# What would you do??



## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Two deer rifle seasons ago I shot this deer:









It was my first nice buck and naturally I wanted to get a shoulder mount done with it. I took it to a local guy that does taxidermy on the side. I was told to expect it in the coming spring sometime. Well time went by and summer came and sometime midsummer I called the guy and was told to expect it soon. Then later on I talked to him again getting the same thing. Well guys, as of right now I haven't heard anything from the guy and neither has anyone else I know that took their mounts to him. He had my brothers mount still and all that was, was a European.

What am I to do? Noone seems to be able to get ahold of him, including me. One of the guys I know is in the guards with him and they have drill this weekend so he said he would try track him down and see whats going on. I have someone who is willing to finish whatever isn't done. When we finally get ahold of him do I tell him I want it and take it elsewhere and pay him for hopefully at least the skinning and tanning of my mount or what do I do?

Thanks,
Matt


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## joebobhunter4 (Jul 19, 2005)

id get it back *** soon as possible... me and my brother shot bears in canada and left them there to get mounted... 
same thing happened... he said he would get them on a certain date and he'd keep changing them... eventually his phone didnt work or nothing and we never got our bears back and everybody else who had stuff there lost it to... :-?


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## spentwings (Apr 25, 2007)

I'd forget about calling him, camp out on his doorstep if I had to and tell him I'll pay him for any work he's down but I want the horns and cape.
Nice buck BTW :beer: and I wish you the best outcome possible.

In "05" I killed my best buck in 40 years...hunting mostly the grasslands in 2G1. After checking around and getting some recommendations, I took it to a professional taxidermist with a good reputation. 
He had it done 3 months before promised and did a beautiful job.
Total cost with a $15 tip round off was $500 and worth every penny.


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## Ac_EsS (Jul 3, 2007)

i would go to his drill and once you see him walk inside wait about 5-10 minutes go in and ask to speak to the OIC (officer in Charge) tell him and it will get taken care of real quick!


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## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

Nice buck, he's got a great expression on his face. I'd go over to his place, knock on the door and find your cape and antlers and take your business elsewhere.


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

Ac_EsS said:


> i would go to his drill and once you see him walk inside wait about 5-10 minutes go in and ask to speak to the OIC (officer in Charge) tell him and it will get taken care of real quick!


No it won't. He is in the National Guard and the OIC has no legal authority over anyone's civilian occupation or outside hobbies unless what they are doing is illegal by law in the civilian community. The National Guard comes under a different set of rules than regular active personnel. Forget that idea. As others have stated the best thing is to confront him in person and demand your deer back.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Last year my wife arrow'ed a 150" 5 point and I got a mid 150's 6X7 with rifle. We took them to Jamie Risovi down in New Rockford. I anticipate absolutely no problems and mounts second to none. Jamie won the World Title in the Whitetail Division at the World Taxidermy Competition in 05' and again this year.

If it were me he would get one chance to return the goods, then I would file a small claims suit against him. You didn't mention if you paid a deposit but if so, you might also have a criminal case.

Sounds like you're dealing with a dirtbag. If he's a DL local I've probably dealt with him professionally. PM me his name, I might be able to give you some assistance...


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Well one of the guys in the group I hunted with the season I got that buck talked to him this weekend. He was told that all the European mounts are done and he has a few hours left on most of the shoulder mounts. Hopefully that is true. I would really like to just get my mount back finished and have it done with. Next time I will go with someone else. The guy that talked to him told him we were starting to just want what he has done back so we could just get them finished elsewhere. Don't know if that will light a fire under his rear or not.

Do you think I should try getting ahold of him and just get it back or give him another month and then get it? If thats all he actually has left you would think I would have it soon. Maybe, if i go get it I could get it finished before bow season rolls around and guys start taking deer in to get mounted again.

I never paid a deposit on the mount, so I have no recourse there. All I know is he better not try charging a ton if he does end up finishing it.


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## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

Get ahold of him now and make damnsure that he's not lying on how much more work he has on them. If he is lying, take your stuff and go to someone dependable.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

BTW Matt, what did your buck score?


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

NDTerminator said:


> Sounds like you're dealing with a dirtbag. If he's a DL local I've probably dealt with him professionally. PM me his name, I might be able to give you some assistance...


A dirtbag he is not. I know him personally. When ac said he does it part time, thats what he does. He runs a farm and also has a full time job working elsewhere not to mention having 3 or 4 kids who are active in school/sports. He has a mount of mine from last year, actually 2, and a couple of my friends deer that are not done yet. We all knew that when he got them that we probably wouldnt see them for quite awhile as he already had some at his place that needed to be finished up. He does a great job and charges FAR less than anybody around the area. Yeah, he probably takes in too many at a time for how many he can finish in a certain timeframe, but what Im gettin at I guess, is that we all knew what to expect and maybe you expected a FT taxidermist out of a PT one. You'll get it back, I would not worry about that.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

When I took him the mount he told me to expect it late in the spring so I wasn't expecting it to take two years. If I would have been told it would take so long I might not be concerned or I might have possibly taken it elsewhere. He did one for my brother the season before I got mine and my brother had it back in the early summer.


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## va_hunter (Aug 13, 2007)

He does a great job and charges FAR less than anybody around the area. Yeah, he probably takes in too many at a time for how many he can finish in a certain timeframe, but what Im gettin at I guess, is that we all knew what to expect and maybe you expected a FT taxidermist out of a PT one. You'll get it back, I would not worry about that.[/quote]

Doesn't matter if he does it FT or PT. He agreed to perform a service in a certain amount of time. If he then said he needed more time and the original poster agreed, then they have a new agreement. But after that amount of time the poster has every right to want his deer back and move on to someone else.


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## va_hunter (Aug 13, 2007)

He does a great job and charges FAR less than anybody around the area. Yeah, he probably takes in too many at a time for how many he can finish in a certain timeframe, but what Im gettin at I guess, is that we all knew what to expect and maybe you expected a FT taxidermist out of a PT one. You'll get it back, I would not worry about that.[/quote]

Doesn't matter if he does it FT or PT. He agreed to perform a service in a certain amount of time. If he then said he needed more time and the original poster agreed, then they have a new agreement. But after that amount of time the poster has every right to want his deer back and move on to someone else.


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

Did I say that AC couldnt go get his deer back? No, I didnt think so. Go ahead and go get it back, then mine and my buddies can get done faster. I know what this guy does for a living, between farming, full time job, guards, and his kids he does whatever he can on the side. He works on his taxidermy when he has the time which he has not a lot of. And to my understanding was 2 years ago he took in too many hoping he could get them all done which he hasnt. Have you talked to him AC?


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

No I haven't gotten ahold of him. After my the guy I know talked to him I figured that I would just leave him alone for a bit and see what happens. I'm gonna try getting ahold of him in the next few weeks tho and see what is going on with the mount. I didn't mean to have anyone badmouth the guy, as he seemed to be a pretty decent guy when I took him the head. I guess I just wanted to know what everyone else thought so that if it got to the point of trying to get the head back to be finished somewhere else that I wouldn't seem like a complete a**.


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## Crazy Horse RVN (Aug 31, 2006)

If you can find out what National Guard outfit he's in, contact his Commanding Officer and I'll bet he gets back to you pronto.


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## mnwatrfwl (Sep 16, 2005)

It is a civil matter and has no bearing on his actions or performance of his duties in the military. All his CO can do in this aspect is advise him of the situation then your open to issues of harassment (yeah I know not right but it is what it is).

If he is dodging you your best recourse is to send a certified letter requesting your property returned. With a certified notification that is signed for he can not say he did not know about it.

If he refuses to cooperate by contacting you then youhave a civil issue and a criminal theft issue. Mounts are now big $$ items as evidenced by ebay, Cabelas, etc.

Good luck let us know how it works out.


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