You guys are spot on. It's unfortunate, but the great taxidermy work costs more and more seems like. Especially big game animals and great habitat work. You certainly get what you pay for when you get something mounted right. I'm like you, no way I'm going to harvest any trophy then sacrifice the quality because someone is a "local" guy and the price is way less. But again, that's just me.
It is amazing how many guys take work to a so so taxi just to save money. If I’m mounting one I’m all about quality not the dollar amount. Like you said you normally get what you pay for.
My cousins little huntin buddy killed a cat today. I told him send them out west I haven’t seen a guy in ky mount one and it look right. He says, I have 2 and one is the best I’ve ever seen. He sends me pics and they look awful. Whatever. I tried to tell him. If I paid 600+ for a cat mount and show up to that I’m not taking it home. Rant over
Here’s a BOBCAT mount I did! I must say they are difficult to do. Especially sculpting the eyes to get that expression you want. I believe that if I did more than just a couple a year I would be a lot better. Happy NEW YEARS EVERYONE!
Here is one of mine. It was mounted by Victor Christy in Vanceburg. He is one of the best cat taxidermist there is. In my opinion.
Check out the faces on the cat mounts...thats where the money is. If they can't show you a close up of the face and you think it looks good then it's not.
I was a taxidermist apprentice for years to one of the better taxis in the state (mid 90s to early 2000s - I'm well aware that there are a lot more qualified taxis today than there were then). I can attest, cats, yotes, foxes.....mounting them is easy......getting the right look, expression is NOT. Their faces are so small and their eyes, nose and mouth are so close together.....it can get busy in that area if you aren't careful. This may sound dumb......I want my cat/fox to have the eyes, expression, body language and attitude and they all have to compliment one another. "Getting the eyes right" isn't just setting the eyes properly. They have to align with what the body is saying. I've seen lots of cats and good pictures of cats from trapping buddies. They have attitude, moods and expressions and they vary greatly. I've seen lazy, aggressive, fearful (not often), proud, shame etc....... We used to take deer in and it was L, R, half sneak, full sneak when choosing a pose. For a cat, I think there needs to be more info. Example....."I want this cat/mount to say YOU STEP ONE FOOT CLOSER AND I'LL GNAW YOUR FACE OFF or I AM THE KING OF THIS MOUNTAIN....TRY ME".....not just standing/sitting etc. Suggesting to send your cat out west isn't a slight of hand to our local taxis. If you have the ability AND you mount a lot of cats......your work is going to be light years ahead of the qualified taxi that does two a year. Two a year doesn't allow you to get in a groove. That said, if I was going to spend the money, I'd want someone that mounts a lot of cats each year. I'd want someone that understands their attitude and body language as I'd want all of this on display. Advice for taxis reading this......hook up with a couple of good trappers. Offer them cash for the cats they catch and then start practicing. Mount them for your showroom or mount them to sale for mancaves.......regardless of the reason, mount a bunch of em. Document these mounts and you'll see your work improve. Maybe even tag a long with a trapper and see these critters up close and personal while they are alive. I'd be willing to bet your perspective will change.
