GC Taxidermy

I have never given a bad review of a place but I think that if you are having a deer or elk head mount done Gage might be right for you. I had him taxidermy a fox for me and when he sent me the pictures telling me it was done… YIKES!!! I brought to him my concerns prior to picking it up and paying for it and instead of dealing with these concerns in a professional manner he said, «Why don’t you come look at it in person there has been 20 people that have looked at it. There is no excessive lip showing that is what I looks like when the mouth is open. Also the form is not to small with the fox jumping up to get the pheasant. There legs have to bend which appears to make them look shorter. When I mount stuff I stretch as far as needed but not overly stretched or it causes drumming. His eyes are not crooked or lazy they are perfectly level. And if you want the fox to have a combed hair look then I can do that but I try and make them look natural as possible not like they have been to a beauty salon. I gave you a great deal…(he charged me 675 and his website lists it at 575 and he came to me with the bid)…and shorted myself to do your mount. With the habitat, pheasant, and full body fox your bill should be $ 1100 from any other taxidermist. And how dare you say these things without looking at it first pictures never do justice and camera angles change everything. You signed a contract so I will need you to come look at it in person. Before you start saying things through text.»
WOW!
I said to him addressing him by name… I am concerned about how the fox turned out… then I stated how things appeared. There was never any threat to the contract but I asked him to keep his end of it so I would not feel like I was poorly dealt with. I went into my concerns and that was his response. This is a young guy who is clearly just starting into the art of taxidermy… I was referred to him and the guy who did the referral told him what another taxidermist was willing to do my mount for… then Gage and my contact proceeded to underbid the guy for my business. I feel like there was a huge misunderstanding when I stated my concerns and while I understand his offense he could have kept a mature and professional disposition. I truly never meant offense but I felt like he tried to pressure me and not take any responsibility for his actions. Yes we did agree to price but there was also an assumption of high level of competency expected for his work trying to bring me in as a client. I’m truly grateful for his work and effort in this but I wish that honesty and maturity accompanied this deal in as much abundance. I was disappointed in what I saw from the mount… but he was right… in person it looked much better and made me not want to just use the mount as a decoy. I am fine with the way it turned out and frankly don’t care anymore but people need to know how he acted. He could have said… I understand… angles and lighting can make things appear different than they are… you will have other feeling though as you come and see it in person.
Well…I’m sure our taxidermy and tanning the pelts I trap relationship is over but I hope everyone else the best of luck with Gage… remember be careful if you see his pictures and you truly are concerned about how it turned out… just be so careful how you word your concerns to Gage.