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I just got my shoulder mount last night and the guy said it was still wet but i was wondering weather or not that would affect the ears being really wiggly and if once it dries the ears will be more sturdy

no the ears shouldnt by wiggly thay probibly came loose by the looks of them . sorry to say this but hope you didnt pay to much for that mount. if the ears are dry but moving at all its not right. sorry man.

I would let it set for a couple weeks try and not to move the ears. If after a couple weeks they are still wiggly then you have a problem for sure. It looks like they were not set right from the get go but that could be just the pic. Good luck...

I would take it back to the taxidermist and tell him your not satisified. The left ear (looking at it from the nose) is lower than the right. He has the "butts" about right but "drooped" the left ear. A good taxidermist wouldn't/shouldn't allow you to take a piece from him that wasn't set up (dry) yet. Most likely the piece was handled by the ear at some point close to the clay (which is what the ear "butts" reast in) being dry and it simply broke free and dried. Depending on what you mean by "wiggly" the hide may or maynot be fully dry yet. I would either demand my money back (his time required only) or he fix/finish my peice to my likeing. Just because you pay a taxidermist to do a peice for you doesn't mean you can't refuse to finish payment until it's to your likeing. I've redone ducks for people when I was learning and would let them have their peice before it was fully dry. We live and learn. Would you pay someone to paint one side of your truck a different color as the other?

Thanks for all the info i will probably take it back and see what he can do i don't think that he is that good of a taxidermist but he is the cheapest but it is still very wet the hide has definetly not dried. And when i say "wiggly" i mean that i can take the ears and stick them straight up.

I've been doing taxidermy since 1981. There is no way any taxidermist should give you a piece back when it isn't even dried yet. When the hide is stretched over the form and sewn up, it is wet. It must dry (and shrink) for up to two weeks BEFORE you do any other work. Duringt his two week period, you have to watch the cape/hide as it dries because some of them move all over the place. How in the world can you start any of the finish work before the cape is even dry yet? The ear butts are made of clay (damp) and this must also dry during this two week period. Then the 'finish' work starts. This includes using a product we call Epoxy Sculpt around the eyes, and maybe some inside the nose. This must dry also and only then you can do the finish paint work. Taxidermy work is something that should last forever when it is done correctly. Getting it done correctly starts in the field with proper skinning, fleshing, getting the cape/hide cooled down quickly. Then the tanning must be done correctly or you're wasting your time even mounting it because it just won't last. There are NO short cuts to taxidermy work. Cost is usually the first indication that your taxidermist is taking shortcuts and he should be avoided at all cost. Spend that extra $50 or $100 dollars and get it done right. You're the one that will have to look at it for the next 20-40 years.

FullCryHounds
Thank you very much for that your right i will be the one looking at it and i most likely won't go back to him but i will go back and get the mount fixed. I paid 327 for it but most of the people i have talked to said that they have had theirs done and it cost 600-900 for a shoulder. So he is definetly not a professional.

Sam did you get this done in hydepark?? Is that the bear from this year that you got?? If ya ever need a good taxidermist again my buddy ralph churchill in highgate Vt does excellent work
He has done 4 bears for my family. He has also done numerous bears for all of my friends that have hunted with me.I highly recommend him.

Jason yes i got it done in Hyde Park, and it is the bear from this year. Thank you for the recommendation next time i want to get a bear done i will go to him most likely because the guy i went to did not impress me at all. Of course he doesn't impress me much at all. Thanks again. Do you have a price range for a shoulder mount and a phone number because we still have 2 bear heads to mount.

His number is 868 3462 Im not sure what he charges for shoulder Mnt.I no A half Mount is $575.00.