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Rant: That taxidermist in Vermont who ghosted me after I paid half upfront | Offbeat Jobs and Gigs - Free To Speak

Rant: That taxidermist in Vermont who ghosted me after I paid half upfront

I found this guy through a hunting forum, seemed legit with good photos. Sent him my buck from the 2023 season plus $400 deposit, he said 8 weeks turnaround. After 12 weeks of radio silence I drove 3 hours to his shop, found the place locked up with a "Closed for Good" sign. Checked the forum again and saw 4 other people had the same issue with him over the past year. My rack is probably sitting in some storage unit now. Has anyone else had a craftsman just disappear with your stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

jadej501mo ago

I read a similar story on a trapping forum last month about a guy in New Hampshire who took deposits and then just vanished, turns out he had a gambling problem and was using the money to cover losses. My buddy Dave lost a nice 10-point to a taxidermist in Maine who supposedly "retired" overnight, we drove up there and the place was cleaned out completely. The hunting forum angle is rough because you see their work photos and think it's safe, but these guys can fake a portfolio with pics they took from someone else's shop. It's like they pick hunting season specifically to take deposits because they know everyone's excited and not thinking straight.

kim.nina1mo ago

Honestly I gotta push back a little here. I've been around the taxidermy world for a while and the good ones are usually backed up way more than 8 weeks, especially during deer season. That's a red flag right there, most legit guys I know won't even quote under 6 months. Not saying what happened to you is fair, but expecting a custom craftsman to hit a tight timeline is kind of asking for trouble. I had a guy take 18 months on a bear rug once, turned out amazing. Your situation sucks though, that deposit thing is brutal.

foster.jordan1mo ago

Totally agree with you on the timeline thing. I waited almost a year for a shoulder mount once and the guy kept saying "next month" every time I called, finally got it and it was worth the wait. The 8 week promise is a huge red flag, custom work just doesn't work that fast especially if they're any good.