What you can expect from Bare Bones

• You can expect that the specimen you give us is what you will receive back.  We are licensed to practice taxidermy in the state of Idaho and we take our jobs very seriously.  We only do European Mounts and we do great work.
• We will do everything we can to ensure that your mount is handled with care and that you are getting back the highest quality mount possible.
• Completion times vary on specimen size and workload.  We will communicate with you and try to give you an idea of how long your job should take but please understand that it can take longer than expected.
• You can expect a quality mount that will last if you take care of it.
• And last but certainly not least, you can expect that we will do everything in our power to earn your repeat business.  We are hunters that enjoy our own mounts and we know the difference between a great job, good job and a poor one.  We know that you want a quality mount and we make every effort to represent that in our work.

Here are some simple steps that you can take to ensure a quality European Mount

1. Skin the animal out as soon after harvest as possible.
2. Keep the specimen dry, cool and out of the elements.
3. Do not store the specimen in plastic bags unless you are freezing it right away.  Leaving a specimen in a plastic bag without freezing promotes the growth of mold which can contaminate a colony of beetles.  In addition, the beetles will avoid the meat if there is mold present.
4. Avoid maggots and flies!  We DO NOT accept heads that have maggots present and it doesn’t matter if they are frozen or not.  Maggots will ruin a colony of Dermestid Beetles and they are the most critical part of our operation.  Please take any and all steps to prevent the decomposition of your specimen so we don’t have to turn your job down.

If proper care is taken, a European Mount can last a lifetime or longer.
Some important care notes for your European Mount.
1. Always ensure that it is securely fastened.  At Bare Bones, we are able to keep our prices low because our focus is on turning out the best specimen possible.  Consequently, we do not mount specimens to plaques.  If you choose to do this yourself, be certain that it is securely fastened before displaying.  Trust me, the last thing you want is for your Mount to break because it fell.
2. As anything, dust can collect on European Mounts and can be cleaned with a damp cloth.  If the specimen is severely in need of a cleaning, it can be submerged in clean water and wiped with a clean cloth. Be aware that it may take a few days or longer to return to its original color as it dries out again.  One more item to note is that if the specimen has antlers or horns you do not want to scrub them.  We go to great lengths to keep antlers and horns in as close to original condition as possible.  Excessive scrubbing or cleaning and chemicals can alter the color and we strongly discourage this.
3. Always be careful.  A European Mount is fragile and must be treated with care.  Nasal cavities often have very thin bone that is literally thinner than paper.  As a mount dries, these become more brittle and you should not touch these at anytime if possible.