Probably won't get them back from a crooked/poaching law breaking taxidermist either...in particular one from Alabama.
I've found that cheats, lawbreakers, aren't really too honest from the get-go. I'm guessing with legal fees, fines, etc. that all the deposit money is long gone in this case in question. I would also bet he sold what he could to help cover same.
Knowing how this guy operates, I think those with deposits and unfinished animals are hosed and won't see a dime or their animals again.
I can tell you from personal experience that its incredibly difficult to recoup loses from crooked taxidermists, there is no accountability. Filing a small claims case is largely a waste of time since the "value" the courts assign a set of antlers and a cape is fair market value. Which is $15/lb for antlers and maybe $50 for a cape.
This dude here, Troy Hall, stole a set of 184 inch mule deer antlers from me and sold them, wasn't worth my effort to bother taking him to court.
https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/...s/anonymous-tip-leads-to-poaching-convictions
I would have gotten more from dragging that poaching jerk out in his front yard and administering a thorough beating in front of his kids. No court/judge is going to award more than a few hundred dollars.
Then there's the issue of actually getting the money out of the deadbeat even if you take the time to sue. Plus, you'll never get your trophy back anyway.
Taxidermy is a shady business no question and seems to attract more than its share of less than honest people.
Oh, and for the record, Troy Hall fled to Texas, started another taxidermy shop there. I also heard he's allegedly back in business in Cheyenne.
I can't wait for the next installment, he learned nothing as his mommy and daddy bailed him out before he fled to Texas.
I can also say for sure, that he got away with poaching a lot more animals that I personally know about including another mule deer buck he poached in December on land he leased from a former game and fish commissioner. He also drug his kids into his poaching, letting them shoot pronghorn bucks in areas they didn't have tags for. Apparently he thought he had a statewide pronghorn tag every year, he just killed the best buck he could find anywhere in the State.
That's perhaps the biggest tragedy in these cases, rarely do these guys get nailed for all the violations they committed.
Both this Vick guy and Troy Hall should never be allowed to be involved in anything to do with wildlife, hunting, fishing, trapping ever again...including taxidermy.