pulling apart, and shrinkage around the antler bases. Once I pulled it apart it was obvious it was done by taxidermist who didn't care about his quality and long lasting durablity of his work. Hide paste is a vital piece of the quality and NONE was used at all!!!! Good luck hope you get your mount back soon.


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## Time_Will_Tell

wasnt trying to bash anyone that pickles there own hides if you have time to let them soak and shave them and what not my hats off to you so if i got anyones panties in a bunch over the sending hides out :sad: sorry just been my exsperiance that most do it yourself ( not all ) tanning isnt to par with say wildlife gallery stuff i only name that one becouse its here in the state i myself dont do taxidermy but a few good friends do ya hand hide paste is a perservitive as well as locking the skin on it has phemildhide i know folks that do there own stuff becouse they can get it to how they want it every time so how ever ya do it have qa good time


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## r.rase78

i think i could do one in about a week in a half. that would give time to skin flesh home tan shave and mount and time to dry and adjust. i am just startin out but i like the idea of home tanning if done right theres alot of good home tans out there. now if i had a bunch of deer to do that would back me up and you would have to wait awhile. probably your case. my friends dad just got his from the 09 season from a taxi. i like the home tanning and agree with kris fast turnaround time and you dont have to worry about anything happening to ur hide not saying it would cuz i never went that route.


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## johndeere506

Thanks for the comments guys. I will just be patient since he may just be really busy, or busy with another job. Hopefully they turn out good. I dont mind waiting, just as long as the quality is worth the wait. Plus...its kind of hard not to be excited to get the mounts back just to see them again.


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## Doug Bridges

Hey will tell, hide paste is not a preservative is a glue. It's obvious that you're not a taxidermist. You can send a skin out to aterible tannery too
Just because it's done in someones home or shop doesn't mean its no good. 
As for getting your mounts back. Let your taxidermist do his job
I am sure you will be the first one he calls when your mounts are done.

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## gecnav

Dropped my buck off last December. Says on my receipt it will be done this December and I'm fine with that. This place does an incredible amount of work and does a great job.


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## buck11pt24

Dropped mine off around Nov 20th and just got it back last Friday. I am happy with the turn around there. I used to use another taxidermist and he always had my stuff done within a year. I always would pay 1/2 up front and on all 3 occasion was there to pick up my mounts within 4 days with the other half of my payment. In 2006 I brought him a buck I shot in IL, and wanted it back bad. I paid him all but 50 bucks up front hoping it would be done as soon as possible b/c he had mentioned to be in conversation, the people who have their money always get theirs first. I made a mistake and never received it back until fall 2008. Nearly 2 years waiting time. I even knew other people who were getting their 2007 bucks back before mine was complete. 

So it is hard to tell, but 9 months to a yrs is common and justifiable in my book.


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## DENVAN

I have been doing Taxidermy work for 30 years but have never had a shop, mostly friends and friends of friends that kind of thing. The most deer heads I ever had at one time was 30. It took me 90 days to finish them all doing the work on a part time basis cuz I had a regular job and was working 55 hrs. at the time. I have sent hides out to be tanned and I have used dry preservative. I prefer dry preservative because you retain more detail around the eyes and nose. If I killed a World Record anything I would mount it with dry preservative.It would be hard for a professional taxidermist to do all of his work with dry preservative because of the volume of work that they do and because it requires you to keep all of your hides frozen until you can work on them, this would require several freezers and would be next to impossible for some of the larger companies. If you send your hides in to be tanned, all you have to do is flesh them out as they come in, salt them down,let them dry, and ship them off. When they come back tanned they can lay in a stack until you are ready for them, no need for all of the freezers.The company that I get my dry preservative from has a standing policy. If anyone can ever show them a mount that went bad because their preservative failed they would pay $1000. I am not going to mention that companies name because I don't want to appear to be advertising for them. In 30+ years I have never had their preservative fail me. I told you all that to tell you this, sending hides out takes more time, is usually done by taxidermists with a lot of heads to do, again more time til they get around to yours, it normally cost more because tanning and shipping both ways isn't free.
A taxidermist using dry preservative can mount and finish a deer head in 3 weeks easy case. You can skin, flesh, and mount one all in 1 day but it takes a couple weeks for it to dry completely depending on the weather. Here in Michigan it can get damp and humid at times this would add time to the process.Sorry this got so wordy, but there is no easy answear. As someone else said, many variables. Besides,the anticipation waiting for that mount is a good thing, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Trust me, once you get it and hang it it gets forgotten about faster than you would think.Just a friendly suggestion, pick a taxidermist based on the quality of his work not on how fast he can get it done, not that you can't do a quality job fast just don't let time become an issue.Remember, you will appreciate the quality long after the price is forgotten.


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## waterfowl-artist

I havnt done a shoulder mount in over 20 years with dry preserve. All of my capes are tanned, and yes it takes a while to get them back, but in my opinion its worth the wait ! Most of the shoulder mounts I have seen over the years mounted with dry preserve split open in places and downright seem to fall apart. Unless some drastic improvements have been made with dry preserves over the years, I personally would not use them. Ill post some pictures of my first buck I ever mounted in 1990, (it was tanned, and it looks like it was just mounted a few months ago)! I would sure like to see some pictures of deer mounted 20 years ago with D/P, to see how they look !


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## DENVAN

I am new to your forum, but as soon as I figure out how I will post as many pictures as you can stand.Lifesize Bears,fish, birds,Deer heads,Caribou, Moose head, I have not had one mount go bad. I am not trying to say that dry is better than tanning, just trying to point out to antbody that is not aware about the differences. The bottom line is a good taxidermist should be able to produce a quality mount with either method.Maybe someone will take pity on me and give me a heads up on how to post pics.

By the way I have Deer head mounts that were mounted in the 70's still lookin' good.


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## Gregry TX

Doug Bridges said:


> Hey will tell, hide paste is not a preservative is a glue. It's obvious that you're not a taxidermist. You can send a skin out to aterible tannery too
> Just because it's done in someones home or shop doesn't mean its no good.
> As for getting your mounts back. Let your taxidermist do his job
> I am sure you will be the first one he calls when your mounts are done.
> 
> _OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


 100%, well stated sir


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