Taxidermy, Rug, Prices...

[Arn?Narn.]

Well guys, I'm not much of a fur hunter. More a meat kinda guy, with the hide left behind.

I decided that this years bear may be my last and would like to have the hide turned into a rug.

I am in Grande Prairie and would appreciate any advice on where I could bring it,..whether it needs to be prepared at all be fore bringing it, and approximate cost.

I have skinned out many a rabbit and fox and coyote and such and salted and smoked them,..brained a few as well, but have no idea what to do to have a decent rug that will last a few years ...

Thanks again.

[flyguyd]

As long as youve skinned it , if you can take the head out and do it right go ahead , if not and your going to the taxi guy in the next month lay it out as flat as possible in the freezer if you can it will thaw that much faster at the taxidermists. If you can do the fleshing and the paws it will save you a couple bucks but if you do it wrong therepair costs may be more than the savings

[clakjp]

Skin it out leave the paws and the skull in it as you probably wount do it right.No offence. Fold it in half and roll it up. and take it to get done asap.DO NOT SALT.... I was going to get mine done but it is $235-255
per foot. That is from the nose to tail.After 6" it is rounded up.Also you can get then to tan it and do it later if you can not aford it.Mine was 6'8" and I figured it to be just over$1600 so I am just tanning mine for now.


Good luck as I would look around because I have seen some real bad rugs.

[Double Shovel]

If you can don't "roll" it up,Fold it if you can.This is what I suggest.What can happen if you roll up a big critter is the outside thaws and the inside is froze still.also if you roll it up it can have the reverse effect and take a couple days to freeze the inside.If you fold it up like an accordian,paws on the outside,it can be hung to thaw and it will thaw out evenly and can be worked on all at once.I have got rolled up hides where you flesh and salt the hide but have to wait for the paws to thaw.If you can, (you might not because of the wife)leave it in the freezer out of the bag,rolled out for a few hours to really cool down then go back and fold it then you are assured the inside isn't warm.$255 per foot seems steep?

[flyguyd]

Originally Posted by Double Shovel

.$255 per foot seems steep?

X2

[clakjp]

I called 2 taxiderists and I have seen both of there work and I was impressed.But when I herd the prise I was not.I can get the best tanning job done money can buy for a couple hundred.I will find a cheeper one to do the work.

[-CLM-]

$255/foot is absolutely nuts and robbery IMO! I am sure if you shop around you could find someone to do it for around $175/foot.

[nube]

The guy that does mine does them for $1000 no matter the size. Skinning of paws and head extra but the taxidermy work is very good and if you skin everything out you can get a rug for $1000

[clakjp]

Originally Posted by nube

The guy that does mine does them for $1000 no matter the size. Skinning of paws and head extra but the taxidermy work is very good and if you skin everything out you can get a rug for $1000

Who is doing yours? That is a good price.post a pic of your bear rug.

[V45 sabre]

where is silver willow taxidermy located that is a great price and a nice looking rug.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by V45 sabre

where is silver willow taxidermy located that is a great price and a nice looking rug.

Yes, Curtis does good work. I don't have rug by him but I do have 5 heads and more on the way.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by 209x50

Yes, Curtis does good work. I don't have rug by him but I do have 5 heads and more on the way.

You have 5 heads??????....LOL...sorry been a long day!!!!!

[nube]

Richard Page does mine, just outside of Sherwood Park.
Curtis does great work from what I have seen also and reccomend him from what I have heard and seen. Cot sure where he lives but if you are close enough to him I would say you wouldn't be dissapointed as well.
I don't have pictures of my bear rugs but I will say will Richard Page's bears you also can't go wrong especially for $1000 a rug no matter the size.

[7mmremmag]

Wow 255$ a foot is very steep, a rip off in my mind!!! My taxidermist will do a 6 ft bear for 800$ And he does great work on bears!

[209x50]

Originally Posted by hal53

You have 5 heads??????....LOL...sorry been a long day!!!!!

LOL! Actually quite a few more but the most recent 5 were done by Curtis.

[clakjp]

Originally Posted by 7mmremmag

Wow 255$ a foot is very steep, a rip off in my mind!!! My taxidermist will do a 6 ft bear for 800$ And he does great work on bears!

That is what I thought as well.That is why I am not getting mine done from him.

[clakjp]

Originally Posted by nube

Richard Page does mine, just outside of Sherwood Park.
Curtis does great work from what I have seen also and reccomend him from what I have heard and seen. Cot sure where he lives but if you are close enough to him I would say you wouldn't be dissapointed as well.
I don't have pictures of my bear rugs but I will say will Richard Page's bears you also can't go wrong especially for $1000 a rug no matter the size.

Thanks Nube.

[nube]

Originally Posted by clakjp

Thanks Nube.

No problem. It looks like there are a lot of prices about the same that everyone is getting. I just think $230-255 is a total rip off for a bear rug. They take a pile of work to do but that is steep for sure. Whatever the price make sure you are getting good work done and you will be happy. Check a few pictures or recent rugs done to make sure yours will be done right. Nothing worse than a crappy bear rug.

[clakjp]

Originally Posted by nube

No problem. It looks like there are a lot of prices about the same that everyone is getting. I just think $230-255 is a total rip off for a bear rug. They take a pile of work to do but that is steep for sure. Whatever the price make sure you are getting good work done and you will be happy. Check a few pictures or recent rugs done to make sure yours will be done right. Nothing worse than a crappy bear rug.

I know my old man shot one the same color as the grizz in the pics that shedcrazy posted in the other thread.The taxi did the crapiest job I have ever seen.The tan job turned it like cardboard and the glue job was brutal as you can see the back side of the hide on both sides of the paws on all four.So on the other hand I see what cheep getts but all you guy are right 230-255 is out to lunch.

[ishootbambi]

my guy here in the hat is 125 a foot, and his work is beautiful.

[V45 sabre]

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

my guy here in the hat is 125 a foot, and his work is beautiful.

Where in Medicine hat do you get your work done. That sounds like a really good price for good work.

[Donny Bear]

Rip off Rip off Rip Off

So I am no taxidermist nor do I want to be but why is a decent wage a rip off I see some punk spend a day on a piece of equipment and he wants operators rates the next day.

Some wood butcher calls himself a framer and wants top dollar

What do you guys want paid for your time

go to the guy you want but no matter what a person feels his time is worth he will make it or not called the supply and demand market!!!

I have an aquaintence got his Bison from last year back in three months looked great and saved 1600.00 dollars well a horn popped off and he found out it was shrinkage when the hide was not properly thinned for tanning so it cracking and he is some ticked but hey it was a good deal.

Some guys are cheap have low overhead do good work and are happy with that go to them thats perfect and I am not saying you will have problems or regrets excellent!!!

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by V45 sabre

Where in Medicine hat do you get your work done. That sounds like a really good price for good work.

pm sent...dont wanna get hollered at for advertising. deer are 600 for a shoulder mount. good price anywhere. when i get a minute ill post some pics.

[nube]

Originally Posted by Donny Bear

Rip off Rip off Rip Off

Some wood butcher calls himself a framer and wants top dollar

What do you guys want paid for your time

Well donny here are a few calculations for you to understand my thinking.

Here is what i believe is the price for the taxidermist on costs:
Tanning $200?
Form$50
Eyes$15
hide paste and felt and other stuff$100

I think that is pretty generous but I could be wrong
So $365 for costs let's round it up to an even $400 just for fun

So if he charges $1000 and let's figure 8 hours profit is $600 then that is $75 an hour.

At he rate that you would be more likely to pay since you figure higher priced is bette quality let's do the math.

$235 a foot like previously mentioned for an average 6 foot bear is $1410
which ends up around $126 an hour.

Now I don't know about you but I make a very good wage at less than $45 and to me if you are making more than $50 an hour I would say I feel like it is too much. How much do you think is too much????
Just curious.

[Double Shovel]

I wish I could do a bear rug in 8hr.From the time the bear is dropped off,froze in a lump,thaw,skin the head,remove the feet,(sometimes re-skin because of all the meat left on)salt and dry for shipping.Then go to F&W to get export permit to ship hides out of province ($)to get tanned(because Western Fur in Edm charges too much and takes TOO long),Then get it back and put the head in it,install jawset,then put it on the stretcher to dry again.Then trim all down and give to the wife to stitch the backing on.(Glued ones are not right IMO).Once she is done then take it back into the shop for finishing .I could cut the hrs down by glueing it but it is not clean in my opinion.Also I pay my wife a wage (because she won't take anything else in trade,lol)when she sews them up .If I were to do the sewing myself I probably wouldn't be doing the rugs.One time I had three hours just sewing skinning holes on a hide before it could have the head put in and stretched.Sometimes it is not all roses.Nube is right about the cost end of it but figure in a little more labour.
There seems to be a mind set that there is a lot of money to be made in taxidermy.Each job is different,some you make more than others but in the end it is really not much different than a regular everyday run of the mill job.That is if you figure in every expense from Utilities to the time alone put into it.We just ran the numbers here for tax time so it is fresh in my mind.Most taxidermists do it because they are passionate about it,those are the guys that will do the good work.

[Andythehillbilly]

Originally Posted by Double Shovel

I wish I could do a bear rug in 8hr.From the time the bear is dropped off,froze in a lump,thaw,skin the head,remove the feet,(sometimes re-skin because of all the meat left on)salt and dry for shipping.Then go to F&W to get export permit to ship hides out of province ($)to get tanned(because Western Fur in Edm charges too much and takes TOO long),Then get it back and put the head in it,install jawset,then put it on the stretcher to dry again.Then trim all down and give to the wife to stitch the backing on.(Glued ones are not right IMO).Once she is done then take it back into the shop for finishing .I could cut the hrs down by glueing it but it is not clean in my opinion.Also I pay my wife a wage (because she won't take anything else in trade,lol)when she sews them up .If I were to do the sewing myself I probably wouldn't be doing the rugs.One time I had three hours just sewing skinning holes on a hide before it could have the head put in and stretched.Sometimes it is not all roses.Nube is right about the cost end of it but figure in a little more labour.
There seems to be a mind set that there is a lot of money to be made in taxidermy.Each job is different,some you make more than others but in the end it is really not much different than a regular everyday run of the mill job.That is if you figure in every expense from Utilities to the time alone put into it.We just ran the numbers here for tax time so it is fresh in my mind.Most taxidermists do it because they are passionate about it,those are the guys that will do the good work.

Well said Double! I wish I could even come close to 8 hours in a bear rug. It's probably closer to 20 for me.

[Donny Bear]

Originally Posted by nube

Well donny here are a few calculations for you to understand my thinking.

Here is what i believe is the price for the taxidermist on costs:
Tanning $200?
Form$50
Eyes$15
hide paste and felt and other stuff$100

I think that is pretty generous but I could be wrong
So $365 for costs let's round it up to an even $400 just for fun

So if he charges $1000 and let's figure 8 hours profit is $600 then that is $75 an hour.

At he rate that you would be more likely to pay since you figure higher priced is bette quality let's do the math.

$235 a foot like previously mentioned for an average 6 foot bear is $1410
which ends up around $126 an hour.

Now I don't know about you but I make a very good wage at less than $45 and to me if you are making more than $50 an hour I would say I feel like it is too much. How much do you think is too much????
Just curious.

Well let me see at 100 per hour in Red Deer the first 16 hrs or two rugs each month go to shop rent and then another rug to utilities. so thats 3 per month and you have yet to advertise pay for your phone web site upkeep and the rest of the little things life call business. You give up another rug or two in customer relations time we talking you know doing the sales so to speak.

BLA BLA BLA I run a business and nothing is free but time is money. while one guy uses 15 dollar eyes the next use 6 dollar eyes and the other 36 dollar eyes. Jaw sets run up to 100 bucks is the backing glued or stitched and well tanning is wll over 200 bucks I just priced out bears and paid 2200 just for tanning on daJimmers Bison the Cape was 1200 of that.

A crap I am babbling I just think if ford charges 145 per hour for a mechanic and I can't fix my own truck then I can pay a decent wage for a Taxidermist cause I can't mount my own animals and some people can do that to but they well hobbies are for fun not for feeding your family.

[Double Shovel]

I would say between fleshing,prepping,mounting and finishing including my wifes time I would say we would have 12-16hrs into a bear pending on the size and condition we get it in.

[nube]

Originally Posted by Double Shovel

I would say between fleshing,prepping,mounting and finishing including my wifes time I would say we would have 12-16hrs into a bear pending on the size and condition we get it in.

Good to know. What is the cost of materials roughly?

[flyguyd]

Originally Posted by nube

Good to know. What is the cost of materials roughly?

Cost of materials is about what you said before , Just double the labor