BEWARE - Game Preserve Taxidermy

huntinggr81 · #1 05-12-2017, 12:45 PM

I took this cougar to Jeanette in September 2013 to get a rug done. She seemed quite pleasant to deal with & assured me she would have rug done within a year. Over the past three and a half years I have been given the runaround with nothing but lies & excuses. Finally in February I demanded that she give me back my cougar - finished or not. She assured me that it would be done at end of April. I contacted her on April 29th & she told me I could pick it up at Western Fur Tannery where it had been mounted on the felt. I called Western & they told me it wasn't done & they didn't really want to put it on felt, because it was in such poor condition. I was shocked to hear this, and asked if they could send me some pictures. The pictures said it all & I'm not having it finished, as it is a brutal mount, but still cost me my $600 deposit. Western also informed me that Jeanette had just dropped it off the previous week & had asked them to rush it so would be mounted on felt for the end of April. Since 2013 I have heard from several others who have also had taxidermy nightmares with Game Preserve Taxidermy. A good buddy of mine took in a beautiful coyote for full mount & when he picked it up she told him it wasn't the same coyote that he had dropped off & it was going to be $200 more than the original price that had been agreed upon. Another acquaintance took in a lynx for full mount, and again was shocked when he picked it up only to find out was a totally different lynx than the one he dropped off. If you are thinking of taking an animal in for mounting to Game Preserve Taxidermy then do yourself a favor & DON'T.

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1bowhunter12 · #2 05-12-2017, 12:56 PM

It's amazing how many dirt bag taxidermists are out there that can't do there job... To bad about your loss.. I've had similar experiences .. Thanks for the heads up..

wildwoods · #3 05-12-2017, 01:03 PM

Wow you would have to try to get a "mount" that awful. Sorry for your trouble that's unreal

Norwest Alta · #4 05-12-2017, 01:59 PM

Is she vision impaired? That is horrible.

fallen1817 · #5 05-12-2017, 02:16 PM

What an unfortunate thing to happen to such a trophy

Hunter4ever12 · #6 05-12-2017, 02:19 PM

My god!! That is beyond horrible and such a waste. Sorry to hear about your experience. That place needs to be shut down!!

camprobber · #7 05-12-2017, 02:40 PM

I know a guy who had an antelope mounted he harvested in Wyoming and he wanted some natural grass from down there incorporated into the habitat, she used straw , looks like this isn't her first kick at the cat ruining people's trophies. What a joke, sorry for seeing your trophy ruined as well.

hoyt hntr · #8 05-12-2017, 03:09 PM

She should be shut down. It's too bad that taxidermy isn't a regulated trade. I feel bad for the good ones that are honest and take care in there finished product, that they all get too call themselves taxidermists. She should be charged with wasting that hide. I hope Cabelas is proud too have her as a pro staff maybe they can give her some taxidermy work.

bonedogg · #9 05-12-2017, 03:36 PM

I feel bad for the OP, tough one to swallow for sure..... but, I'm thinking the cougar is one of the most difficult animals to get right. Based on the lack of experience and minimal cats in her portfolio, I think it was a disaster waiting to happen! Did the tannery happen to use a different type of acid? Bruin in Calgary here is having a legal battle I believe with Western Fur Tannery as they fudged up a bunch of his cougar hides he was getting done for clients(buddy was one of them) by using a different acid in the tanning phase. this one hurts for sure!!!!!!!!I wonder what animal she used for reference on those ears..........ouch!!!!!

Ultimate Predator · #10 05-12-2017, 03:54 PM

Biggest rip off women there is some how my cougar hide ended up in the garbage !!!!

huntinggr81 · #11 05-12-2017, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonedogg

I feel bad for the OP, tough one to swallow for sure..... but, I'm thinking the cougar is one of the most difficult animals to get right. Based on the lack of experience and minimal cats in her portfolio, I think it was a disaster waiting to happen! Did the tannery happen to use a different type of acid? Bruin in Calgary here is having a legal battle I believe with Western Fur Tannery as they fudged up a bunch of his cougar hides he was getting done for clients(buddy was one of them) by using a different acid in the tanning phase. this one hurts for sure!!!!!!!!I wonder what animal she used for reference on those ears..........ouch!!!!!

Lol...I have nicknamed it Shrek the cat

hayseed · #12 05-12-2017, 04:17 PM

Man oh man..... That would be tough to swallow...

Is there anything that can be done or that's it???

Norwest Alta · #13 05-12-2017, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinggr81

Lol...I have nicknamed it Shrek the cat

Lol. I showed my wife the pictures. She said "oh god, what is it."

huntinggr81 · #14 05-12-2017, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayseed

Man oh man..... That would be tough to swallow...

Is there anything that can be done or that's it???

I thought about calling her after I got the picture from Western Fur Tannery, and then thought better of it. The whole situation has stressed me out enough, and would be just wasting my breath & getting more angry about it. Just want to make sure no one else has to go through this with her if possible.

Hooter · #15 05-12-2017, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinggr81

Lol...I have nicknamed it Shrek the cat

I couldn't put my finger on it, but the ears do look like Shrek!!!

To the OP, sorry that you had to go through this. Brutal!

Jamie Black R/T · #16 05-12-2017, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinggr81

I thought about calling her after I got the picture from Western Fur Tannery, and then thought better of it. The whole situation has stressed me out enough, and would be just wasting my breath & getting more angry about it. Just want to make sure no one else has to go through this with her if possible.

Call Cabelas Canada instead....they chose to give her a Prostaff position.

338 Rules · #17 05-12-2017, 05:13 PM

Wow that is SAD!

Had a very bad experience once with a taxidermist who ruined my beautiful P&Y Bear.

All I gotta say about taxidermists is Qualify, Qualify, Qualify and Qualify even more, then Qualify again!

Sorry about your cat huntinggr81

ex811 · #18 05-12-2017, 05:53 PM

Condolences on the loss of your fine trophy...hope you took lots of quality field pics.
Is there anything that can be done to salvage the hide?

huntinggr81 · #19 05-12-2017, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex811

Condolences on the loss of your fine trophy...hope you took lots of quality field pics.
Is there anything that can be done to salvage the hide?

We are going to rough it onto a form & use it to train dogs.

double gun · #20 05-12-2017, 06:20 PM

That hurts. I would take it to a good taxidermist like Ken Walker and see what he says. Some taxidermists are wizards and can work magic even with a brutal mount like that. Perhaps he can rehydrate the skin, and get it off that form and maybe do a shoulder mount or something else.

He (Ken) sewed multiple elk skins together to do a prehistoric Irish elk mount for a museum and it looks absolutely awesome.

But damn that's ugly. My condolences...

J0HN_R1 · #21 05-12-2017, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

Call Cabelas Canada instead....they chose to give her a Prostaff position.

Cabela's Canada Corporate Office
25 De Baets Street
Winnipeg, MB R2J 4G5

Head Office: (204) 788 4867

I'm gonna call, and I don't even have a dog in this race.

My sympathy to the OP... What a shame !

huntinggr81 · #22 05-12-2017, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camprobber

I know a guy who had an antelope mounted he harvested in Wyoming and he wanted some natural grass from down there incorporated into the habitat, she used straw , looks like this isn't her first kick at the cat ruining people's trophies. What a joke, sorry for seeing your trophy ruined as well.

And here it is. What a joke is right. Nice "natural habitat". Brutal.

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J0HN_R1 · #23 05-12-2017, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinggr81

And here it is. What a joke is right. Nice "natural habitat". Brutal.

Wow... I giggled when I saw it, she should be ashamed of herself.
I'm no trophy hunter or taxidermist, but even I can say that's a joke...

THEBUGLER · #24 05-12-2017, 07:57 PM

Wow she really dinked that one. She should of been upfront about this and dealt with it properly.

dutch_m · #25 05-12-2017, 08:16 PM

Shameful and I'm sorry to hear and see this

I had a scumbag taxidermist rip me off a few years ago , I waited till the big sportsman show in Edmonton , took a bunch of buds from the base and went to confront him , same lies and story's , I just reached up and grabbed a big buck that was his off the wall and said thanks , this makes it even

Went outside and he came flying out with a couple friends , was pretty tense and it was good , I knocked him down and threw that big buck at him while he was down on the ground , busted tines flying everywhere , then I took a bunch of posters I had made up , showed him and put then I put them up all over that show ,

He ended up crying foul to the military police on the base , when they got the whole story , they called him and funny how fast I got my head back

The SOB had ripped many people off and lots on here , he's dead now and I hope rotting good in the ground

Only thing to do is everyone call cabelas and shame her , people need to know about these crooks , put posters up at every sportsman show that hits Calgary and Edmonton

ganderblaster · #26 05-12-2017, 08:24 PM

While t is unfortunate about the mount,did you not do your research before hand? There are very gifted taxidermists that are sponsors of this forum with a great reputation. Why did you not go to them?

Ultimate Predator · #27 05-12-2017, 08:37 PM

ANY BODY DO NOT DO NOT GO TO THIS SCAM ARTIST !!!! Isould like to call that cow alot more but do not go there!!!!

huntinggr81 · #28 05-12-2017, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ganderblaster

While t is unfortunate about the mount,did you not do your research before hand? There are very gifted taxidermists that are sponsors of this forum with a great reputation. Why did you not go to them?

Unfortunately for me she was recommended to me by a good friend & her work in the past was better than this. As well she is a local & less than 45 minutes from my house so I wanted to give her a try. I have many mounts in my house that are absolute pieces of art done by other taxidermists.

Diverdan66 · #29 05-12-2017, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutch_m

Shameful and I'm sorry to hear and see this

I had a scumbag taxidermist rip me off a few years ago , I waited till the big sportsman show in Edmonton , took a bunch of buds from the base and went to confront him , same lies and story's , I just reached up and grabbed a big buck that was his off the wall and said thanks , this makes it even

Went outside and he came flying out with a couple friends , was pretty tense and it was good , I knocked him down and threw that big buck at him while he was down on the ground , busted tines flying everywhere , then I took a bunch of posters I had made up , showed him and put then I put them up all over that show ,

He ended up crying foul to the military police on the base , when they got the whole story , they called him and funny how fast I got my head back

The SOB had ripped many people off and lots on here , he's dead now and I hope rotting good in the ground

Only thing to do is everyone call cabelas and shame her , people need to know about these crooks , put posters up at every sportsman show that hits Calgary and Edmonton

Okay, I rarely post here because of the stuff I read, and this may be the last... You're proud of this behavior because of why? Yeash, nice way to represent our military. Way to justify the reputation that members of our military have... 35 going on 8. I'm sorry, I can usually bite my tongue. Grow up, I hope you do
Not have kids that you model this exceptional behavior for.

winger7mm · #30 05-12-2017, 09:22 PM

I have a few questions, I have seen both good and bad mounts from them. More good though. Anyways Does the taxidermist do all the fleshing and that type of stuff before it goes to a tannery?? Or do they do the skinning side of things?? Now since the cat had to get tanned BEFORE the head mount was done, As a taxidermist is getting a hide back in terrible shape like that common?? After it got mounted, why would it have to go back to the tannery to get the felt put on?? Is that normal practice too??