Taxidermy Shop Quality Assurance: Inspection Checklist Before Customer Pickup

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

Quality inspection before customer contact prevents the "it doesn't look right" complaint cycle. When you inspect the mount yourself and identify any issue before the customer sees it, you control the resolution. When the customer identifies it first, you're responding to a complaint.

Documented QA checks protect against post-pickup quality disputes. A completed inspection record shows when the mount was checked, what was verified, and that it passed your standards before leaving your shop.

TL;DR

Step back 10 feet and view every finished mount from the customer's viewing angle before marking it complete.
Note any quality issue in the job record before contacting the customer, even if you address it before delivery.
A formal pre-delivery inspection checklist reduces the number of customer complaints that arrive after pickup.
Hide separation, loose eyes, and unfinished lip or nose detail are the three most common post-delivery complaints.
Competition work standards, even informally applied to production mounts, elevate quality across all price points.
The job record is the place to document quality decisions made during production, protecting you if any dispute arises.

When to Conduct the QA Inspection

The inspection should happen after the mount is fully finished and before you notify the customer of completion. Do not call or send a completion notification until the mount has passed your QA checklist.

This sequence matters. Contacting the customer, having them drive to pick up, and then discovering an issue at pickup creates a bad experience even if you fix it immediately. Discovering and fixing issues before contact creates a smooth pickup experience.

Universal QA Checklist (All Species)

These items apply to every mount regardless of species:

Structural integrity:

No visible cracks in the form material around seams
All joins and attachments are secure, nothing that will separate with normal handling
The mount is stable on its plaque, panel, or base without wobbling

Finish quality:

No drips, runs, or uneven coverage in the finish coat
All areas are evenly sealed and finished
No visible adhesive or filler material showing

Symmetry:

The mount appears symmetrical when viewed from the front
No noticeable lean or twist in the positioning

Labeling and documentation:

Your shop name is on the mount (standard practice)
Any engraving or plaque text is correct (verify spelling of the customer's name)

Deer Shoulder Mount QA Checklist

Eyes:

Both eyes are seated at equal depth
Eye color matches the signed intake selection
No visible gap between the eye and the skin around it
The highlight of each eye is positioned correctly for the pose
No adhesive visible around eye margins

Ears:

Both ears are equally sized and positioned
Ear cartilage recreation looks natural, no buckling or unnatural angles
Ear hair direction follows natural growth patterns
Ear tips are fully filled, no hollow or sunken tips

Nose:

Nose is correctly shaped for the deer's sex and subspecies (buck vs doe noses differ slightly)
No cracking in the nose or lip area
All lip detail is preserved and aligned

Hair:

No visible bald spots or thin areas
Hair flows consistently in natural directions across the mount
No visible tanning or chemical staining on the hair

Cape-to-form fit:

No wrinkles or bunching in the skin around the neck
The brisket area lays naturally
No pulled or stretched areas around the head-to-neck junction

Antlers:

Antlers are secured at the natural angle (not pointing up or down unnaturally)
Any antler repairs or treatments are not visible
Burr area is cleanly finished

Final check:

Step back 10 feet and view the mount from the angle a customer would see it on the wall
Does it look natural and lifelike?
Does it represent the quality you'd want to display in your own home?

Fish Mount QA Checklist

Body form:

The body shape follows the customer's reference photos
No depressions or flat spots from form imperfections
The lateral line is defined and accurate

Scale work:

Scale definition is clear and consistent across the mount
No areas where scales are compressed or blurred
Scale edges are clean, not ragged

Fins:

All fins are fully extended and supported in their final position
Fin rays are defined and natural-looking
No cracking or shrinkage in fin membranes
All fin tips are intact

Color and paint:

Color matches the customer's reference photos as closely as possible
Transitions between color zones are smooth
No visible brushstrokes, paint drips, or airbrush lines
The gloss or matte finish is even across the entire mount

Eyes:

Both eyes match the species (glass taxidermy eyes for accurate color)
Eyes are properly set and sealed

Turkey Mount QA Checklist

Feathers:

No broken or damaged feathers introduced during mounting
Feathers lie in natural position without visible manipulation marks
The iridescent coloring hasn't been damaged by handling

Fan:

Fan is fully spread and secure
Fan feathers are evenly spaced
No feather crossovers or gaps in the fan

Head:

Head color is natural (or recreated naturally if the skin dried)
Caruncles are accurately formed
Snood is positioned correctly for the species and sex

Legs and spurs:

Spurs are correctly attached and positioned
Feet are posed naturally

Body posture:

The posture (full strut, standing, walking) matches the intake selection

Bear QA Checklist (Rug)

Hide:

Hair quality is consistent across the rug, no bald spots or visible slippage areas
Color is even and natural
No visible salt or chemical residue in the hair

Head:

Head form is accurately shaped for the species and sex
Lips are fully fleshed and sealed
Teeth are intact and properly positioned
Eyes are correctly set

Paws:

All four paws are properly filled and positioned
Claws are intact and attached
Paw pads are realistic

Backing:

Felt or fabric backing is evenly attached
No visible staples or adhesive on the face side

Documenting the QA Inspection

Record the inspection in your management software at the same time you update the job status to "complete." Note:

Date of inspection
Inspector name (yourself or staff member)
Pass/fail for each major category
Any issues identified and how they were resolved

This record demonstrates that a formal inspection was conducted before pickup. If a customer raises a quality concern after pickup, your documented pre-pickup inspection shows the mount met your standard at time of release.

The taxidermy job tracking system in MountChief includes a QA stage in the production workflow.

What to Do When an Issue Is Found

If the inspection reveals a problem:

Note the issue in the job record
Repair it before contacting the customer
Re-inspect after repair
Only contact the customer after the mount has passed a clean re-inspection

Some issues can be repaired quickly (a minor paint touch-up, a loose antler). Others require more work (resetting an eye, reworking a wrinkled cape area). Do the work before the customer arrives. The time investment is worth it compared to handling a pickup complaint.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I inspect on a finished deer shoulder mount?

Inspect in sequence from the most critical areas: eyes (depth, symmetry, color match, no visible gaps), ears (equal size and position, natural cartilage, filled tips), nose and lips (correct shape, no cracking, natural detail), hair quality (no bald spots, natural flow, no chemical staining), cape-to-form fit (no wrinkles, natural brisket, clean head junction), antlers (secured at natural angle, burr finished). Then step back 10 feet and look at the complete mount from the viewing angle. If anything looks unnatural or unbalanced from 10 feet, it will look unnatural or unbalanced to the customer. Fix it before they see it.

What QA checks apply to fish mounts before customer pickup?

Body shape against the reference photos, scale definition and consistency, all fin conditions (extension, no cracking, ray definition, intact tips), color accuracy against reference photos, paint quality (no drips, even transitions, correct gloss), and eye accuracy for the species. Step back and compare to the reference photos the customer provided at intake. The customer will make the same comparison. Any significant deviation from the reference needs to be addressed before pickup or disclosed to the customer before they arrive.

How do I document quality inspection results in case of a later dispute?

Record the inspection as a timestamped note in the job record, noting the date, inspector, and the result for each major quality category. If all areas passed, note that explicitly. If issues were found and repaired, note both the issue and the resolution. When you notify the customer of completion, note that notification date as well. This creates a timeline showing: inspection date, pass result, notification date, and (after pickup) pickup date. If a customer later claims the mount had a pre-existing issue, your documented inspection record and the pickup date establish when the mount left your control.

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 taxidermy shop quality assurance?

The most common mistake is treating taxidermy shop quality assurance 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.

Try These Free Tools

Put these insights into practice with our free calculators and planners:

Sources

National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Small Business Administration (SBA)

Get Started with MountChief

Compliance mistakes and missed customer updates cost taxidermy shops real money. MountChief centralizes specimen tracking, documentation, and communication so those gaps close.