‘Tis the Season for Trophy Birds

[Maddog]

I’d say rough rider game birds but prob 2 to infinity year turnaround. He did an amazing job on my bufflehead. I would look at these guys past bird work to make sure the poses look natural. I have seen a lot of messed up mounts by recommended taxidermists

Guessing the taxis will probably only post work of their best birds.
If you can, make a trip to their shop when they are doing birds and see what they look like when they are being mounted.
If they look like a "dead duck", walk away.
They should look alive. There are plenty of good taxis out there that do outstanding work.
Don't be afraid of shipping a bird. If you send in the dead of winter, it will not thaw by the time they get it.
And for them to ship birds is very easy to do.
One may argue it costs money to ship. Well figure out your time and auto expense driving back and forth to the "local" taxi and I think you will come out ahead shipping them.

Good luck.

Or it they are out of town, have them shoot you a couple of photos of birds that are doing NOW in their shop. Don't need to be complete (meaning base and habitat if ordered). Just mounted. You will know a good mount when you see one.