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skywalker
climber
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Hey Ron,
Must have missed the thread. Have only viewed a few photos. Great work! My friend I grew up with has a taxidermy business (just noticed). I haven't popped in yet, partly cause I haven't seen him in 26 years and live half a continent away. I need to check him out next time. He was there when I caught a 28 inch chain pickerel 28 years ago. It was 2 ounces(???) shy of the state record.
I got it "mounted" as my 12 yr old b-day gift (biggest catch of anything at the time). I forgot about it after high school but found it in Mom's attic 10 years ago. I've been a high school biology teacher for 9 years now and its proudly presented in my classroom. While not a "trophy fish" it was beautifully done and begs questions/ conversations from students and parents alike year after year.
Cheers!!!
S...
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Jan 22, 2014 - 07:54pm PT
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Beautiful art you have here Ron. Thanks for sharing..
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Jan 22, 2014 - 10:02pm PT
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Check this out, curious to here your perspective Ron:
Officers seize parakeet at border
Posted: Jan 22, 2014 6:21 PM MST
By Breann Bierman
(Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
NOGALES, AZ (CBS5) -
Authorities have seized a live pet parakeet found inside a camera bag about to make its way across the border.
Customs and Border Patrol agriculture specialists assigned to the Tucson Field Officer seized the animal under the Animal Health Protection Act.
The 41-year-old California man attempting to enter the U.S. with the bird was fined.
The bird was turned over to USDA-Veterinary Service.
CBP said all birds brought into the U.S., with the exception of Canada, must be quarantined for 30 days at a USDA bird quarantine facility.
Birds are regulated since they can carry the viral and bacterial diseases.
(Article fails to mention that birds can fly and routinely ignore such things as international borders).
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Q- Ball
Mountain climber
where the wind always blows
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Jan 22, 2014 - 11:38pm PT
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Hey Ron-
I have always wanted to see a good Hun, or Golden Trout.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Jan 23, 2014 - 02:12pm PT
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Footloose
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
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Jan 23, 2014 - 02:22pm PT
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Ron, Will,
beautiful job on the Great Horned Owl!
just noticed it. Remember to keep it out of sight
and reach of the local scrub jays, maybe Stellar's too?
I used to have a Great Horned Owl from bitd, had it
for years, blue jays discovered it through an open garage
window and over a week's time, flew sorties in there and
ripped it apart. All the while I thought the jays just
had a fascination with my garage!
I mounted it when I was about 16.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Feb 24, 2014 - 12:22pm PT
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Seminars/classes for aspring dermists, gun/hunting show live demos, and high end clientele using contacts of the highest end guide companies.
Just some possibilities to get out of the day to day grind while still capitalzing on the expertise and reputatation. Nothing you haven't thought of I'd guess, but starting over at 50-some?
Good luck in any case.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Feb 24, 2014 - 12:44pm PT
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My hunting knowledge may get me a job as a hunting sales associate for a popular store now being built in Carson as well
Manning a counter at Bass Pro? Seems a small step above "Fries with that?" or "Welcome to Wal Mart". Seems like some of the hunting shows, like the old Buck-o-rama back in the SE, would pay you to run a booth doing demos. I remember seeing plenty of booths BITD where they weren't a product/service company but something the show itself provided for entertainment/ to draw people in etc. But sounds like you've checked those things out.
What about architectural modeling. The details of plants, rocks, etc that you already model might be desirable for those big firms when they do full on landscape mockups...though the advent of 3-D printers might put an end to that business in short order.
I just can't see standing on your feet all day, entertaining dumb ass questions from an endless procession of n00bs and numpties in a retail environment after running your own show for so long.
There's always commercial trucking. Low barrier to entry, and at least you're on your own program most of the time. Nobody telling you when you get a coffee break, and seems like plenty of demand.
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Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
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Feb 24, 2014 - 01:01pm PT
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I just can't see standing on your feet all day,
well, at 63 with my spine I could not do it
but Ron is younger and stronger and ya gotta do what ya gotta do to make a living
you are doing the right thing in recognizing the slow death of private taxidermy and looking for income elsewhere, you know how to get by on less so even $9/hr at a store works
good luck, Ron, sincerely
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little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
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Feb 24, 2014 - 01:20pm PT
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good luck Ron,
hope you're able to find a productive alternative, especially one where you can express your creative spirit.
It's been fun seeing your artwork here. Like taking a trip to the museum.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Feb 24, 2014 - 01:32pm PT
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Theres is a place known as rock bottom. I know this place. I have lived it for the last few years. ANYTHING now is a step up.
I lived in that place for a while when I was just a couple of years younger than you are now. Eventually found my way out, and I'm sure you will, too.
Good luck.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Feb 24, 2014 - 01:37pm PT
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Dude, this is your art and your chosen life profession. Unless you just don't have the fire in your belly for it anymore, why give it up to a bunch of newbie wannabes?
The market has changed (bummer that you might have had a hand it making that happen)...figure out a way to work within it. Any of us small specialty business owners have had to deal with the big boxes coming to town- you can succeed & excel when you find a way to differentiate yourself from the other lowballing wankers. You need to want to do it, though.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Feb 24, 2014 - 01:48pm PT
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Manning a counter at Bass Pro? Seems a small step above "Fries with that?"
Yours truly worked almost seven years for the BN company in BDalton Bookseller in a mall, where most of them are cash cows for mamma. They did not hire me for the new BN store here in town.
I took a post as a seller of used books, a step down, certainly, but I made my customers happy and that was my goal, because it made me happy.
Ron has mad skills at what he knows. I knew reading and books in the same way. Books are a dying breed apparently, much like literate commentary around our vague, misshapen world. Taxidermy is going to the dogs, so to speak.
Ron is not afraid, just not sure where to go next.
Whatever you do next, Ron, take neebee's advice.
I am waiting for $$ to send LennyBrews, the deadmouse, my brother & fellow Flame. He may arrive in early March.
I'd like him standing on a rock, shouldering a sharpened yellow pencil ( a #2 with a clean eraser).
Many thanks.
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jonnyrig
Trad climber
formerly known as hillrat
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Feb 24, 2014 - 02:37pm PT
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Look at it this way-
You dont have to give up taxidermy, and probably wont. What you can do is pick and choose the best of what people bring to you. Unique mounts, exotics, rare species and such that others wouldnt have the opportunity to work with.
And, if you find yourself with a steady, keeps the bills paid kinda job in the meantime, then the money you make on the additional taxidermy work is frosting on the cake. Only without the headache of stressing over next months rent money, nawmean?
Anyway, if you quit altogether, who the hell is gona stuff birds for me when i finally save some disposable income?
Keep truckin dude, summits still out there.
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dirt claud
Social climber
san diego,ca
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Feb 24, 2014 - 02:57pm PT
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Good luck with whatever new ventures come your way Ron. Glad I was able to get a piece made by you before you retire. More climbing time can't be so bad, right :)
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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Feb 24, 2014 - 03:17pm PT
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Ron this is a sincere question that I hope you will put aside all our amusing differences to take seriously.
I want to save the pelt of my dog Goldie when (hopefully years from now) she passes. I don't think I want to have her mounted in a pose or anything but I have a deep sense that I want to preserve her pelt as a rug or blanket. How weird is that? Now for the weirder part.
I have stripped small game without the intent of saving a pelt. But this would be different. She is a beloved companion and I would not want the pelt f*#ked up by removal or preservation and that is not my field of experience. Pets are not meat if you know what I mean. What I want to ask you is can this be something I do myself? Would it just be way better to have a non emotionally attached professional do it? Then there is the awkwardness of a naked body disposal in the Boulder "Bubble". I have already contemplating burying her remains in the Colorado wild-lands I know. But the thought of either transporting her stripped carcass and getting pulled over or stripping her at the site and being caught just kind of make my head waggle.
I am asking you because I admire the quality of the work you do and thought you would give me a straight answer. Without the ew gross response most people would give me.
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dirt claud
Social climber
san diego,ca
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Feb 24, 2014 - 03:17pm PT
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No worries Ron, I know you got stuff going on, just glad we met and I put an order in for some Quail before you decided to retire. Bummer that taxidermy is going the way of other skill trades/art these days. Good luck with everything.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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Feb 24, 2014 - 03:48pm PT
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Thank you Ron I appreciate the solid answer.
Not sure if I could do it or not and really hope I have years to figure it out.
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jeepnphreak
Ice climber
Bzn, mt
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Feb 24, 2014 - 04:43pm PT
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Feb 24, 2014 - 05:33pm PT
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Best of luck, Ron. I'm sure most of us have been in the downs at some point or other in their lives. I know I have.
I hope you get the fuels job, it's obvious you have a great understanding of wildland fire and I'm sure you would be a valuable asset to the program.
I still might be hitting you up if I'm lucky enough to land a monster Striped Bass.
Albert
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