Capp's Taxidermy Studio

Before you go to hunt international game,get ship tags to attach to your trophies. Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC we give the client a international hunting packet which has info on tips,custom brokers,ship options rates,etc.. and ship tags for their trophies-2 per critter,one for hide and the other for the horn,skull. They are printed out with the clients name,broker,port of entry,this studio and a USDA tannery. I have quite a few clients that go over the pond hunting and when they receive a shipping bill requesting port of entry is when they are aware that they are in need of help from the taxidermist.So get the tags and info before you go and that is one less headache……..Go have fun….

All hunters must take responsible in taking care of thier own game. On guided hunts the client assumes the guide will take care of the capes and most do but it’s yours and you should help, or watch over the people doing it, especially in other countries like Africa. I receive numerous trophies from around the world and some of the trophies out of Africa are the main ones with the problems. They are skinned and must be put into new , white salt, (used salt contains bacteria and will cause hair slippage) as soon as possible–like now. Then they are dipped,and some are dipped again and then are folded and left in storage until its thier turn to be packed and shipped-anywhere from 4months to 16 months and most all have bug shells on them but all are dead when they go through customs. On North American game
you can salt and take them with you or fed ex them to your taxidermist like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC and it will be taken care of . Main idea here is that do not show it off for to long and get it taken care so you can have a great memory . Taxidermist are not magician ….

As I always say do what you can,when you can.Most people say that they will go hunting somewhere when they win the lottery, so in other words they will never go anywhere,ever.! If you want something ,you must work for it. Plan,save and conquer. I have been on quite a few hunts,fishing and vacations and it all on doing the research,finding great deals with references,etc. Lot of the hunts were do-it-your-self hunts and some were guided and they were all fun and successful . If you want it bad enough , work for it . Go hunting or whatever you want now. If you wait ,your health may go bad, the trips never go down in price- ever,the money will always be a problem,you will never have enough of it so save,take a loan out or borrow cuz there is a lot that can go wrong so do it while you can. What do you want to think about when you are in the old folks home sitting there. I will be thinking of all the adventures I have been on and I’m far from being done….

I always tell clients when they go over to hunt in Africa, do not let them talk them into leaving anything over there to be tanned or mounted. But I always have a few that do and think they are getting a deal and saving money. When they get the skins back over here and they bring in the items they all want a discount cuz they spend money on them to be tanned over there and I hate to tell them that they are pickled tanned and there will be no discount cuz now I have to send them to a tannery to be tanned and for all that money you spent on these tans was a waste of money–they are not tanned and will start to smell in warm temps, they have NO stretch , they are not tanned-just pickled. I have had clients bring in items that they had done over there and to see if I can do anything for the smell or the poor condition they were mounted in and I have to say sorry, nothing I can do for the rugs that smell and the mounts would have to be remounted with new capes. A hard lesson to learn but listen to the people that know what they are saying….

Most of the time, the taxidermist is always fixing the tanneries mesh up and they do not ever drop the price,no way. I use some great tanneries and I use up to 6 of them for not one of them are great on everything.One is great on international,one is great on thick skin game and so on. but boy do I hate them, sometimes, for they will screw up by over shaving-blow outs-,making holes,slippage, ripping hides in half, over mixing the “soup” , etc and then blaming it all on the animals health,prep time,taxidermist,etc but god forbid it they would blame themselves and drop the tanning rate or give it away for free. True, some problems are from that but a good taxidermist can always see problems before they are in the salt.If I mess up, I would be dropping my rate or giving it back to the client almost free. I had a tannery in CA. a few years ago mix the soup to strong and 8 bears had some part of there muzzles slip to some degree but it was not their fault and I was charged full price and that same season I shipped x amount of bears to another tannery and they all turned out great.So they will never get anymore bears from me but they do a great job on thinned skin capes-antelope,deer,etc. When choosing a tannery , it has a lot to do with trail and error,some have low prep time but no stretch,some have high prep time and great stretch ,some are just plain junk,etc.. Some tan their own items but for Capp’s, that is not an option.The studio has a lot of work and my completion time would go way down. When I choose a tannery they must have great stretch and low prep time,especially for Afrian game. I would like to see the taxidermy magazines do a exposé on grading all the tanneries ,A to F without any favoritism but I cannot see that for some do advertise with them. But it’s time the tanneries cowboy up.

I just love people that complain about all the hunting issues like wolves, sheep die off,etc.. and they do not belong to any hunting organizations and do not put their money where their mouths are. In my opinion, if you do not belong to any,you should not be able to complain,just like if you do not vote,no complaining about the country.
Its time to stand up for your heritage,stop trying to be political correct to the loons. We reallty did nothing but to complain when the wolf came in and now look at the damage. Herds are all down 50 to 75% in most areas,30 years of sound game management down the drain.
I belong to a few groups but I like SCI the best. They fight for the hunter in court where all issues end up anyway.Around this area they have bought land for the bighorn sheep,help fight to get the wolf off the list,paid for F&G studies for elk,etc.etc, so if you think they only do safaris,think again. Join one today, there are many to pick from or keep your comments to yourself……

A real pet peeve of mine is when you complete the clients work after it is here from anywhere 6 to 12 months and the client takes forever to pay for it. I do not tan,mount or anything until they put down a down payment on the item .Then after 90 days and 3 notices it dose becomes mine and it goes up for sale and when the client comes in to make a payment or pick it up and I have sold it and they wonder why. Its simple, most people are on a salary and always get paid on time and the small business owner is not on a salary and in order to be paid the client must pay thier bills on time so the business owner can pay his bills.I tell those clients pretend I’m your boss and I say I can not pay you this month but that ok,you don’t have to pay rent,buy food or pay any other bills . This is not a hobby,this is a business and will be treated so. Thank goodness that 95% of the client do pay on time buts it is the 5% that you always think about……

Came back from the SCI national show in Vegas and it was a great show. Lots of people walking around,around 22,000,to over the 2000 booths selling everything to do with outdoors but mainly outfitter from all around the globe.Some were reality stuck on themselves but mostly there were real,down to earth people just trying to get some business and that’s the name of the game anymore.There was some great talent from the artists and some were not as talented, but that is in the eye of the beholder.

This blog, hopefully, will be used to write  about professional taxidermy , outdoor businesses and pro hunting, wildlife issues. This blog will  contain links to my web site and face book for all to visit.

Its now Late January and all the pro hunting organizations are now having their yearly conventions that are just WOW. There is just about anything form hunts to outer wear that the buyer would like to purchase .Then the taxidermy art is just some of the best there is. I, myself  like the SCI show but there are quite a few others to attend.

So if anyone goes to any of them this year,leave a note on what you like the best at the show that that you attended.

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