You wouldn’t take your car to just any old mechanic or let someone off the street repair your household plumbing. So, if you’re a trophy hunter, you shouldn’t commission an animal mount with the first shop you find in a Google search. To help you get started on your research, here are some things you can do to make sure you choose the right taxidermist in Cody, WY:
- Talk to your hunting buddies: The first people you need to seek taxidermy recommendations from are your hunting buddies, or at least the ones who go hunting for animal trophies—especially veteran trophy hunters. The best situation to ask for taxidermist recommendations is probably going to be in their trophy room, so they can have visuals to accompany the conversation and their stories. And if their animal mounts look like the work of an amateur, you should still ask for the business name so you can do everything in your power to avoid that shop.
- Leave a social media post: Posting messages on social media platforms for business references have proven helpful, but only stick to your own private pages or forums specific to taxidermy talk. After all, there are people out there who are strongly against taxidermy and will say not-so-nice things about the art.
- Search the Internet: The easiest way to find a local taxidermist is to search the Internet. It’s best to enter relevant keywords as well as your location to narrow down your options. However, there’s a chance you might like what you read about an out-of-state taxidermist. In that case, find out if they accept shipped hunting trophies. From there, make a list of the businesses that interest you so you can go back later to conduct more thorough research.
- Make contact with businesses: Once you narrow down the list of businesses from your Internet search, it’s time to make contact. Whether contacting through email, using an online contact form or calling direct, be sure to ask a lot of questions. How long have they been in the taxidermy business? What’s their level of experience? Do they do all the animal mount work in their shop? And if you have an animal species or type of animal trophy in mind, ask how long it typically takes to complete.
- Meet taxidermists in person: You’ve made email or phone contact, so now it’s time to consider meeting in person. This way, you can get a better feel for the kind of person they are, and you might even get to see them in action. While at the shop, it would be beneficial for you to see some of their work with your own eyes and to look through portfolios of past jobs. A reputable taxidermy shop will be more than happy to let you view their work!
When you leave your animal trophy with Nature’s Design Taxidermy, you can rest assured that an experienced taxidermist in Cody, WY will take charge of the job. Please feel free to contact our taxidermy team with questions or to learn more about our services!