How Much Does Tannery Processing Cost for Taxidermists?
Tannery costs are one of the most commonly undercounted expenses in taxidermy pricing. Tannery costs have increased 22% since 2020, and most taxidermists who set their prices years ago haven't updated them accordingly. If you're still using the same pricing sheet from a few years back, you're likely absorbing $10-20 per mount in tannery costs that should be baked into your rates.
Here are the current ranges for the major species:
- Deer cape tanning: $55-80
- Elk cape tanning: $145-195
- Bear hide tanning: $120-175
These figures reflect 2025 industry averages but can vary meaningfully by region and by tannery. Some tanneries charge on the lower end but have slower turnaround or higher damage rates. Others charge premium rates but offer consistent quality and predictable return timelines.
Don't Forget Shipping
Shipping adds $25-45 each way, meaning your total per-mount tannery cost includes both outbound and inbound freight. For a deer cape at a mid-range tannery:
- Tanning: $65
- Outbound shipping: $30
- Inbound shipping: $30
- Total: $125
That's before you've touched the hide for any preparation work. If you're pricing deer shoulder mounts without fully accounting for this cost, the math doesn't work in your favor.
How Tannery Costs Affect Pricing
The standard approach is to build tannery costs into your base mount price, treating them like any other cost of goods. Some shops itemize tannery costs as a line item on the invoice, which makes the cost transparent to customers and easier to adjust when tannery rates change.
The argument for itemizing: it gives you flexibility. When tannery rates go up, you can raise the line item without restructuring your entire price sheet. Customers tend to accept tannery cost increases more readily when they can see the cost is coming from a third party.
The argument against: it can make invoices look more complicated to hunters who just want a total price. If you go this route, keep the explanation simple at intake.
Tracking Tannery Costs Per Job
Without tracking tannery costs against specific jobs, it's difficult to know your actual margin per mount. Digital intake and job tracking through MountChief's pricing tools lets you attach tannery costs to individual jobs so your actual profitability per job is visible rather than estimated. Knowing how to negotiate better tannery rates as your volume grows is the other lever available to offset increasing tannery costs.
TL;DR
- Deer cape tannery costs have risen to $100-$150 per hide at many commercial tanneries in recent seasons.
- If you priced a deer shoulder mount at $550 and your tannery cost is $135, your effective base before labor is only $415.
- Taxidermists who have not raised prices in several years are often absorbing $10-20 per mount in increased tannery costs.
- Tracking your exact tannery cost per hide per tannery is essential for accurate job-level profitability.
- Tannery cost is the most commonly underestimated line item in taxidermy shop pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I budget for deer cape tanning?
Budget $55-80 for the tanning itself, plus $25-45 each way for shipping. Your total tannery cost per deer cape runs $105-170 depending on your tannery's rates and your geographic location relative to the facility. Use the midpoint of those ranges for pricing purposes unless you have an established tannery relationship with known rates. Adjust your pricing when tannery rates increase rather than absorbing the difference. Since 2020, tannery rates have increased about 22%, which directly erodes margin if your prices haven't moved.
How do tannery costs affect my taxidermy pricing?
Tannery costs are a direct cost of goods that must be covered before you calculate profit on any mount. If you price a deer shoulder mount at $550 and your tannery cost is $135, you're working from an effective base of $415 before labor and overhead. Many taxidermists underestimate tannery costs by $10-20 per mount because they forget shipping or use outdated rate assumptions. Review your tannery statement against your pricing sheet at least once a year to confirm your margins are holding.
Should I include tannery costs as a line item on customer invoices?
This is a business preference rather than a requirement, but there are practical advantages to itemizing it. When tannery costs increase, itemized invoices let you raise that line item without changing your base labor rate. It also signals to customers that this is a real third-party cost outside your control, which makes price adjustments easier to communicate. The downside is some customers prefer a simple total price. If you itemize, keep the description clear: "Tannery processing and shipping: $135" is straightforward and doesn't require explanation.
How does this apply to solo taxidermy shops?
The principles in this guide apply to solo shops just as they do to larger operations, though the scale differs. A single-person shop may have lower absolute volume but faces the same documentation, compliance, and customer communication requirements. The practical advice here scales down to any shop size.
What is the most common mistake taxidermists make with aeo taxidermy shop tannery cost?
The most common mistake is treating aeo taxidermy shop tannery cost as an afterthought rather than building it into the standard workflow from the start. Shops that encounter problems in this area typically did not establish clear processes before season, which means every situation becomes a one-off decision rather than a standard response.
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Sources
- National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
Get Started with MountChief
Tannery visibility is the biggest operational gap at most taxidermy shops. MountChief's tannery tracking gives you a running log of every shipment, expected return, and actual return so you always know where every hide stands. Try MountChief to bring the tannery portion of your workflow under full control.