This past Winter while hunting in West Texas I shot my first fox. He was so pretty (leave me alone I am a girl and I can say he was pretty). He was even considered large for Texas according to my Taxidermist. I had used this guy before for a bobcat mount for my husband as well as his buck from the previous season. We dropped off my fox in early December and was told April it would be ready since I wanted a full body mount. Then on the last day of deer season my husband shoots a huge 10 point with a 22 inch neck at a place he has hunted his entire lift, public property. So we take the buck in to the same guy. He tells us on the deer about November since it was so late in the season. In May I still had not heard from the Taxidermist.... We kept calling but no call back. Then June... then yesterday my husband goes there while I am at work. I had already told him that something happened to my fox and he didn’t want to tell me.
SURE ENOUGH!!! The guys Freezer system went out! MY FOX WAS RUINED! AS WELL AS MY HUSBANDS BUCK!!
Needless to say not happy. Thank god I wasn’t there, I would have had him mounted to my wall!!

So long story short. The Taxidermist has not told any of his customers and is trying to buy replacement hides for everyone! INCLUDING MY FOX AND HIS BUCK! The guy was never going to call us and tell us anything had happened!!! Thankfully the guy did give us our money back. But I am still so fn pissed. He wasnt going to tell us if my husband hadn't gone up there!

Now I feel obligated to call the cops on this guy and report him for fraud! I mean, yes it was only a fox and a buck... but what if anyone in there has like something crazy like a mountain lion or hell, a lion?! I would sue his a$$ so fast!

I still think I might call the cops... or the game warden...... or someone lol. I just honestly wouldn’t know who to call. Ghost busters maybe?

Sorry, I forgot to post the name of the Taxidermist!

Log Cabin Taxidermy in New Waverly.

If you have used them this past season..... CALL HIM OR GO UP THERE AND GET YOUR MONEY!

That is sad.. I have had some cr$#y work done before, but not something like this! I would find out if he has insurance..I would also contact the game warden and get his opinion, he may not be able to do anything ,but he may..

If the guy would have been a stand up person and called you, I would probably be a little easier on him. Stuff happens, but trying to "pull a fast" one isn't on my list of good practices. How was his demeanor when your hubby spoke with him?? That would have some bearing for me, some.

I have heard of this happening before so you aren't the first ones. Kinda suc4s for every one involved.

Good luck

I can't pass judgement because I don't know the circumstances of the taxidermist. But chances are you wouldn't have known if he had bought replacements, not saying it's right, just saying it happens more than you know. But the Taxi should have called immediatly and given you the option of a refund or replacement.But then some of the taxidermist would have told you that your animals were lost at the tannery or not handled properly, etc. and wouldn't have given a refund or any options. There's a lot of that, that happens also.I would at least give him credit for fessing up and giving you a refund. There are horror stories everywhere about the bad taxidermist. Seems like the stand up guys are a well kept secret.

That's a rough situation, sorry to hear about that

You can't sue cause his freezer went out, it sucks but getting a new cape for the buck is not that big of a deal. Not defending him but stuff happens he should have called, The warden can't do anything cause his freezer died either, it sux but I sure he would rather have mounted them than not.

He said the guy seemed kinda beat but I am still mad. Watching my husband put a 130 class buck on a plaque mount breaks my heart. Especially for a buck in East Texas on public land!!

Not his fault the freezer quit. It can happen to anyone. Yes he should have called you and told you but replacement critters happen way more than you will ever realize.

Heck the meat processor lost my 9 point 2 years ago. It happens.

No reason to put on plaque capes are easy to come by, hell I will get you one if you need it.

Yep. Not that big of a deal on the buck unless there was just something unique about the hide.

The fox I can understand more, being that you want THE fox you shot, not one the taxi picked up somewhere.

The deer mount is all about the horns, as long as those are original it's all good in my book.

Calm Down and Take a Breath.

Did the guy screw up, obviously.
Should he have called and given you the option, obviously.
Could he have lied and refused to do anything, YES it happens all the time, Did he Lie NO he came clean and gave you a refund.
Can your fox and you Husbands deer still be mounted, yes.


Why would you want to go through the hassle of a civil suit and waste everybody's time and efforts over something that has/can be fixed. Why would you waste the Police time when there is nothing they can do, you can't press charges for fraud because you accepted a Refund.

I do think he should have called and gave you the option of getting your money back or getting replacements, but a civil suit would accomplish nothing. If he was buying replacement capes for the deer, it would have come out of his pocket and cut into his profit.

Really sorry about your fox, it was a nice specimen!

Same thing I was thinking.

Foxes are a dime a dozen. You can easily get a new cape for the buck.

Why would you think to call law enforcement? "Officer, I want to report that my taxidermist's freezer went out. Would you shoot him for me".

I'm just being a smart aleck. Not trying to be mean. It's ok to be upset but sometimes in life there are things that happen that are beyond our control.

Tactical Smurf is right on the money. Accidents unfortunately do happen. The big mistake the taxidermist did was not to call you when the incident happened but waiting until you got in touch with him. At least he refunded you the deposit which some taxidermists, I hate to say it, would not have done. I also sent you a PM on this.

Evelyn

GET A ROPE ........it was a dirtbag move, him NOT calling.

You guys are funny, if this happen to you yall would be doing the same thing.

Not really now if it were a stone sheep cape, or big horn sheep cape his arse would be spending lots Of cash to replace but a cape for wt and a dime a dozen fox not really in a issue if it were mine buy me a new wt cape and gray fox is a gray fox

It might not seem like a big deal to some but I believe that if he was a professional taxi shop he should of had safeguards in place . That could be alarms or even thinking that a freezer going out would be very bad and maybe he should check them daily .
I know what it costs me just to get to the woods and hunt. For time off , gas , supplies ,etc , etc . IMO i think a refund and some sort of compensatory damages are in order , even to offer some free taxi work .

No I wouldnt.

Like I said earlier........my meat processor lost my 9 point. Not just the cape but the head and horns too. I let them know I wasnt happy about it but I never even considered calling the police, Game Warden, or filing a law suit against them. I didnt even ask for a refund on the meat. Everyone is human and things like that happen. It sucks but life goes on.

We spend alot of time and money hunting so emotions run high when accidents happen; but thats just what they are accidents.

Anything mechanical can fail and will sooner or later, while he should have called you and let you know what was going down he probably didnt just because of the reaction that some people will have.

Honestly this is a matter to be settled between you and the Taxidermist in a private manner.

If he makes good on it then thats the best he can do, and he will be out money for the replacement capes and with the freezer going out he probably lost thousands of dollars in revenue.

Walk in his shoes for a little bit and give him the chance to make it right.

My brothers last mount (wt) was a scrapper, it turned out neat because of the scars and imperfections. So losing a cape is a big deal to some people.

Well if it the freezer broke you can't turn back the clock so get some new hair and roll with it

I don't agree with some of you who say that it is only a fox and a deer cape which can be replaced easily. It is still someone's trophy. When I shot my first bobcat I was so elated I walked on cloud nine for weeks. It was just a little female and nothing special about her, but she was my first cat. I would have been very upset would I have lost that hide in someone elses freezer. Someone else may have said cats are a dime a dozen. Trophies are very individual and personal things. What might be just ordinary to one might be the trophy of a lifetime to another. We need to respect any and all animals coming through the door. Now with all that said, accidents can and will happen even in the best studios. It is the way those accidents are handled which matters. Keeping your mouth shut for months on end until the client calls the shop is not the way to handle it. He should have called his clients immediately upon discovering the spoiled hides in the freezer. By not doing so it just made a bad situation that much worse. Just my take on this.

Evelyn