A Follow-Up on Taxidermy Referrals
There’s certainly nothing wrong with asking a friend, guide, outfitter or tackle shop for a taxidermist referral. If they’re wired into the trophy fish community it’s a way to get good information quickly. That’s how we learned about Advanced Taxidermy in Canada – when we caught our trophy peacock bass in 2012 and decided to purchase two replicas, our friend Steve Yatomi told us about them and we proceeded with the purchase.
Sometimes the referral might even get you a discount. When Hanna gifted me a replica of my 51-inch musky for our anniversary a few years ago, she got the recommendation for Lax Reproductions from St. Clair guide Spencer Berman, through whom we’d booked the trip in the first place. Because the musky was caught with one of his guides she also got a 10 percent discount off of the cost of the mount. She still did her due diligence to make sure that Lax produced quality work, but all signs pointed to “yes” and they delivered a great product in a reasonable amount of time.
But what about charters or booking offices that have someone meet you on the dock with a contract in hand, ready to sign you up for a purchase. You’re coming off the water thrilled with your catch of a trophy marlin, sailfish, mahi or other species. They see the glow on your face and propose a discount if you sign on the dotted line right then and there. Oftentimes these guys represent some of the high-volume, “factory” taxidermists. Some of their work is quite acceptable, but some that I’ve seen is clearly subpar. How do you know which you’re going to get?
Of course, these guys on the dock are hustling because they’ll get a referral fee or commission for their effort. I don’t find anything wrong with someone getting that sort of kickback if they provide a quality product. That’s just good old capitalism. But before you sign up for this type of deal, a few words of caution. Ask yourself the following questions:
Have you seen any of the taxidermist’s work in person?
Does the written contract spell out exactly what is included? Position of the mount? Habitat? Crating charges? Shipping?
Will you get to speak to the artist or the artist’s direct representative before the replica is made?
Is the person selling you the mount a “free agent” or an employee of the taxidermist?
Is the deposit (surely you will be asked to pay a deposit) refundable in any circumstances?
In most cases, my best guess is that if you’re looking for a nuanced, one-of-a-kind replica, this will not be your best price, and any “act now or lose it forever!” price will be obtainable at a later date. Don’t be hurried into making a decision that you may eventually regret. That’s especially true because you will likely never be able to track down the person who is selling you the mount again (unless they represent a longstanding outfitter or charter operation). If you have a grievance or concern, they’re gone with the wind and so is your hard-earned cash.
Many of these deals are aimed at cruise ship passengers and non-serious anglers staying at nearby resorts who may be out for the one trip of their lifetime. If you’re reading this, however, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re a serious angler, or at least someone who is taking your replica purchase slowly and deliberately. I’m not saying that these commission-oriented deals are always bad, but rather that the buyer must beware.
