Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Hunting Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-15-2018, 07:26 PM
double gun double gun is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Alberta
Posts: 4,279
Default Solitude taxidermy in spruce grove

Anybody here ever used solitude taxidermy for European mounts? If so, please let me know what you thought of their work. (Feel free to private message if you would be more comfortable)
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-15-2018, 08:15 PM
Smokinyotes Smokinyotes is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: onoway, Ab
Posts: 6,956
Default

They did my white tail from 2016 and my wife’s and my mule deer from 2017. Reasonable price and very quick.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-15-2018, 08:27 PM
double gun double gun is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Alberta
Posts: 4,279
Default

Thanks. How was the quality of work? Any grease showing up now?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-15-2018, 08:31 PM
Smokinyotes Smokinyotes is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: onoway, Ab
Posts: 6,956
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by double gun View Post
Thanks. How was the quality of work? Any grease showing up now?
Pm coming at ya.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-15-2018, 10:04 PM
Lefty-Canuck's Avatar
Lefty-Canuck Lefty-Canuck is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Look behind you :)
Posts: 27,775
Default

They do their own tanning so turn around is much quicker.

LC
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-16-2018, 09:48 AM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

Looks like fantastic work they do. I'd have no problem taking anything to them.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-16-2018, 12:37 PM
trophybook trophybook is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: West of the 5th
Posts: 954
Default

Great place, amazing work and attention to detail. And fast
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-16-2018, 04:37 PM
Sooner Sooner is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,650
Default

I was recommended them by a fellow AO'er. Been to their shop to drop off the kids 54 inch moose. He caped it and gave me back the head. Hide is tanned and he is waiting on us to bring bullwinkle in to get a shoulder mount. Wicked stuff in his showroom and super nice people. Wife and hubby team. Had lots of Euros on the go, the finished ones looked good.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-18-2018, 11:11 AM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

My impression of Darren and his wife is they provide a quality product and they themselves aren't happy until their customers are happy. I'm personally looking forward to having them do some taxidermy work for me and meeting them in person.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-18-2018, 01:26 PM
1shotwade 1shotwade is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Live tohunt,hunt to live
Posts: 1,176
Default

I get nothing but compliments on there work that proudly is displayed on my wall!!! Great work!!!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 03-18-2018, 08:12 PM
dan1 dan1 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Edmonton, Ab
Posts: 457
Default

I've heard nothing but fantastic things from them.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 03-18-2018, 09:08 PM
Thunder Elk Hunter's Avatar
Thunder Elk Hunter Thunder Elk Hunter is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Busby
Posts: 781
Default

top notch work on my wolf rug. Their wolf mounts are a must see.
__________________
moochers electing looters to steal from producers:

some day I'll shoot a deer bigger than my son's.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 03-30-2018, 09:34 PM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

Dropped off my fox to Darren and Carolyn at solitude taxidermy today. Great folks that are passionate about their work. The birds,bears, deer and other critters from gods green earth that they showed me are second to none as far as I can see. Can't wait to get my fox back and show it here.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-01-2018, 12:21 PM
Bassett's Avatar
Bassett Bassett is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 2,751
Default

Awesome people with incredible work.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-01-2018, 02:49 PM
Willieb Willieb is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5
Default

Did my 2016 muley and my buddies too. Turn around time was 3 months. Wife at first wasn’t keen on putting it anywhere it would be seen. Now it’s front and centre in our bonus room. Darren and Carolyn are avid outdoorsmen and their attention to detail speaks volume. I would definitely not hesitate taking any work to them.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 04-04-2018, 08:12 AM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunder Elk Hunter View Post
top notch work on my wolf rug. Their wolf mounts are a must see.
They had a great horned owl waiting to be picked up and some kind of a hawk just getting finished. After looking at Carolyn’s owl I wanted to come home and throw mine in the bush. Beautiful work they do.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 04-04-2018, 08:31 PM
huntin'fool's Avatar
huntin'fool huntin'fool is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 821
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Norwest Alta View Post
They had a great horned owl waiting to be picked up and some kind of a hawk just getting finished. After looking at Carolyn’s owl I wanted to come home and throw mine in the bush. Beautiful work they do.
I don't know why, but that made me lol. I can just picture a guy hucking a full mount bird in complete disgust into the bush in his backyard...and calling it stupid names just for good measure.

But yes, Darren and Carolyn are super people who are really good at what they do.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 04-23-2018, 09:29 PM
rady0601 rady0601 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 21
Default

Wow, I really like that bear rug. How much did that run you to get it made?
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 04-24-2018, 08:21 PM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

After talking and meeting with Darren and Carolyn at solitude I’d be hard pressed to go anyplace else. The price for my fox was right in the ballpark with any taxidermists that I talked to but after talking with them and sensing the pride they take in their workmanship it was a no brainer for me.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 04-25-2018, 10:32 AM
Sooner Sooner is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,650
Default

Dropped the kids beast of a bull moose off at Solitude last night and he chose his form. We now wait for Darren's masterful reconstruction. Some real fine people over there.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 06-24-2018, 12:57 PM
Sooner Sooner is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,650
Default

My son's moose is back from Solitude Taxidermy. Wow does not cover our feelings on what Darren gave back to us. The beast is back, looks amazing and it was an absolute great experience dealing with Darren & Carolyn.


FYI: every time we were by the shop, Carolyn was working on another bird. She does amazing work on the feathered critters, Darren on the 4 legged ones.

Thanks Basset on AO for the recommendation, you were right, we were not disappointed.


jpg.gif S7 - June 2018 060.jpg (30.8 KB)
jpg.gif S7 - June 2018 061.jpg (29.6 KB)
jpg.gif S7 - June 2018 062.jpg (30.2 KB)
Attached Images
File Type: jpg S7 - June 2018 060.jpg (30.8 KB, 404 views)
File Type: jpg S7 - June 2018 061.jpg (29.6 KB, 274 views)
File Type: jpg S7 - June 2018 062.jpg (30.2 KB, 304 views)
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 06-24-2018, 01:57 PM
sns2's Avatar
sns2 sns2 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,446
Default

I love reading threads like this. So much better than the never ending taxidermist ripped me off threads.

Lovely moose.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 06-24-2018, 03:45 PM
Smokinyotes Smokinyotes is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: onoway, Ab
Posts: 6,956
Default

I had never heard of Solitude Taxidermy until last fall. I had a Darren do a whitetail and mine and the wife’s mule deer in euro mounts. They look great and his turnaround time is second to none. I was hoping to take a bear to solitude this spring but that didn’t happen.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 06-24-2018, 07:14 PM
Ronji Ronji is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 840
Default Solitude

Darren recently tanned by cougar, and a friends cougar as well. Great job, and really down to earth. His wife does awesome bird work.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 06-24-2018, 09:37 PM
Grizzly Adams's Avatar
Grizzly Adams Grizzly Adams is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 21,399
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassett View Post
Awesome people with incredible work.
That is nice, More pics please.

Grizz
__________________
"Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal."
John E. Pfeiffer The Emergence of Man
written in 1969
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 06-25-2018, 05:22 AM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

As far as I'm concerned the turn around time and workmanship is 2nd to none. The previous taxidermy I've had done by others waa 1-2 years be here I had it back in my house. I dropped my fox off on the Easter weekend and he called me a couple of weeks ago asking if he could keep it for the upcoming trappers rendezvous.

I should add that Carolyn and her birds are fantastic. A guy might have to flip a coin to decide who's prettier.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 06-25-2018, 09:35 AM
Sooner Sooner is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,650
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Norwest Alta View Post
As far as I'm concerned the turn around time and workmanship is 2nd to none. The previous taxidermy I've had done by others waa 1-2 years be here I had it back in my house. I dropped my fox off on the Easter weekend and he called me a couple of weeks ago asking if he could keep it for the upcoming trappers rendezvous.

I should add that Carolyn and her birds are fantastic. A guy might have to flip a coin to decide who's prettier.
I am pretty sure my son & I seen your fox mount when we picked up Mr Moose. That fox is incredible.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 06-25-2018, 03:06 PM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooner View Post
I am pretty sure my son & I seen your fox mount when we picked up Mr Moose. That fox is incredible.
Was it a silver fox? He's keeping me in suspense lol.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 06-25-2018, 03:52 PM
Sooner Sooner is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,650
Default

maybeeeeee

I would not want to add to the suspense but he is a bit of a tease that way, sent me a pic of mr moose's eye, an ear and then 1 horn just before he was completed lol.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 06-25-2018, 03:58 PM
Norwest Alta Norwest Alta is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooner View Post
maybeeeeee

I would not want to add to the suspense but he is a bit of a tease that way, sent me a pic of mr moose's eye, an ear and then 1 horn just before he was completed lol.
Haha. They both are great people and do fantastic work.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.