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You would be shocked if i told you. Sorry for the blurry pic
No, you have to included the chemicals and equipment needed for the tanning. Plus the labor time and cost. In other words if I pay $45 for a cape from the tannery, what does it cost you to tan it yourself? Add that to your cost. And your overhead too. It cost you more than you think.
My equiptment has paid for itself many times over, As far as chemicals 5 or 6 dollars, labor is 8 hrs plus or minus over head is harder to figure since i have 3 bussineses . I have seen the break downs before and when it’s all said and done i don’t make much if any profit, We all need to charge more but it will never happen until we regulate the industry with quality standards and make testing mandatory to obtain a license.
There are to many variables on this issue, for instance my shop has been paid for for 8 years now, my cost of operation is utilitys, taxes , insurance and supply cost. On the other hand some one else has a brand new building with a high payment and his cost is much greater than mine. Do you send your capes in to be tanned and pay tanning and shipping or do to tan your own and figure cost of tanning supplys and labor. Do you live a long distance from your supplier ( higher shipping cost ) do you live closer to your supplier or like D Price do you just bring them home from work ( no shipping cost ) I totally agree with Tazzymoto if you can’t mount a deer head in 8 hours your working to slow ( my own opinion ) As far as regulating this industry that issue is as difficult as hunting seasons and hunting regulations, every state differs so much, here in Wisconsin any one can buy a taxidermist permit over the counter and call him self a licenced Taxidermist. There will always be the $250.00 and the $600.00 plus guy out there. I have always done what I need to do make aliving and not worry about the other guy. I have always said your customer base will decide if you stay in business, customers always complain when I raise my prices but they keeep coming back.
Forms, clays , Hyde pastes , eyes , bondo , earliners , hangers , paints , plaques all can be purchased and or made cheaper or more expensive . Same with tanning. I choose which products make my mounts look the best. Which is higher. There are a lot around me that does the opposite and charge less to get tons of deer. I’m not bragging but just saying I get more clients every year because they’ve seen or heard how much better my deer look. And those are the people that pay what ever your price is. Up your prices and make some money.
there are a bunch of people around me doing the same thing. i also get a bunch of remounts and calls from people wanting me to call these people and see what is going on with there mount. i charge more but, i answer my phone and am always here for my customers. but like everything today, you get what you pay for. i run a business not a hobby. sorry for being so blunt but business is business and a hobby is a hobby. regulating taxidermy was talked about twenty yrs ago. nothing will change. taxidermy is still considered a hobby by the general public.
just so we are clear not all hobby guys are cheap guys
I think most of us started as hobbyist. I know i did . my hobby lasted 4 years. Then it became a job. Still a job i enjoy for the most part!
July 22, 2011
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Regulation is the last thing we need, Lord knows the government has it’s hands deep enough in my pockets now.
I’ll charge my $600, and y’all charge what you need to.
But just food for thought, Scott and Tazz, are you saying when I get my shop paid for, I should go down on my prices?
Oh, yeah I must be slow, because I have atleast 10 hours in every deer I mount.
Me too on the ten hours. I have tried too do it faster and messed up a few things, then it still took me longer then. Just my opinion. No harm intended.
we are all independent contractors. if you can get more for your work than your neighbor, more power to you. as far as how long it takes to mount one deer that is as different as the way people talk. some say y’all and some say you guys. everyone mounts deer at there own pace. i average around 10 hrs. unless obama is on the tv then i have to stop before i cut the throat on the deer i am working on.
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