Taxidermy

[take'm]

DO NOT take anything to Conner Taxidermy on Hwy 49 near Jackson. I took him a duck(killed it last year) 1 month before Christmas, before he got alot of deer heads, and he told me he could have it ready for Christmas. Well a couple of weeks after Christmas I call him and he tells me he got loaded down with deer heads and hasnt gotten started. I called him last Thursday (over a month later) and he hasnt even started on it yet so I tell him NOT to start on it and that I will come pick it up. So he tells me to come by on the next wednesday to pick it up. Well by that wednesday he had started on the duck when I had told him not to. Could he make something out of it if I didnt pay him the rest of the money since he went ahead and did that when I told him not to? If that mount isnt an award winning mount then he will have a hard time getting my money out of me! No more business from me.

[feedcall]

I second the motion. I took a Meriams gobbler that I drove to South Dakota to kill out to him. It was a beautiful bird with a ten inch beard. He lost it. I called to see when it was gonna be ready and he said I haven't started yet. He sort of gave me the run around for about 3 weeks. I told him that I was going to come pick it up, and that is when he told me he lost it. I asked him if this was a f--kin joke, and he just said that he lost it. It really was amazing. I mean what a dumbass he was. I don't guess there is a redneck court anywhere that you can take legal action against someone for losing a freakin turkey. I wouldn't do that anyway, but it was very frustrating, and a long drive to South Dakota. We did take some great pictures though.

[peewee]

How do you lose a turkey. Maybe he mounted it and sold it or gave it to someone but lost it . I dont know about that.

[MSDuckmen]

Well you boys were not the only one's smoked by Mr. Conner. Many years ago I took him a Black Squirrel and a wood duck to mount, after a long wait I went to pick them up and they were the worst mounts I had ever seen. The squirrel looked like it had gone 10 rounds in a heavy weight bout and you could see daylight between the bill of the wood duck and the back of his head.
I told them how disgusted I was but paid him anyway. I pulled the head off the squirrel and threw it in the garbage can on the way out and a year later I used the wood duck for target practice.

NEVER again will I use that bunch.
And didn't he get in trouble for having protected birds or selling game meat or something like that a few years back.

Anyway using him is like burning your money, but it is easier on you just to go ahead and burn it than to go through the frustration of giving it to him.
IMHO

[Hammer]

I got a buddy that took a nice 10 point buck to Conner...It would be the biggest deer on his wall except Conner "lost" it...Conner can do good work when he wants to but he often lets his apprentices do the mounts and they can be really bad...

This being said, you get what you pay for AND what you wait for...No good taxidermist will promise that quick a turnaround...I use Tim Little in Florence and he does damn good work but you better be prepared to wait at least a year-maybe longer...Like they say, patience is a virtue- For sure when selecting a taxidermist.

HAMMER

[captain duck]

about 10 years ago I took Conner a black duck to mount that the club was going to pay for to hang in clubhouse. The duck looked so bad and un-natural I threw it away.

[Duck Nawteek]

Damn is he that bad. Well I guess I need to go get all of my stuff that I have over there soon. [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

[take'm]

I thought my situation was bad.

[Swamp Rat]

Being an ex-txidermist I hate to hear all of this about one of our own. My guess on the lost items is that they ruined them, Spoilage
hair slipping or a big slip of the knife or lose a freezer to malfunction. All migratory birds have so much paper work and tags how can you "lose One"?? Well his reputation will eventually catch up with him.

[eyeinthesky]

If this guy has this bad of a rap I am surprised that someone has not reported him to the better business bureau or even had him investigated for the possible selling of game. I agree with you swamprat how do you loose a game bird when there is all the paperwork going along with it. Like yall said his rep will soon catch up with him and I hope no one else falls victim to his "wrath". As far a nawteek, yeah you might want to go get your stuff if it hasn't been "lost" yet.

Shoot em in the throat

[DUCKAHOLIC]

To respond to Duckmens post, you are right. The Feds often make spot checks on taxidermist because all mig. birds are to be tagged while in their possession. He had over 30 hawks and owls in his deep freeze which is as we know a big no no. Also last deer season we caught him headlighting in Madison county.This should give you some insight on the man himself. Now not stepping on any toes but if you go to a taxidermy and he says he can give you a one week turn around hell I would leave with my trophy right then. Two of my best friends are in the business and I spend alot of time there I know what goes into a good mount and if it takes a year I can wait. Also they are in it for the money and they can put out more deer heads quicker than they can birds,my guy gets 350.00 for deer and 165.00 for ducks. Now if you were in his shoes wouldnt you turn out all the deer heads that you could to make the high profit?

[dos gris]

Someone should send a copy of this thread to the BBB.