# any reccomendations on taxidermist



## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

Looking for the best,Not an amateur.Dont care about the money just want a good job.I have the head hanging in a walk in cooler.How long can i leave it in there?Is it ok to put in freezer till i drop it off?Its a 2 hr drive back to gulf breeze so it will have to sit in cooler and might start to thaw out.


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

Yep freeze it. Only two people I would take it to and that's Michael cole and chad cooper. Both do great work and most everyone on here will agree.


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

Who ever u take the it to they are just gonna throw it back in a freezer until they are ready to work on it. Did u keep enough of the cape?


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

skullmount1988 said:


> Who ever u take the it to they are just gonna throw it back in a freezer until they are ready to work on it. Did u keep enough of the cape?


a guy at the camp has done over 2 dozen so he cut head off for me.he knew what he was doing.theres about 3 feet of skin hanging down from the head


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## espo16 (Apr 21, 2008)

For the love of Squirrel and dumplins... Please take it to Lord Chad Cooper... The Duke of Taxi...

And get the full shoulder mount, not the neck mount. You will NOT be disappointed.....


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

espo16 said:


> For the love of Squirrel and dumplins... Please take it to Lord Chad Cooper... The Duke of Taxi...
> 
> And get the full shoulder mount, not the neck mount. You will NOT be disappointed.....


Ive seen the monts put on poles and really not crazy about it.I would like a nice wall mount .shoulder mount on the wall would be ok with me.


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

You should have plenty then. You can go to any of the taxis around and they should have some work hanging in their shops. I know chad cooper does and he is amazing at it and also a great guy to deal with. I've seen some of coles work and he does great too. I don't think you could go wrong with either of them.


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## BIGRIGZ (Oct 2, 2007)

+1 on Cooper and Cole. How about a pic of the trophy?!! congrats on getting a wall hanger!


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

BIGRIGZ said:


> +1 on Cooper and Cole. How about a pic of the trophy?!! congrats on getting a wall hanger!


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

Chad Cooper!!!! He is the BEST


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Wirelessly posted

I've always put mine in the freezer before taking them to the taxidermist. Any of the local well known guys will do you right.


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

You actually have a very good taxidermist right down the road from your camp. Go down 263 to Braggs and go right on 21 about 6 miles or so. Bill Jones is his name and he has a store on the right also called Bill Jones store. Very reasonable and very good. I've done over 1000 mounts myself and I would put his up against anybody.


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

sbarrow said:


> You actually have a very good taxidermist right down the road from your camp. Go down 263 to Braggs and go right on 21 about 6 miles or so. Bill Jones is his name and he has a store on the right also called Bill Jones store. Very reasonable and very good. I've done over 1000 mounts myself and I would put his up against anybody.


I hope the prices are not the same as his store cause 850 for a pack of smokes and 4 dollars a gallon for gas.His prices are the highest i have ever seen in any convenience store.


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## Stumpknocker (Oct 3, 2007)

Michael Cole! He's a really good guy and definitely the best around here. Did this antelope for me last year:


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

Anyone have michael coles number.ill call him tommorrow


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## Stumpknocker (Oct 3, 2007)

850-206-7328


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

TatSoul said:


> I hope the prices are not the same as his store cause 850 for a pack of smokes and 4 dollars a gallon for gas.His prices are the highest i have ever seen in any convenience store.


Oh yea his store is high as a giraffes ass. His son does the taxidermy and is very reasonable. Regardless who you use don't freeze it if your taking it tomorrow because he's gonna skin it if the head and just freeze the cape and hang the horns up on a rack. Also don't let it sit in the cooler too long because blood on the hide will cause the hair to slip especially if hung upside down.


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## Grassflatsfisher (Oct 3, 2007)

Michael has done 10+ mounts for me. I have never been dissapointed. Great guy and great at what he does. He has a talent for sure!


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## p3bowhunter (Feb 20, 2008)

Chad cooper. Best around. Wouldn't take a deer anywhere else


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## CHUMM BUCKET (Jul 2, 2008)

Tommy knight did my last one and did an awesome job. I have seen Coles work and he does really nice work too. I can't speak for some of the others. Attention to detail around the eyes, nose and mouth are very important, it can make or break a good job in my opinion. Nice kill by the way.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

What a great problem to have .......where to take your wall hanger to.
Nice buck !


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

We are very lucky in having some of the better taxis out there in the area. I have always used Chad Cooper and always will for shoulder mounts but there are others that do excellent work as well. The thing about a mount is the majority of people don't know the difference in a decent mount to a good mount to a great mount. It's kinda a double edge sword, the person who owns the mount might think its a great mount and someone that knows what to look for knows it truly isn't. Like Chumm said, it's in the small details and positioning of the ears, nose, eyes, etc. There have been a couple of craigslist $250 specials posted on here years back that were just rediculous. Do your homework and go with a reputable taxi. 

Chad Cooper
Michael Cole
Ron Vanderpol

All do great work. They are not the only ones just the only ones I've paid attention to or at least seen.


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## bama boy (Oct 3, 2007)

Mike Dawson in Flomaton, Al. does a great job.:thumbup:


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

Splittine said:


> We are very lucky in having some of the better taxis out there in the area. I have always used Chad Cooper and always will for shoulder mounts but there are others that do excellent work as well. The thing about a mount is the majority of people don't know the difference in a decent mount to a good mount to a great mount. It's kinda a double edge sword, the person who owns the mount might think its a great mount and someone that knows what to look for knows it truly isn't. Like Chumm said, it's in the small details and positioning of the ears, nose, eyes, etc. There have been a couple of craigslist $250 specials posted on here years back that were just rediculous. Do your homework and go with a reputable taxi.
> 
> Chad Cooper
> Michael Cole
> ...


All that you said!! One other thing is that forms have come along way. Years ago we use to mount them on forms that had little to no muscle texture built in. The good taxidermist would rasp and use a knife to cut this in but some would just mount on the round neck. Same goes with bobcats, fox, etc. We use to have to build a body out of excelsier to mount this stuff years ago, but todays forms make it alot easier. Ive seen all the guys mentioned on here and there all good.


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## Rolls Tide (Feb 2, 2012)

Chad Cooper is hands down the best. The price is fair and I had 2 done 2 years ago and the wall pedestal mount looks better than when the deer was breathing. Besides if you take it to him now you will have it back in 30about days. No others around here can say that.


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## CHUMM BUCKET (Jul 2, 2008)

Rolls Tide said:


> Chad Cooper is hands down the best. The price is fair and I had 2 done 2 years ago and the wall pedestal mount looks better than when the deer was breathing. Besides if you take it to him now you will have it back in 30about days. No others around here can say that.


 
thats worth extra money for that kind of turn around. i will never for the life of me understand how you can have a year or more turn around. please dont try to explain it to me.


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

Rolls Tide said:


> Chad Cooper is hands down the best. The price is fair and I had 2 done 2 years ago and the wall pedestal mount looks better than when the deer was breathing. Besides if you take it to him now you will have it back in 30about days. No others around here can say that.


Is that even long enough to get the hide tanned out properly?


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

CHUMM BUCKET said:


> thats worth extra money for that kind of turn around. i will never for the life of me understand how you can have a year or more turn around. please dont try to explain it to me.


I had a deer done by chsd a few years ago and the mount turned out great but it was 9 or 10 months later. And it was his first deer to be dropped off that year.


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## Catchin Hell (Oct 9, 2007)

pm forthcoming..


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## Rolls Tide (Feb 2, 2012)

Please dont take my word for it, call for yourself. I think he says abouut 6 months but says it will be faster. Ask how long the last ones mounted were there. Usually he will be doing deer starting in early October or before because of out of state deer......


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## saltgrass (Sep 1, 2008)

hsiF deR said:


> Is that even long enough to get the hide tanned out properly?


Yes, but it is fleshed not tanned. The turn around will prob. end up being a little more than 30 days. I talk to two of these guys a good bit and they both are real busy. Even with deer season just starting.


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## bcbz71 (Dec 22, 2008)

TatSoul said:


> Looking for the best,Not an amateur.Dont care about the money just want a good job.I have the head hanging in a walk in cooler.How long can i leave it in there?Is it ok to put in freezer till i drop it off?Its a 2 hr drive back to gulf breeze so it will have to sit in cooler and might start to thaw out.


Kritter Kreations
2817 E 5th St Panama City, FL 32401
(850) 785-4050

I have not seen a mount posted on this forum that comes close to Phil's work.

No relation or even friends with the guy and he certainly has plenty of work, but I hate to see a trophy mount messed up. 

Here are my two Florida 10pts:


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Well if you can't read this thread and realize that taxidermy comes down to a popularity contest then you need to re-read. One guy thinks his guy is best, another insists his is best and now we have a suggestion that one of the local guys may actually "mess up" a mount. I have two mounts one by chad cooper the other by Donald Cooley. Donald's from a couple years ago looks better, but chads is about 20 years old and I'm sure the forms are better now. Deer are not carbon copies of each other and each mount should look different than yours or your buddies. Most mounts will look better than the actual live deer looked anyway. For sure there are amateurs and unskilled people doing taxidermy but if you stick with a reputable guy you probably won't be disappointed. Can't say I can relate to the rock star following that some feel for a taxidermist Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


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## espo16 (Apr 21, 2008)

You've got mail...


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## Catchin Hell (Oct 9, 2007)

I think Tat's pm box must be blowing up... Here's my benchmark. 

http://www.buckmastertaxidermy.com/

Awards for Buck Master Taxidermy
Over the years, Buck Master Taxidermy has been on the recieving end of numerous State, Regional, National, & World Awards. Jerry has also been named to many Boards and as a Competition Judge in many events.Below we have listed a partial list of them.
World Awards

1st Place in World Competion / Judges Choice

1st Place in Breakthrough Magazines World Competition

People's Choice 

Best of Category in Game Heads
Best of Category in Mammals
Best of Category in Fish
Best of Category in Birds
Best of Catergory in Reptiles
Best of Category in Habitat
Best of Category in Original Art

1st Place Eagle Award / Florida Outdoor Show
1st Place People's Choice Award / Florida Outdoor Show

State Competitions/ Alabama/ Georgia / Florida / South Carolina / North Carolina

1st Place in All 5 States and Best of Category.

Regional Shows / Competitions

1st Place at Piedmont College Regional Competition

Georgia State Taxidermists Association Board of Directors for 8 Years

Served as Georgia's Taxidermy Association Competition Chairman

Ga State Taxidermy Association Boards "Director of the Year Award"

McKenzie Distinguished Taxidermists Award

RineHart Distinguished Taxidermists Award

Award of Excellence in Deer, Fish, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, & Habitat.

Over 225 Ribbons ( State, Regional , National, & World).


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## JT Powell (Jun 20, 2012)

I'll just say this, Chad Cooper did excellent work for me in a very timely manner.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Try'n Hard said:


> Well if you can't read this thread and realize that taxidermy comes down to a popularity contest then you need to re-read. One guy thinks his guy is best, another insists his is best and now we have a suggestion that one of the local guys may actually "mess up" a mount. I have two mounts one by chad cooper the other by Donald Cooley. Donald's from a couple years ago looks better, but chads is about 20 years old and I'm sure the forms are better now. Deer are not carbon copies of each other and each mount should look different than yours or your buddies. Most mounts will look better than the actual live deer looked anyway. For sure there are amateurs and unskilled people doing taxidermy but if you stick with a reputable guy you probably won't be disappointed. Can't say I can relate to the rock star following that some feel for a taxidermist Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


I STAND CORRECTED!
The Deer I mentioned above was NOT mounted by Chad Cooper...
but by his father the legendary Wayne Cooper. Chad may have actually done the work, but Wayne got the credit & the check. I think Wayne is now in the Taxidermy eyeball business and probably makes a million dollars a year selling deer eyeballs to Chad!


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

Got alot of reccomendations.Wow.seems like so many to choose from.I had a guy at the camp put the head in my deef freezer on the porch of my camper.Ill figure it out next week.


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## EG94 (Mar 15, 2008)

Id definitely take it to Cole's Taxidermy, he does top notch quality work.


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## auburn17 (Oct 29, 2008)

Vanderpol, Cooper, Cole


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## big buck dan (Dec 2, 2008)

Chad cooper. Done great work on my and my dad's mounts. I won't go elsewhere, never needed to.


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## RobertD (Mar 9, 2011)

I always use Mim's Taxidermy in Selma(lia), AL. He does excellent work.


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## Razorback (Nov 6, 2007)

Check this out if you have not already. Look at the photos, some pretty cool stuff. There are several good taxidermists in the area, but Chad is my choice. https://www.facebook.com/CoopersTaxidermy


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

Dropped my deer off to chad less than 2 weeks ago,he called me Fri and said it would be ready by Today but hes going out of town so i can get it when he gets back,Deer head never even made it back to the freezer.Ive seen his work.I will deffinitly be taking the rest of my mounts to him.


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