Baby, it's cold outside, and it's hunting season. Both things speak to furs, furs, furs…read more I had my own fur to deal with this season. Won't get too into it, but basically I accidentally salvaged a raccoon off the side of the road and successfully skinned it with a partner in crime and the help of a YouTube video. We had a perfect, furry raccoon hide in the freezer and didn't know what the hell to do. Attempts to stretch it over the nose of my surfboard and flesh it soon intimidated us; YouTube tutorials weren't helping in that regard and we had none of the equipment to properly remove the fat, cartilage, and offal from the inside of the hide. In desperation, I performed multiple searches for "taxidermist," since "flesher" seemed too esoteric and horrifying. A search on Yelp just revealed cool bars, galleries, and stores featuring taxidermy. Finally, I found this article: http://nypost.com/2011/08/08/new-york-citys-last-taxidermist-has-the-right-stuff/ Gathering up all my courage, I called this man and asked if he did fleshing. Of course he did, for a mere $25 bucks! Still, it took a couple phone calls of my futile question-asking before I realized that, not only did I not have any alternative in this city, but this guy really knew what he was doing. He was talking about how the ears had to be "turned out" and the cartilage in the nose had to be something-or-othered so it wouldn't pucker up as it dried. Good thing I asked to confirm his business location, too, because it turns out that Mr. Youngaitis has moved offices from Cypress Hills Taxidermy Studio in Brooklyn to a spot labeled "TAXIDERMY" on a rather residential road in Middle Village, Queens (http://thebrooklynink.com/2011/07/18/26501-new-yorks-only-taxidermist-stuffs-his-last/). There's plenty of street parking, or a little hoofing from the Middle Village M-train stop will get you there. What I saw was a super small, glassy storefront with no one in it, but tons of animals, seemingly one of each under the sun: bear, rabbit, swordfish, chameleon, bird, housecat, buck...honestly, the list goes on and on, nearly putting the American Natural History Museum to shame. Seriously. I rang the doorbell, and the man himself appeared, talking on his cell phone to another avid inquirer. He was very approachable and reassuring, and patient when I required a whole lot more reassuring. Note: vendor accepts CASH ONLY, but if you're still stuck cashless like me, there's a deli around the corner of an auto shop that has a 99-cent fee ATM. When I handed him $25, he said, "Oh, you could have just put down a deposit!" but then shrugged, and marked me paid in his paper records. This done, I left my rolled up, ziplocked raccoon skin right there on his table and left on faith that he'd call anytime between that day (mid-November) and the beginning of the new year. Already, a whole family had crammed into the store, and John's phone was ringing off the hook as hunters made appointments to drag in their prizes. And it's not just killers of animals who consult John for his comprehensive animal preservation services, either; lots of people want to immortalize their dear pets. And others are just randos like me who peeled the skin off a sadly slain animal and then didn't know where to go from there. I got a call right after Thanksgiving. There were the animals again, and there was John, with the raccoon in the same plastic bag I'd left it in, only this time it was completely clean and salted and a hell of a lot lighter, ready for tanning by either me or a service. He said he had a tanning guy (to make a soft, wearable pelt instead of a hardened, furry relic). But I proudly told him I'd look into some kits, and that I could take it from there. But seriously, if you need a taxidermist, John Youngaitis knows that he's doing. You can tell by the remarkably lifelike specimens in his store, which he did all by himself or with his father. And if you need someone to clean out a fresh skin so you can send it to a tanner, again, John's your man. Fleshing is the part of the process that is most critical and hardest to pull off since not doing a good job leads to rot. I almost want to skin an animal again so I can go give him more business, but I won't seek out the opportunity; one experience is enough. Anyway, he seems plenty busy - busier than you all might think in a city where there are only really rats, pigeons, and squirrels. Thank you, John!

John repaired my owl taxidermy mount for a very reasonable price of $50. He mounted the owl on a…read morebrand new wooden mount and he cleaned the eyes and nails of the specimen. I am very pleased with his work.

I was in the area two weeks and googling things to see and do and this studio/gallery popped up in…read moremy search results. I think taxidermy is quite a fascinating trade so I just had to check it out. I called and arranged with John, the owner, to visit. He was so nice and very informative. Happy to see people with a great appreciation for this trade still exist. His work is amazing. If you're ever in need of any taxidermy work he's your guy. Or if you're ever in the area you should totally check this place out!

Richard does quality work timely and somebody you can talk to and do it exactly the way you want it…read moreI highly recommend them all the deer went down to a fish I've had hogfish done by him which nobody could have done a better job barracudas Mako heads had A taxidermist botch up my striped bass Ritchie fixed it up is it better then when it was new

From the owner: Taxidermy shop that is family owned and operated. The owner, Rich has been professionally…read morepreparing mounted specimens of fish, birds and mammals for over 30 years. From big game, fish reproductions, repairs and butchering we are a full service taxidermy and butcher shop. We also specialize in preserving pets (dogs, cats, birds, lizards etc.)

Great work, my go to for monthly taxidermy needs. Thanks double J, can't wait to experience your…read morework first hand when I kick the can.

From the owner: Ive been awarded "best all around taxidermist" numerous times by the garden state taxidermists…read moreassociation competition held yearly in New Jersey until the association desolved during the covid era.

I had a difficult time finding a taxidermist that would mount a woodcock. Everyone I spoke to that…read morewas somewhat close to my home in North Jersey said that they were too small to deal with. I finally tried Northeast Taxidermy after seeing a beautifully mounted woodcock on their website. They told me to bring it in and they would take a look at it to see if it was feasible. The shop is almost 2 hours away, but not a bad trip at all. Owners Joe and Lowrey, are really great people, they showed me around their really impressive facility, and took the bird in. About 4 months later, I received a call from Lowrey, saying the bird was done. I picked it up today, and I was absolutely blown away by the incredible job. The bird is flying, mounted on a nice piece of driftwood, and has a hook on the back to hang it on the wall. I could not be happier.

I have had a wide range of mounts from Northeast ranging from a rhino shoulder mount to brown…read moretrout. Their work is impeccable and incredibly accurate.

The only guys I'll use. Clean facility, meat ready when…read morethen say. Packaged nice and labeled. Not vacuum sealed, but foam and wrapped nicely to last in freezer. They've been doing this a long time. I know I'm getting my deer when they butcher. They even gave me a tour of butchering area when I first used them a few years back. I bring my deer from upstate there, also I pass several other places on long island, I come from farmingdale in nasssu, to go to emmi. The taxidermy is flawless. The absolute best around. One stop shop

The father son duo over at eastern taxidermy is awesome. They are nice people when you walk into…read moretheir studio they invite you in greet you like you belong there and congratulate you on your trophy. Its is a very inviting atmosphere unlike other studios I've been to on the island. The butchering is done very professionally. Their mounts stand the test of time and i am glad i found them. Do yourself a favor and use this taxidermist!!

Anybody that was ripped off by Dan the owner of Fish and Wildlife Unlimited???????…read morePlease message me. It is cruel and heartless to not give people back their animals and keep the money they put down. How do you close up shop and not care about people that trusted that you would give them back their pets and wildlife . I am so heartbroken over my dog. Dan the owner will not tell me where my dog is!! Please people contact me message me if you had the same experience.

So many people have been ripped off. We want to know where our animals are…read more He took my pet and my $1000 and closed up shop and now says he cant help me !!!!!! He gets no star

Kevin did a pintail flying mount that's absolutely perfect. His turnaround time was much sooner…read morethan expected and the price was extremely reasonable. All my future work will be going to Kevin.

From the owner: Taxidermy services, mounting trophy fish & wildliferead more