The Difference:

Taxidermist "A" (The Cheap Guy):
This is a taxidermist that works by volume. You are just another number to him. He is under-charging, so he has taken your deposit (what little he took) and used it on his living expenses. He now has to get piece 'A' done to pay for piece 'B's materials. This works for a while, but after a couple of seasons of this, he's now suffering from burnout! Now it's a chore to get motivated to do ANY taxidermy work. His customers are now annoyances to him. He's charging so little that he has to buy second rate supplies and use shortcut methods to get your specimen done. He also has to rush through it to make even a little money. Within 2-3 seasons, he's had enough and closes the doors. You may or may not even get your specimen after he closes the doors!

Taxidermist "B" (The Professional):
This is a taxidermist that strives for the utmost quality and service. He charges for his work according to the time it takes to produce a quality piece. He uses the most cutting edge techniques and products. He has learned these techniques from taxidermy conventions and seminars/workshops, as well as world class mentors. He takes in a reasonable deposit and orders your materials before anything else in his private life. It is not that he is high-priced, but that he knows what it takes to support his business in a professional way. He will rebuild the eye, resculpt the nodules on the outer nose, and make sure the interior nose passageways are reproduced. He uses tanned hides (not dry-preserved) and supreme hide adhesives. He also features thin, crisp ears, and high quality eyes to give your piece that alive look.

This only touches on the difference! The choice is yours. The sting of paying a little more for a quality mount will be minor in comparison to the long lasting dissatisfaction of a poorly done mount. You'll look at your mount daily. You deserve Taxidermist "B". Ron Elkins is this taxidermist.