Turkey taxidermist

[mtns2hunt]

With frost free freezers you could actually freeze dry it, the quicker the better. Normally I'd skin the head out asap n start the freeze drying on that but for 500-700 it might be a plastic head. I'd also take the fan off n card that. I take the tails off even pheasant n bondo them into form. It makes them rigid/secure the way just pinning them won't.
If it was like 6 months or so id not worry. Prob even a bit more but why not bring it to a guy n give the deposit n get it started. Be honest n tell him you need time to get the rest up so he doesn't finish the piece n it sits. Have him call to ensure funds are available before he mounts it. Any taxidermist worth his salt is gonna be almost a year out  due to having lots of guys use him.
The better you wrap it the less moisture escapes. Birds have very thin skin so don't wait forever

Excellent advice. Most Taxidermists will work with you and if he is good the wait will be at least a year. I usually wrap my turkeys head in cloth and a plastic bag then put under wing. I then use a commercial orange turkey bag to cover. Then newspaper and plastic to transport and store in the frezzer. If the Turkey is unfrozen and being transported it is advisable not to use plastic as he will sweat and the feathers may matt. Precautions should also be taken against blood spilling while unfrozen.

As for my unlimited funds. I work seven days a week and take a few days off for hunting each fall and spring. When I was seventeen my big desire was a 243 rifle. Put one on layaway and worked my butt off working two jobs to get it. Turned out the 243 had a shot out barrel. Traded it for a Browing BPS which is the shotgun I am using to complete my slam. Only need that Florida turkey now. What I am saying is if that is truly the turkey of a life time you should not skimp. There is no reason to hurry, get the funds and get it right. I have been there and done that.   

[GobbleNut]

Really, it all boils down to what a person can afford and what his expectations are.  From what I have seen, most folks don't know a great turkey mount from an average one,...and some don't seem to know an average mount from a really bad one. 

As others have noted, if you look around a bit, you can likely find someone who will mount a turkey for $400-$500.  Take a look at their work, and if it is satisfactory in your eye, that is what matters.  Quality relative to price is ultimately in the eyes of the beholder,...and especially in the eye of the holder of the check book.

[mtns2hunt]

Really, it all boils down to what a person can afford and what his expectations are.  From what I have seen, most folks don't know a great turkey mount from an average one,...and some don't seem to know an average mount from a really bad one. 

As others have noted, if you look around a bit, you can likely find someone who will mount a turkey for $400-$500.  Take a look at their work, and if it is satisfactory in your eye, that is what matters.  Quality relative to price is ultimately in the eyes of the beholder,...and especially in the eye of the holder of the check book.

Perhaps you're right. Who cares how the bird is mounted if the beholder is satisfied. If you have a wad of feathers on the wall representing the bird of a life time. So what if the skin is not tanned/cured right and it starts to rot. The smell will be in the nose of the beholder too! I feel if you kill something that is worth mounting you should mount it right: otherwise its not the bird of a lifetime any more. As far as most folks: don't know an average mount from a really bad one? You are kidding right? Bad mounting is very obvious.

[HookedonHooks]

As many have said, Hazel Creek. We used to give him all our turkey heads that weren't jelly. He does the best birds in potentially the whole nation.

[Bowguy]

Really, it all boils down to what a person can afford and what his expectations are.  From what I have seen, most folks don't know a great turkey mount from an average one,...and some don't seem to know an average mount from a really bad one. 

As others have noted, if you look around a bit, you can likely find someone who will mount a turkey for $400-$500.  Take a look at their work, and if it is satisfactory in your eye, that is what matters.  Quality relative to price is ultimately in the eyes of the beholder,...and especially in the eye of the holder of the check book.

Perhaps you're right. Who cares how the bird is mounted if the beholder is satisfied. If you have a wad of feathers on the wall representing the bird of a life time. So what if the skin is not tanned/cured right and it starts to rot. The smell will be in the nose of the beholder too! I feel if you kill something that is worth mounting you should mount it right: otherwise its not the bird of a lifetime any more. As far as most folks: don't know an average mount from a really bad one? You are kidding right? Bad mounting is very obvious.

Guys no arguement but you certainly can tell the difference when a man spends hours preening feathers, when a mount fairly new bleeds grease. When feet shrink, when the attitude isn't correct. When someone used a plastic head n there's no hairs on it so it looks like painted plastic.
If someone would be satisfied w a 400 mount imo they're expectations are way too low. A smaller game bird yes. A turkey absolutely not.
2 ways you might get it done is to find a brand new guy hard up to get working. After he does yours the price is going up, 2nd way is to find a complete hack that'll make excuses why your piece isn't done n why it looks like a log truck just hit it.

[Bill Cooksey]

At $700, depending on location, you should start finding competent to really good taxidermists. Considering the time and expertise required to do a turkey right, $700 is a heck of a deal. No one will do many turkeys for less, and that means no one with expertise is doing them for less. As someone mentioned, you might luck out with a truly gifted guy who is new to the business and trying to build a reputation, but the odds are against it. Better to take some time to put the money together...I promise it is the best option. I really do get he doesn't have the money in hand, but he has time to put it together if he really wishes.

John Beard has been mentioned, and he's the best I know. That doesn't mean some of the MO names you've been given aren't in that class as well. John did my son's first bird a few years ago. A taxidermist I've used for decades turned me onto John. Pat has done one turkey and a bunch of waterfowl for me, and when I called him about doing my son's bird he told me he'd retired from turkeys because they required too much time. John does his turkeys too because my friend can make more money than the mount costs in the time it takes to do one. Hope that adds perspective.

[Bowguy]

At $700, depending on location, you should start finding competent to really good taxidermists. Considering the time and expertise required to do a turkey right, $700 is a heck of a deal. No one will do many turkeys for less, and that means no one with expertise is doing them for less. As someone mentioned, you might luck out with a truly gifted guy who is new to the business and trying to build a reputation, but the odds are against it. Better to take some time to put the money together...I promise it is the best option. I really do get he doesn't have the money in hand, but he has time to put it together if he really wishes.

John Beard has been mentioned, and he's the best I know. That doesn't mean some of the MO names you've been given aren't in that class as well. John did my son's first bird a few years ago. A taxidermist I've used for decades turned me onto John. Pat has done one turkey and a bunch of waterfowl for me, and when I called him about doing my son's bird he told me he'd retired from turkeys because they required too much time. John does his turkeys too because my friend can make more money than the mount costs in the time it takes to do one. Hope that adds perspective.

You know this is key, make sure whoever you use does birds regular. As mentioned here this fellow does. Seems hazel creek does too but not all taxidermists do everything