# Hunting > Taxidermy >  Taxidermist - Wellington Region

## initiaz

Hi guys

Just would like to know if you guys know of taxidermists that would be easily reachable from Wellington region to do work on big game animal. Please PM me the contact details. Just wana keep the info in hand for my first head, whenever that day happens..

Also was just wondering if you have to transport the heads for taxidermy as soon as its shot or do we just clean the head and let the meat fall off and dry out before sending the skelton head for this to be done. Have no idea on this so needing all this info as I will be more than excited to find this on the big day I get my first stag...

Thanks in advance..

Cheers

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## veitnamcam

practice skinning on any lesser animals you get first.
 If you can get it to a freezer reasonably quickly just skin from behind shoulder to the head and freeze the lot so they can head skin it.

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## initiaz

> practice skinning on any lesser animals you get first.
>  If you can get it to a freezer reasonably quickly just skin from behind shoulder to the head and freeze the lot so they can head skin it.


Hi mate didn't quite get you. do you mean freeze the head. will it fit the freeze??? will i have to leave the skin from shoulder up to the head so that they can use that when moulting.

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## Gibo

Leave skin on down to shoulder or further if you can, more is best. Then take head off at the base of the skull . Put the whole lot in the freezer. A good one wont fit in a deepfreeze (  :Thumbsup:  )so you may need to inquire  on a mate with a big commercial freezer  :Grin:

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## Toby

Youtube videos on how to head skin

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## Gibo

> Youtube videos on how to head skin


You tube videos on how to do 200mph monos on a 240hp motobike too  :Grin:  
But good point  :Grin:

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## initiaz

> Youtube videos on how to head skin


Thanks.. Did watch a lot of videos last night and now have a fair idea atleast of how its done..

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## veitnamcam

If you do skin out the head itself the eyes and mouth-gums are the critical parts, take your time.

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## kiwi39

forum member @larrikin is a Taxidermist .. he lives in Kapiti ... dont know it he does stuff for other people though .. 

Drop him a PM .. and if you dont have any luck let me know and I'll get in touch with him  ... I dont know how often he gets on line 


Tim

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## initiaz

> forum member @larrikin is a Taxidermist .. he lives in Kapiti ... dont know it he does stuff for other people though .. 
> 
> Drop him a PM .. and if you dont have any luck let me know and I'll get in touch with him  ... I dont know how often he gets on line 
> 
> 
> Tim


Thanks @kiwi39  .. PM sent

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## initiaz

Hi guys

Approx how much does getting a shoulder mount cost..

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## PerazziSC3

1000ish for a red

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## Bavarian_Hunter

mate the key with caping is make sure you have more than you need, definitely go past the shoulder, I'd be coming almost half way down the back if you havent done it before. If you cant skin out the head that makes it more trickier. You're better off getting it all off and salting it if you can. Otherwise even just chucking it in a cool room for a day should be ok. 

Get on to your taxi first though he might have big waits.

The main thing to remember though is...you need to take one first! lots of blokes decide which wall to put their heads on before they even head out hunting!

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## Bavarian_Hunter

my red is going to be around $1k, the fallow pedestal (with formalin injections) is almost $900. an expensive thing these days. When I was 12 my first red cost me $650!

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## Gibo

> The main thing to remember though is...you need to take one first! lots of blokes decide which wall to put their heads on before they even head out hunting!


Its called 'planning a head' BH  :Thumbsup:

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## Dundee

This might be your closest taxidermy

And his work is good.

Graham Renner Waipuk.

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## kingstoncowboy

Salt the skin if you can with "Plain table salt" with a 2kg bag+ for a big skin

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## Bavarian_Hunter

@Gibo I don't reckon I've seen any of your heads yet, wanna pop some pics up for me to have a perv?  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Gibo

Not a bone collector BH  :Have A Nice Day:  Not yet anyways  :Wink:

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## Puffin

Not wanting to change the topic but there has been a Long-tailed cuckoo in the freezer here
for a few months now - got the DoC tag and letter to go with it  - just need a taxidermist to get it back perching on a branch. Flew into a neighbours window.  Again, Wellington-based but will make the trip out NI to deliver to someone with the reputation of doing a good job on this type of thing. 

Any thoughts anyone please ?

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## Dundee

> Not wanting to change the topic but there has been a Long-tailed cuckoo in the freezer here
> for a few months now - got the DoC tag and letter to go with it  - just need a taxidermist to get it back perching on a branch. Flew into a neighbours window.  Again, Wellington-based but will make the trip out NI to deliver to someone with the reputation of doing a good job on this type of thing. 
> 
> Any thoughts anyone please ?


Hi Puffin,the guy that I use for birds is Max Voss at Longburn he is very talented also. And only does birds now.

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## Puffin

Thanks Dundee, will make inquiries in that direction.

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## Dundee

PM'd his phone number for you Puffin

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