Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)

During these difficult times, more and more taxidermists are relying on getting work by paying commissions to outfitters, ranches, professional hunters, etc. What this means is the reputation of their company is not strong enough to bring in new work, and they are relying on other people to push work to them at a cost.

The New Norm

We are hearing, more and more, this is the new norm. We are also hearing horror stories of outfitters and ranchers strong-arming clients to send their work to a specific taxidermist. The unfortunate result of this is these clients, who are put on the spot and coerced into making quick decisions about their taxidermy, come to find out the “recommended” taxidermist has changed hands several times in recent years or has multiple location changes — both of which are not good signs of a well-functioning business. In the end, their mount is an extremely poor product, and the client is left unsatisfied.

The Truth of Taxidermy Commissions

It should be a red flag when anybody tells you to go someplace because they receive a commission. It means the quality and service is not strong enough to stand on its own, and what you get might not be worth what you paid. Animal Artistry refuses to pay commissions. We believe our work speaks for itself and we build our future on that.

Know Before You Go

Be sure to look at our website, call our office during business hours, get shipping tags, and do your research when choosing a taxidermist. We have clients who spend hours looking at various poses on our website before they go on a hunt – comparing poses or comparing our work to the work of other taxidermists, contemplating what they want, and gathering as much information as possible. Don’t let others push you into making a decision you will regret because the last thing you want is a disappointing trophy.