# Want to be a taxidermist!



## SCWA

Hi guys, I have just had a wild hair up my butt and been thinking lately. I want to get into taxidermy work for a hobby and maybe later on start a business. I was wondering what would be the best way to get started besides going to a $5000 school. Ex: is there any DVD's, Books, etc and what all tools would I need?


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## txsbowhunter

Myb going to a local taxidermist shop and ask if you cam help around .... Thats wht im planing to do this summer after hunting seasons over....


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## SCWA

Ya thats what I was thinking would be a good idea. Do you guys know of any good DVD's?


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## kebees4

DVD's only give some basics. If you want to get good you need to work with someone that will show you some of the things not shown in DVD's. Try to finf someone to work with.


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## kahoff

Hey, I got that wild hair too right now. I am actually thinking about quitting my teaching job and a guarnteed paycheck to start doing taxidermy. I have been studing the profession for a few monthes now and working on a few practice projects. Try convincing your fiance and family to let you quit a guarnteed job to persue your dreams. I am working every extra minute I can right now on learning the trade. One really helpful resource I have found is taxidermytube.com It costs 20 bucks a month but it teaches you quite a bit of the basics. What I did was study the videos and took detailed notes so I don't have to renew my subscription next month. By doing this I have learned some of the basic supplies needed to get started and am currently working on two bird mounts and two deer mounts. The guy who makes most of the videos is Dan Rinehart who runs a taxidermy school. He shows you in pretty good detail how to do a pheasant mount, standing duck mount, deer shoulder mount, and a fox mount. Those are pretty much the basics since everything else is done similar to those animals. All I can say is good luck. It is hard work getting started and learning the basics but I hope it pays off for the both of us. Otherwise I will have one pissed off wife in the future.


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## scrapewatcher

most of you guys who want to get into it want to get into bussiness too fast. do yourself a big favor and take your time on that part of it. there are many great taxi's out there who aren't going to welcome you into their shop to produce their own competition. to make it your going to have to be good in all phases of taxidermy. do yo know which phase your best at and which one you can promote the best such as wildfowl, mamals, or fish? it takes awhile to master all of them. don't shoot yourself in the foot right off the bat by putting out crap. you will build your reputation on repeat business. your friends and family will be a lot more forgiving than the regular costumers that are shelling out hard earned money. take your time and do it part time and learn for awhile until you have confidence in your ability to be an artist. rushing into it will be very frustrating for you.


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## akcarnivore

I would find a local taxidermist as well. Thats what I did. Ive been working for a taxidermist for 3 or 4 years now and Its one of the neatest jobs ive had. I shot my 1st whitetail this fall and am doing a shoulder mount for cost of material. Its a good gig to get into. Money may not be the best but If you love what ya do that shouldnt matter. you also see alot of neat stuff.


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## bonecollectin

I don't know if you have vo-tech schools in your area but that is where I went to learn taxidermy you might check in to that because it only cost me $175. It was taught by a retired taxidermist. Hope this helps.


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## Wilkie

$5,000 is dirt cheap I charge $2,000 just to learn how to measure,skin,flesh,prep,mount and finish a whitetail. Tanning is done commercially, I could teach it but send everything out now.


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## Trophy Time

If you are really interested I have a bunch videos that I will sell, just let me know. You can start with the videos than if you wanted or needed more training on one particular area than you could always get more training from someone else. I think having a little knowlege first will help you retain more later.


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## TOPBOWARCHERY

I have an archery pro shop w/ a taxidermy business for sale in Michigan, been there for 19 years, moving out of the state.


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## archeryshooter

txsbowhunter said:


> Myb going to a local taxidermist shop and ask if you cam help around .... Thats wht im planing to do this summer after hunting seasons over....


Good luck with that! Hes trying to make a go at it would you show a guy down the road if you were him?


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## archeryshooter

scrapewatcher said:


> most of you guys who want to get into it want to get into bussiness too fast. Do yourself a big favor and take your time on that part of it. There are many great taxi's out there who aren't going to welcome you into their shop to produce their own competition. To make it your going to have to be good in all phases of taxidermy. Do yo know which phase your best at and which one you can promote the best such as wildfowl, mamals, or fish? It takes awhile to master all of them. Don't shoot yourself in the foot right off the bat by putting out crap. You will build your reputation on repeat business. Your friends and family will be a lot more forgiving than the regular costumers that are shelling out hard earned money. Take your time and do it part time and learn for awhile until you have confidence in your ability to be an artist. Rushing into it will be very frustrating for you.


amen


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## The Man

*hey man stop and think*

Man please dont be another one of the many who have totally messed up someones trophy, because you wanted to cut out the training. This is an art we are talking about here. If you want to do something then do it right. quit trying to reinvent the wheel. You have a chance to go some where and learn all the things not to do and the easiest way to do something. 5K up front is a lot cheaper than what your going to spend, and what your going to loose trying what your talking about. Dont deface the proffesion any worse. Taxidermy is an art, that requires first off tallent. second an education in animal anatomy, and a whole lot of people skills. When you open up a part time shop you are killing the good taxidermist. you are taking away potential customers, and taking food out of his familys mouth. 
Get your education, establish your credentals, and earn that place in the taxidermy field.
How would you like it if you needed a lawyer, a new office opened up in town and was the cheapest place around. You go to court and loose. Come to find out your lawyer was a taxidermist that that figured he could do just as good a job, and thought the money for law school was to high, so he skipped school bought some books and went to work. Same situation as where your at. Does it sound as good now?
Im not a taxidermist. but I tried what you are talking about while I was in high school. Lucky for me I only screwed up a few peoples mounts. I have a very close friend who went to school. He spent the money, and he is turning out very nice work, that is not going to decay over time. If you truely enjoy taxidermy, make it your passion. Dont just go in and goof around with it.
Sorry for the spelling was in a hurry


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## archeryshooter

Another thing to think about if you are a low dollar taxidermist you are going to attract people who may not have the money to began with and when it comes time to pick up thier mounts they maybe slow on that or not at all, and alot of them are more demanding. For the hunters out there why would you spend all the money on food plots ,4wheelers,land leases,topend bows,guns and whatever else to get that trophy and then try to find the cheapist taxidermist around to mount it? I for one knowing what I do now I would want one that has proved themselvs in taxidermy comp state or nationals just because your buddy sayes they are great and they have done it for a long time does'nt mean they are good.


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## scrapewatcher

i went to taxidermy school in 1980. i wasn't makin g much money but borrowed the money. i still waited 2 yrs to start a business and still didn't quit my job. do it part time while your paying your school loan. knowledge and practice is the key. if you go to school they will teach you the business end of the trade which is important as the quality end of it. i've known a few that were good taxidermist but ran the business end of it in the ground. if you do good work you will make the money you paid for school back in a couple yrs. the demand for good quality is there. if yout a veteran there are some taxi schools who are va approved. also think about what health insurance will cost you and your family if you have to pay for it yourself. its not cheap.


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## Brad66

There is no way that its worth 2 grand to teach someone how to measure and skin and flesh and then in the same breath tell them to send it out to be tanned. There are so many great in shop tans that can be done that turn out every bit as well as a tannery. If you cant flesh and tan and thin your own work then your not much of a taxidermist. 


Also, dont waste your time on taxidermytube. There are far better tutorials out there that are made by better taxidermists. Dan over looks a lot of things, in his classes he teaches people to use an earliner AND leave the ear cartilage in. If you want the best video for deer, you need to get Rick Carters dvd.


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## kwhit

*Taxidermy training/SCWA*

Hi SCWA,
Saw the thread about doing taxidermy, your best "BEST BET" would be too check out "Taxidermy Net.com" for help with getting your videos, books and supplies. Also one of the best things is to join a state taxidermy group..And make the trip to the competions..you have to enter any mounts to go..just become a member. Best thing I did when I did taxidermy, you will learn a lot from the seminars and check out some "GREAT'" mounts and also meet a number of folks who can give some excellent advice on any mounts you may have entered into the show!!!!:thumbs_up All this can be found on the above web site above. Best of luck with the "Art of Taxidermy"!!! I wish I still had time to do it:sad:


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## get er dun

kahoff said:


> Hey, I got that wild hair too right now. I am actually thinking about quitting my teaching job and a guarnteed paycheck to start doing taxidermy. I have been studing the profession for a few monthes now and working on a few practice projects. Try convincing your fiance and family to let you quit a guarnteed job to persue your dreams. I am working every extra minute I can right now on learning the trade. One really helpful resource I have found is taxidermytube.com It costs 20 bucks a month but it teaches you quite a bit of the basics. What I did was study the videos and took detailed notes so I don't have to renew my subscription next month. By doing this I have learned some of the basic supplies needed to get started and am currently working on two bird mounts and two deer mounts. The guy who makes most of the videos is Dan Rinehart who runs a taxidermy school. He shows you in pretty good detail how to do a pheasant mount, standing duck mount, deer shoulder mount, and a fox mount. Those are pretty much the basics since everything else is done similar to those animals. All I can say is good luck. It is hard work getting started and learning the basics but I hope it pays off for the both of us. Otherwise I will have one pissed off wife in the future.


quit your job? are you nuts? most of us are lucky to put food on the table.


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## get er dun

The Man said:


> Man please dont be another one of the many who have totally messed up someones trophy, because you wanted to cut out the training. This is an art we are talking about here. If you want to do something then do it right. quit trying to reinvent the wheel. You have a chance to go some where and learn all the things not to do and the easiest way to do something. 5K up front is a lot cheaper than what your going to spend, and what your going to loose trying what your talking about. Dont deface the proffesion any worse. Taxidermy is an art, that requires first off tallent. second an education in animal anatomy, and a whole lot of people skills. When you open up a part time shop you are killing the good taxidermist. you are taking away potential customers, and taking food out of his familys mouth.
> Get your education, establish your credentals, and earn that place in the taxidermy field.
> How would you like it if you needed a lawyer, a new office opened up in town and was the cheapest place around. You go to court and loose. Come to find out your lawyer was a taxidermist that that figured he could do just as good a job, and thought the money for law school was to high, so he skipped school bought some books and went to work. Same situation as where your at. Does it sound as good now?
> Im not a taxidermist. but I tried what you are talking about while I was in high school. Lucky for me I only screwed up a few peoples mounts. I have a very close friend who went to school. He spent the money, and he is turning out very nice work, that is not going to decay over time. If you truely enjoy taxidermy, make it your passion. Dont just go in and goof around with it.
> Sorry for the spelling was in a hurry


AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is enough hacks already


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## JerseyJays

i dumped close to $30,000 in 8 months to learn taxidermy from Pennsylvania Institute of Taxidermy... here I am, less than 4 years into things, and I took 2009 Garden States Best All Around Taxidermist...

www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

school is paid off already and profit is coming in.

if you're young enough to jump in to a 8 month long class, this is the place to go.


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## camotoe

Funny to happen upon this thread, as I was just yesterday checking out taxidermy schools online. If I were in your shoes, I'd start slow. Maybe you can take a few classes here and there, to see if it's something you really have a hankering for and a talent for. One school (I think in Kansas) has the entire curriculum broken down and they concentrate on various aspects...fish, birds, small mammals, big game, etc. Personally I would only be interested in whitetails, fox, turkey and pheasants...I don't have any interest in learning to mount fish, or small game. If you took say one class in shoulder mounts for whitetails, and you pay for it and see, you want to learn more, and that you're really gifted, then proceed. I think there are lots of people out there who think they would be interested, but might find it a little tedious after a while. Also maybe not confident enough to be responsible for someone's trophy. You can see some folks actually working on mounts on You tube. If you're not too familiar with how it's done, it might give you some more insight as to the techniques. Wish you luck!


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