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Taxidermist legal options

My taxidermist died last year. I've been by his home (ran the business from home) several times, leaving my number with his late wife who says she is passing the info onto whomever is taking care of the sorting but have yet to hear anything back. A call to the division revealed they have zero authority to pursue the return of my bear hide as it is a business matter. At this point I have no idea what to do...
Bambi, will the police really escort me onto someone else's property to retrieve what's mine?
 
Hang in there! Its rough. I lost my biggest Antelope to a deadbeat taxidermist. He tried to pawn off a lesser buck as mine. I think he sold it. I looked into legal options and they are very limited. Its Lee's Taxidermy in Prescott WI.
 
This is exactly why I insist on shooting dinks. :) We cut the antlers off and let the dog chew on them.

Hope the taxi makes it right!
 
I texted him over the weekend and got no reply. Called yesterday and stopped by his shop...no dice. text him today that I wanted to come get it tonight whether or not its finished. He replied that he is out of town until next Wednesday and it will be ready for pickup on the 20th. Maybe he has the hide tanned and form there just hasn't put it together yet? Any taxidermist care to comment on total timeline for something like this start to finish?
 
I texted him over the weekend and got no reply. Called yesterday and stopped by his shop...no dice. text him today that I wanted to come get it tonight whether or not its finished. He replied that he is out of town until next Wednesday and it will be ready for pickup on the 20th. Maybe he has the hide tanned and form there just hasn't put it together yet? Any taxidermist care to comment on total timeline for something like this start to finish?

out of town my a$$, I would go over there and sit and wait if it were me and I would tell him that is what I'm doing and see what he says then :) What a low life.
 
I told him I felt this was another bogus deadline and I paid him the full amount in good faith that he would prioritize it. I got the medical issues and family member about to pass away. I still plan on stopping by there tonight again.
 
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Did you end up getting your mount? The very first animal I was going to get mounted was a chipmunk and the guy I gave it to me took 20 bucks and never did it. Maybe 5 years later I was on a hunting forum for NY and I mentioned the incident and ended up getting a series of pm's from the guy saying it wasn't right I was bashing him. He ended up not having any records of it even though I had duplicates of the paperwork. I know a chipmunk isn't a deer, but i was pretty young then and I really was excited to have it. Sorry you had to go through this, it really sucks.
 
Was wondering about this as well. As a new hunter I seem to constantly run into horror stories about taxidermists. Hope you wind up getting this mount!
 
All due respect, but why would you pay full fee up front? That naturally and automatically puts the project a little lower in priority, in most cases, regardless of the level of professional integrity. But I do encourage you to pursue the issue to your satisfaction.

No offense meant, ATbuckhunter ... I would have been just as nutty in my youth ... but I would not today affirm my nuttiness on a public hunting forum ... a $20 chipmunk? Really?
 
As as officer... I'd ask for an officer standby to retrieve your items when the shop is open (if it is ever opened again. Otherwise, you're probably pretty screwed unless you go through small claims and take him for monetary loss of the tag, processing, and what you paid for the mount. Still probably won't get your mount back but maybe you'd be lucky?
 
Hang in there! Its rough. I lost my biggest Antelope to a deadbeat taxidermist. He tried to pawn off a lesser buck as mine. I think he sold it. I looked into legal options and they are very limited. Its Lee's Taxidermy in Prescott WI.

I'll remember that as well. Won't be getting business from me! One of my good friends owns Schutts Taxidermy in Wheeler, WI. Check him out on FB.
 
All due respect, but why would you pay full fee up front? That naturally and automatically puts the project a little lower in priority, in most cases, regardless of the level of professional integrity. But I do encourage you to pursue the issue to your satisfaction.

No offense meant, ATbuckhunter ... I would have been just as nutty in my youth ... but I would not today affirm my nuttiness on a public hunting forum ... a $20 chipmunk? Really?

Well it was going to be 150, but 20 bucks was what the guy wanted to start the work. Not sure why I wanted to do it, but I thought it would be pretty cool at the time (I believe I was maybe 13). I've seen some pretty cool chipmunk mounts though.
 
I'm sorry to read about your situation, it flat out sucks! Before I went on my BC moose hunt I spoke to a few taxidermists in my area. When I made up my mind I went and talked to the guy just to see his work and get a feel of the man. I am glad I did, when I dropped off my moose and paid my deposit he told me I'll see you in 8 months from this date! Actually I got my moose back in 5 1/2 months!
 
I have used the same taxidermist for a long time now and he does outstanding work. My family routinely has a few things with him per year. I cant imagine the frustration you are going through!

How about this one. Another local taxidermist (don't know him but hear he is a good guy) had a fire that burned his shop to the ground. All the animals lost. He felt really bad, but there is nothing he can do about it.
 
All due respect, but why would you pay full fee up front? That naturally and automatically puts the project a little lower in priority, in most cases, regardless of the level of professional integrity. But I do encourage you to pursue the issue to your satisfaction.

No offense meant, ATbuckhunter ... I would have been just as nutty in my youth ... but I would not today affirm my nuttiness on a public hunting forum ... a $20 chipmunk? Really?

I didn't pay the full fee up front, but did pay the remainder after he called and asked for it in March. I didn't know if maybe he wanted to add some income before filing taxes or something. This is literally my first dealing with a taxidermist and I just wanted my stuff back. I know to never do that again, and if I have anything mounted again I will keep the horns/antlers until the taxidermist is ready to work on my animal.
Anyway... I called him from my work phone and left a message to call me back and set up a time to meet. He said to call him when I was close to being on my way, which I did and he never answered. So I threatened to take him to small claims court and that got a response. He said he would send me pictures of it by June 20. He sent me pictures of a different animal on June 22. I called him and he answered and told him I wanted my animal back that night no matter if it was still frozen or nearly completed. I did my absolute best to stay calm even though on the inside I was livid. He begged to let him finish it and said the hide was in the tanning solution and that he had ordered the form two days ago and was surprised it wasn't delivered yet. He was also able to describe my horns to me so that made me think that maybe he was actually working on it. My wife texted me and basically told me how hard it would be to get my money back from him since taxidermy was his main source of income I relented and told him if I didn't have pictures of it the next day I was dropping off the papers for small claims.
I then called the supplier where he ordered the form and they were able to confirm that he ordered the form...that morning... and he wouldn't even have it at his shop by the time he promised pictures of the horns on the cape. I stopped by his shop the day it was delivered and confirmed it was
SO...basically due to the fear of not getting my money back and the fact that he is working on it I'm letting him finish it. I received pictures yesterday of the hide on the form. And it was actually my pronghorn.
 
I've read too many posts like this. I'm glad there's a beauty supply store nearby with developer for sale.

Not sure if I'm understanding this, but you euro all your animals yourself? developer = peroxide?
 
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