Choosing a taxidermist can be a difficult decision, but it really doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Taxidermy is an art and requires a high level of skill and professionalism. You definitely want someone that has attention to detail and who will take ownership of the project…making it their own in a sense. There are several factors that you should consider when considering who you will use to take on your next taxidermy project.

Some of the things we suggest looking into are the following:

Is the person you are considering licensed by the state?
Most states require that taxidermists be licensed to operate and perform taxidermy. For some animals, the taxidermist must be federally licensed as well. Being certain that the person you hire is licensed establishes credibility as to the professionalism of the artist.

Quality of work
Ask to see examples! Look at them all paying attention to detail. Are the proportions correct? Do the eyes look real? Looking through your taxidermist’s gallery of photos is a good indicator of the quality of work that he/she produces. In some cases it might be a good idea to stop by the artist’s shop to see some of the things they are currently working on to get a first hand feel for their craftmanship.

Time to Completion
Ask the artist how long on average he expects your particular project to take. In most cases you are looking at least 6 months…sometimes longer. If you get a really short time frame as an estimate it may mean that the attention to detail in the project is lacking. A longer waiting time typically means that the taxidermist is highly sought after and therefore working on a lot of projects.