Choosing a Taxidermist

How do you choose your taxidermist?  Here are some helpful hints...

1. If price does not have to be a factor, by all means ignore it. There are taxidermists who do sound quality work at the bottom of the price scale and there are taxidermist at the top of the price scale who do shady work.  There is a clique out there that, "you get what you pay for".  This does hold true SOME of the time, but don't let it be your only deciding factor.  Do your homework.
2. Don't just turn to the yellow pages and pick a taxidermist. Ask for references, check local sporting goods stores and visit their shops. Check out their work. Find out were you can see some of their work, it may be in a show room at their shop, a sporting goods store or a customer's home. Make sure you find out how recent the work was completed. More recently done work(1 to 2 years) can be a better indicator of what to expect than work done 3 or more years ago.
3. Find out if the taxidermist attends local, state or national conventions or subscribes to the various trade magazines. If a taxidermist attends conventions or reads the trade magazines, they are keeping up with the latest methods and technological advances the industry has to offer. This will also show in their work.
4. Ask the taxidermist what his reference library is like. A good taxidermist has a staggering amount of reference photos and books on wildlife. The information available in a reference library can make the difference between a mount and a piece of wildlife art. Reference material can be anything from magazines such as "Outdoor Life", books that describe the biology, anatomy and habitat of a specific animal to photo's of inner mouth, nostrils, eyes and ears of live specimens from squirrels to bears.
5. Is he/she licensed by the state?  In the state of Minnesota, a taxidermist must be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In the case of waterfowl or migratory birds, a taxidermist must also hold a federal taxidermy license. 
   
6. Reputation - Simply put, "Have you heard anything bad about the person?" If so, check it out thoroughly. A taxidermist can never please everyone, but it's not out of line to ask for a client list and simply call a few of these and ask them if they were satisfied with the taxidermy work.
7. By all means, don't be afraid to ask questions.
   
8. Be prepared to leave a deposit. There are up front costs associated with preparing a specimen for mounting. Ask your taxidermist about a required deposit before you show up at his door.