Issues with the Artistry of Wildlife

[Shootist43]

Dennis, I don't want to be accused of "kicking a guy when he's down" but I too want to know what is going on with my mounts. They were not finished / delivered in June as you previously indicated they would be. A little "honest" communication is in order here!!

 

[Shakka]

FWIW: THIS has been a great thread on how to choose a taxidermist.

I'm sure that some potential business has been lost here.

 

[Bhfs300]

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...d-dennis-from-the-artistry-of-wildlife.54982/

If you had Dennis do that Cat you would see how great he is with cats!!!

 

[Shakka]

I am well aware of Dennis's health issues but there is a poster here who has been trying to reach Dennis for over a year with NO RESPONSE and who also has a trophy with him for over 3 years.....both well before Dennis's health issues.

I don't know about you but I find this totally unacceptable...I don't care how "Good" he is I wouldn't give him my business

Read some of the other posts here as well....not good

 

[Bhfs300]

I am well aware of Dennis's health issues but there is a poster here who has been trying to reach Dennis for over a year with NO RESPONSE and who also has a trophy with him for over 3 years.....both well before Dennis's health issues.

I don't know about you but I find this totally unacceptable...I don't care how "Good" he is I wouldn't give him my business

Read some of the other posts here as well....not good

So you want to jump in just for the fun of it or you a relative of him?
Kind of rude to just stir the pot.

 

[Shakka]

So you want to jump in just for the fun of it or you a relative of him?
Kind of rude to just stir the pot.

No I'm not, I'm just a guy reading this thread like you are.
I had to chase a taxidermist around for 2 years myself and I remember how frustrating it was to not get the decency of a return call or a one line, 30 second email.

It's just common decency that is question here. I too have my own business and I work anywhere from 60-80 hrs a week but if a customer of mine attempts to contact me I WILL get back to him...I don't care how busy you are you owe your customers that small bit of respect. You can always find time to shoot a one line email and I think that that is all the posters that chimed in here expect from him.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

Dennis does amazing work: nobody questions that. Hands down amazing. However, communication and broken promises are an issue in terms of when the product would be completed and delivered. I myself had to wait 3 plus years for my taxidermy and made the mistake of paying upfront. As a previous customer I share the frustration several people have voiced on this thread.

Everybody should be able to share the opinion in a safe environment in a professional manner. I wish Dennis the best of health and I also wish those who have chosen him as their taxidermist their trophies in a timely manner. I am hoping Dennis gets the help he needs and continues to build upon his craft.

dt

 

[Bhfs300]

No I'm not, I'm just a guy reading this thread like you are.
I had to chase a taxidermist around for 2 years myself and I remember how frustrating it was to not get the decency of a return call or a one line, 30 second email.

It's just common decency that is question here. I too have my own business and I work anywhere from 60-80 hrs a week but if a customer of mine attempts to contact me I WILL get back to him...I don't care how busy you are you owe your customers that small bit of respect. You can always find time to shoot a one line email and I think that that is all the posters that chimed in here expect from him.

you seem to have a bunch of friends that like real fast.
I have had some real nasty things happen to my trophies also it never goes away you look at it everyday.
Work done turned the wrong way, ears that are flat, hair filled in poorly told that is how it is done. You can find the posts.

 

[Shakka]

you seem to have a bunch of friends that like real fast.
I have had some real nasty things happen to my trophies also it never goes away you look at it everyday.
Work done turned the wrong way, ears that are flat, hair filled in poorly told that is how it is done. You can find the posts.
View attachment 358097 View attachment 358098 View attachment 358100 View attachment 358106

FWIW: I don't know you and I have no idea who any of the guys here are that "liked" my post or the member who responded to you after my post is but I will tell you one thing...If you want to do your friend Dennis a favor you should stop wasting your time here responding to me and tell HIM to respond to his customers!

You are missing the point here my friend...nobody is accusing Dennis of doing shoddy work, on the contrary it looks as though he does beautiful work and has allot of skill BUT he is NOT being a good businessman by ignoring customers calls for YEARS...even before his heart attack. That is totally unacceptable in any business.

The pictures you posted mean nothing. There are bad taxidermists and there are plenty of great ones too..which Dennis IS.

Read Dtarin's post, which is the one after mine. He is telling you about his experience with Dennis which is NOT GOOD...did you see it?? Is he a liar?

PS: if Dennis continues along this course he will lose business. He already lost one guy for a Leopard mount...me. I have a hunt coming up and I narrowed it down to Dennis and Animal Artistry to do my mount if I am successful. No way will I use Dennis after reading his customers comments. I will pay more money and get a 3 month guaranteed turnaround with no game playing and 2 year wait.

Before you accuse me of promoting AA, I will tell you that I do not know the owner or anyone who works there and I haven't even spoken to them yet about doing my mount.

Do your friend a favor, tell him to answer his customers.

My 2 cents take it or leave it

 

[harden]

Been a tough go with a paralized hand and arm. Still working 7 days. going to take a while to get caught up. Little longer than expected. Not worried about your leopard. Not taking in new work anyway. Working on getting backlog out. Shut down website,those that have and do stay with me will have their own private taxidermist for life. ThOnly future work I do is current and past clients that understand I do each mount, crippled and all, not a 15 dollar an hour employee. Its coming together.....

Thanks for those know how I love what I do. Getting better with my faults. My work still goes put petfect. Time will be decreased in the future. Big shops need Big money to run. Do huge shows spending 100s of thousands of dollars someone pays for. You the client does, not everyone has that
money to spend. Im guilty as charged for being late and way behind. Stay with me during these tough times you'll have your own private taxidermy studio , no one gets work done here but you in the future. And youll have a friend for life. Thank you ,have a GREAT weekend.

 

[K-man]

Nice to see you still working. How about answering my e-mail, P.M. or phone messages as well as posting here about how hard you are working. I don't think you understand how expensive it is going to get to ignore your current customers. No one is suggesting you work harder, or about how difficult it is to keep up production during a difficult time. Ignoring current customers is not even remotely good form.

 

[Shootist43]

Dennis, this post is a good start, at least we know you are alive & kicking and still at it. What would be nice, is some communication from you to each of your customers (including me) giving us a realistic time frame for the completion and delivery of our trophies. I live about two and a half hours from you and would like to drive up and see your operation. Would you be amenable to that?

 

[K-man]

Dennis, this post is a good start, at least we know you are alive & kicking and still at it. What would be nice, is some communication from you to each of your customers (including me) giving us a realistic time frame for the completion and delivery of our trophies. I live about two and a half hours from you and would like to drive up and see your operation. Would you be amenable to that?

I have a bit different take on posting here. Not a good start, it's a slap in the face to take the time to post on here about a business that isn't taking on new customers and defend himself to the world but not take the time to contact the customers that are directly contacting him. Just my opinion. Hope your taxidermy gets finished soon also.

 

[Mort Hill]

Dennis, thanks for the post. Just one simple question, and not trying to be a smart ass at all. Can you just post your preferred method of communication for those of us who are still your valued customers? Is it a phone call, email, PM, USPS? Certain times or days of the week? In all seriousness. What works best for you that will help you focus on your work, but allow for an exchange of information between customer and artist. Thanks and blessings, Mort

 

[Shakka]

Nice to see you still working. How about answering my e-mail, P.M. or phone messages as well as posting here about how hard you are working. I don't think you understand how expensive it is going to get to ignore your current customers. No one is suggesting you work harder, or about how difficult it is to keep up production during a difficult time. Ignoring current customers is not even remotely good form.

He doesn't get it.

Potential customers, use him at your own peril

 

[PARA45]

@Shakka, man you do have a hard on for Dennis. You made your point, we got it, let it go. Let the customers deal with him like they have been. I don't have any food on this fight, but you can only kick a man on the ground so many times.

 

[Shakka]

@Shakka, man you do have a hard on for Dennis. You made your point, we got it, let it go. Let the customers deal with him like they have been. I don't have any food on this fight, but you can only kick a man on the ground so many times.

A bit of arrogance in his reply but you are right, I shouldn't have responded....it's his business to run as he see's fit. I just don't get the "Hero Worship" by some of you whether it's a PH, Taxidermist, etc. A few of you guys are being abused and are STILL joking with him and giving him a pass for what would be an email or text that takes 30 sec.....NOBODY is THAT busy. And he doubled down on that with his response. I think that his clients understand that he had a heart attack and has been laid up but nobody here seems to be pushing him to finish their mounts...they just want the respect of a quick email...is that too much to ask?

That said yes I'm done. Sorry fellas

 

[Royal27]

you seem to have a bunch of friends that like real fast.

I was staying out of this but since I'm one of the people who "liked real fast" I'm gonna answer.

I've never even noticed a post from @Shakka until this thread, so I don't know him at all. I liked the post because it was the truth in my case and in many others that I'm personally aware of.

If Dennis communicated with you perfectly and you got your animals mounted by him in a timely manner then good for you. I'm truly happy for you. If he took years to mount your animals, made promises he didn't keep, or didn't return your messages and you think that is totally acceptable for you because he is an amazing taxidermist then again, I'm happy for you. For many though, that isn't acceptable, nor should it be. These issues didn't start with Dennis' health issues, whether you think it did or not.

Kind of rude to just stir the pot.

If you'd step back you'd see that the pot stirring being done here is by you. You've definitely managed to get this thread fired up again.

 

[Royal27]

I have a bit different take on posting here. Not a good start, it's a slap in the face to take the time to post on here about a business that isn't taking on new customers and defend himself to the world but not take the time to contact the customers that are directly contacting him. Just my opinion. Hope your taxidermy gets finished soon also.

I agree @K-man .

@The Artistry of Wildlife

Dwayne sent some of my stuff to another taxidermist before he left your company as you're aware. Based on our communication the other day it turns out that he sent a honey badger and a duiker that are not mine. I'd like to send someone else's capes back to you ASAP but can't get you to respond with your shipping address so that I can do so. I'd like to get those items back to you regardless of when you're able to find the items of mine that are still lost.

In the meantime, I would appreciate it if you'd ship out the capes that you have located - civet, honey badger, bushbuck, and Vaalie. I understand that you haven't yet found the horns for my Sable, bushbuck, or Vallie.

There are also a variety of skulls that I do not know if they are missing or found. If you can give me an update there that would be great.

 

[Wheels]

you seem to have a bunch of friends that like real fast.
I have had some real nasty things happen to my trophies also it never goes away you look at it everyday.
Work done turned the wrong way, ears that are flat, hair filled in poorly told that is how it is done. You can find the posts.
View attachment 358097 View attachment 358098 View attachment 358100 View attachment 358106

Royal and k-man are not alone. There are others like them that have been waiting for years. How many of them have not had their taxidermy done because items are lost like in royals case?

I liked Shakas post as well. I don’t know him. Did I just come out of the woodwork as you insinuated?

If you go back through all the posts Dennis has posted showing finished work, you will see that I have liked or commented on the good job he has done, so it’s not like I have something against Dennis.

Yes Dennis has had health issues but the problems of finishing work or misplacing items goes way back before any health issues came up.

I hope that everyone with delayed work or missing pieces get their property back in a timely fashion.