Issues with the Artistry of Wildlife

[K-man]

I'm sure most people would have picked up their trophies from Dennis if he had allowed it. I finally received my trophies after 5 years late last summer. His work quality after his heart attacks was worse than most I have seen from Africa. It is visibly different than his early work. I realize he only has the use of one hand. Finishing the skins he has in possession is his only source of income. Can't change what life has dealt you but he should be allowing people to pick up their trophies/skins and take them to someone else.

 

[Shakka]

Maybe he has a serious drinking or drug abuse problem? It’s hard to believe that ANYONE would do business in such a matter

Amazing that he is STILL in business

 

[Speedster]

I was one of the lucky ones. I called Dwayne when he was stll working there. All my kudu mount needed was a base. I told him what I wanted and drove up with my wife the next week to get it. Middle of February and the wind chill was close to zero. Took every blanket, pillow and rope I had. Loaded the kudu in the back of my open pickup and hoped that it would still be in one piece when I got home in 6 hours. Other drivers were probably wondering what in the heck was in the back of my truck.. Made it home and it was fine. The kudu looks great. Glad I went to get it.

 

[JimP]

Maybe he has a serious drinking or drug abuse problem? It’s hard to believe that ANYONE would do business in such a matter

Amazing that he is STILL in business

He had a couple of major heart attacks and if I remember right they brought him back to life at least once. He had a number of artists working for him that for one reason or another left while he was in the hospital or recovering or shortly thereafter.

He also stated that he was just going to finish off the work that he had and was not taking any new customers.

 

[Shakka]

I can’t imagine having to need to make a 12 hour trip to recover my taxidermy from an unscrupulous taxidermist

I’m surprised that he hasn’t gotten his ass kicked yet

 

[buck wild]

Well, I've jumped here in a time or two over the past couple years, BUT.... I never shared my story as I was hopeful eventually things would work out.

As some of you know, I do taxidermy on the side and immensely enjoy doing so. I'm even pretty good at it and consider my work better than average. My very first trip to Africa I killed a big baboon and wanted to do an aggressive shoulder mount with mouth wide open. When I received the skin, it was mangled as the faced was completely destroyed in the skinning phase !!. I had it tanned and it sat in my freezer for years as I wasn't ready to deal with it. For me, part of the allure of Dennis' shop wasn't the taxidermy that Dennis did, but the magical skills of his finisher Jaime. I have never seen a better finisher in all my taxidermy life since 1988. I knew I could get the baboon shoulder mount together but I really wanted Jaime to finish it given the rebuilding it would need in the eyes and face with no hair to help hide anything. In 2014 or so I knew I'd never get to that Baboon shoulder mount as my customer work was also keeping me really busy.

I ended up striking a deal with Dennis to send my tanned hide, all the form/eyes/jawset and everything needed to mount it. Since I had all the materials, and with the skin already tanned, I was hopeful. I sent everything along with payment for the reduced agreed up fee for the work in Oct 2016. Over the years preceding Dennis' health issues, I had email/facebook contact maybe 2xs. The usual, "I'll get to it". I started seeing work returned to Dennis' customers that I know came in after mine had arrived , That started to really chap me!

Then the heart attack. As Dennis returned and some of his work started showing up again, I immediately could tell the quality was way down. Beyond that, I knew Jaime wasn't doing the finish work any more . I even tried reaching Jaime through other channels to no avail. About a year ago, I finally got Dennis to respond to a message- all I asked for was status on my OCTOBER 2016 mount. His reply was basically I could get a lawyer if I wanted.

During my last trip to Zim in 2021 I killed another very large baboon. The cape is currently at the tannery here in the US. I will make it a priority to mount it myself this time .
I know of another person that has a lioness skin for a rug and another small predator with Dennis. He hasn't heard squat now in over 4 years.

 

[Ragman]

I'm sure most people would have picked up their trophies from Dennis if he had allowed it. I finally received my trophies after 5 years late last summer. His work quality after his heart attacks was worse than most I have seen from Africa. It is visibly different than his early work. I realize he only has the use of one hand. Finishing the skins he has in possession is his only source of income. Can't change what life has dealt you but he should be allowing people to pick up their trophies/skins and take them to someone else.

He's not allowing people to pick up their own property??? How can he do that? What a disaster this has become. Disgraceful.

 

[CJW]

I'm not reading all 20 pages but after a couple of years with no or very minimal contact, I think a guy has the right to contact the local authorities about stolen goods.

Is there ever a contract involved in taxidermy work? I can't count how many times I have read about years long waits for some shoulder mounts. I know it's a slow process but a company should be held to some sort of standard.

 

[Rickmt]

I had a heck of a hassle getting 16 African hides and heads away from Dennis’s tanner there in Michigan. When Dennis was in the hospital after his heart attack I thought I should reroute my heads to my local Montana taxidermist. The tannery said no . They took the position that the heads were under the control of Dennis. I was pissed. Dennis got out of the hospital and released the heads to me. I had gotten my attorney involved and spoken to every person in management multiple times.
Moral of the story is do your taxidermy close to home where you can get involved if something goes wrong.
I had to do the same thing here with my first safari when a taxidermist had not started my work a year after he received them back from the tannery. I guess I am a slow learner.
The taxidermist who ended up with both my safaris gives me unlimited grief about how he is a fall back guy or a 2nd choice taxidermist. I like his work and I will never go anywhere else ! His name is Dennis Purcells in Roberts Montana.
Funny thing is he liked the quality of the Michigan Tannery so much he now sends them all his African work.
I have not found taxidermists to be business minded people and that is another reason to keep your work close to home.
The tannery employees tried to make me feel bad that I was taking my work away from Dennis Harris when he was in the hospital and rehab facility. That was nonsense, I think they were protecting their business interests and I was surely protecting mine. It was good business to me .

 

[Proneshooter]

Update:
With help from a member here ( Kevin Masters) for posting, in another thread, what he felt was a valid number for Dennis Harris. I texted the number Kevin posted and Dennis did reply. We made arrangements to meet today so I could get my Zebra cape back. I met Dennis at his home/studio and he did return the cape, but I was not able to go inside the shop. Physically he looks much better than when I saw him last (2020). So he is still operating from the same location, just wish I did not have to make a 4 hour round trip, this all could have been avoided if he had just brought the cape, as he was supposed to, when he delivered our finished taxidermy back in 2020. Also, this was the first time he replied to any of my communications since 2020.
John
Thank you again Kevin, now I hope someday you can get your items returned.

 

[Joshua Rich]

Congrats John.
I only wish you would have posted that you were going to see him today. I would have gladly paid you to grab my stuff from him. He isn’t responding to me and hasn’t in over a year. Unfortunately I’m a whole lot further away than you are and I don’t want to make the trip to find he’s not there or won’t give me my trophies back.

Josh

 

[CJW]

Taxidermy seems to be the biggest risk of going on safari. I hope everyone gets their stuff back.

 

[Proneshooter]

Congrats John.
I only wish you would have posted that you were going to see him today. I would have gladly paid you to grab my stuff from him. He isn’t responding to me and hasn’t in over a year. Unfortunately I’m a whole lot further away than you are and I don’t want to make the trip to find he’s not there or won’t give me my trophies back.

Josh

I would have been glad to have done that if it was prearranged and would still do it for you. That being said, Dennis has his hide wet tanned and thus need to be kept frozen, I do have some freezer space depending on how many mounts you have. Something else, if I was to pick up your stuff, your still going to have a long drive, I'm 2 hours due South of Dennis. As I said he did not let me in his shop, met me at the door and kept me there.
John
[redacted]

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

I would have been glad to have done that if it was prearranged and would still do it for you. That being said, Dennis has his hide wet tanned and thus need to be kept frozen, I do have some freezer space depending on how many mounts you have. Something else, if I was to pick up your stuff, your still going to have a long drive, I'm 2 hours due South of Dennis. As I said he did not let me in his shop, met me at the door and kept me there.
John
[redacted]

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[Shakka]

Did you voice your displeasure with him and/or discuss what is being said on this chat??

just curious as to what his rhetoric is like with all said

 

[Tundra Tiger]

It has been fascinating reading this. The part that mystifies me is the argument that once he has it you can't have it back. Unless there is a contract that says "mine forever and ever until I consent to give any part of it back" I don't see where he has a leg to stand on. He's choosing to be the bully in this, thinking people believe themselves to have no recourse (IMHO). Someone needs to give him what Hank Jr. described in his song of way back when as an "attitude adjustment" on the matter. OK, mini rant over. Sure does make me appreciate my taxidermist.

 

[Ragman]

It has been fascinating reading this. The part that mystifies me is the argument that once he has it you can't have it back. Unless there is a contract that says "mine forever and ever until I consent to give any part of it back" I don't see where he has a leg to stand on. He's choosing to be the bully in this, thinking people believe themselves to have no recourse (IMHO). Someone needs to give him what Hank Jr. described in his song of way back when as an "attitude adjustment" on the matter. OK, mini rant over. Sure does make me appreciate my taxidermist.

Exactly!

 

[tedthorn]

I repossessed my horns and capes from him over two years ago and it was a sticky mess.
I'm so glad that I have my stuff and my fiasco with him is over!

 

[Shakka]

He used to have several guys here who would jump all over you if you criticized Dennis, eg: he’s an artist and an artist is eccentric and can’t be rushed, etc

They haven’t jumped in in a while now so maybe even they gave up on Dennis

What a train-wreck!!

 

[Proneshooter]

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Shakka,
Dennis and I hardly spoke, not even a "Hello". He opened his studio door, grabbed a plastic bag the cape was in and set it on a small pile of wood next to the door. I will quote our entire conversation: "Here is your cape, with your name on the dip pack company's tag, keep it frozen". I said "no problem I brought a cooler", and with that he went back into his studio, closing the door behind him. It was neither friendly, nor confrontational. I was there maybe 4 minutes.