Question for taxidermists

Looking for what you would charge on a skunk mount…base price

It depends on a lot of factors, not the least of which is the taxidermists skill level. I would expect a minimim of $700-$800, but some are going to be well north of $1000.

Last one I asked about was right at $1000.

Tim you could do that yourself

Maybe as a road kill....

I think small mammals life size around the board these days is starting at 800-900 without bases. I called around about my fox. It’s what it is…..

I was quoted $1600. Why so expensive? He does decent work
I paid $900 for my fox from a reputable taxidermist 2 years ago. That included base and extras

Because its a lot of work. Not many people willing to work for $10/hour, nor should they be.

True, but there is also such a thing as pricing yourself out of business.

At that price a photo would do me!!!

I was in a similar position with an otter. Prices ranged from $1200-1800 for a mount and base. Ended up getting it tanned. Worked for me
Good luck with your decision

Look up forms, eyes,ear liners,base, habitat materials in McKenzie taxidermy catalog. Then add on tanning , shipping, and bogus surcharge. Now skinning it properly with all body parts intact and a lot of time mounting it .Some people won't bat an eye at paying someone 75.00 a hour to put a spark plug in a mower or clean a carburetor. My point is your paying for an artist skills. I forgot to mention also dealing with the unpleasant smell .800 to 1000 is in the ball park.

I’ll assume you aren’t familiar with the cost of supplies and how many hours of work are involved. Taxidermy is a luxury item, not everyone can afford or justify the cost. But there are enough that can to keep the good taxidermists buried in work. I know lots of taxidermists that went out of business because they didn’t charge enough. I’ve never heard of a single one that “priced themselves out of business”.

Definitely IS a luxury item. And an ego stroker.
I am battling with my own decision and haven’t yet set it in stone what I will do with this fox. I have no other vices and big payments. I can pay it off. Is it worth the cost? That is something YOU have to decide.
I’ve played around with taxidermy myself but I want this one done RIGHT. He was too pretty and too special for me to ruin and end up looking cartoony and wonky

You could always case skin it with the feet on and get a soft tan. Display it as a wallhanger and if in the future you want to get it mounted they can rehydrate and mount it then.

Thank you that’s a good idea too. But we are dropping him off today at the taxidermist! God help me if I catch my first coyote or fisher next season. I’ll be broke for sure

My brother has done taxidermy for 20 plus years now. I am retired now and decided to help him out and learn some myself as well. So I started just doing the fleshing on my beam and cleaning up the heads. I caught my first bobcat and fisher this year both nice animals. I am going to mount them and my brother is tutoring me as I go. I never realized how much work, how meticulous, and time-consuming it is. He is much faster of course and I frustrate him, lol. Skinning and fleshing the body is easy, for most of us. Turning the lips, eyes, ears, and toes, and cleaning the pads, took me forever. But very rewarding. Now as mentioned out to tanning, he tans his own deer hides, but all else goes out.
We have one local guy who is charging deer shoulder mounts $900.00 and it all goes up from there. He is so busy he is limiting his work for next year. So as with anything it is demand-based pricing. If I was not doing this my self or my brother, I would be doing hangers.