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Taxidermy has come a very long way over the years, but even with primitive techniques, these are far from professional in any sense. Some terrifying and some hilarious, each represents what NOT to do when having a mount done. Make sure you do your homework when finding a taxidermist 🙂
This oh-so-sassy bobcat.
This contemplative fox.
This… ambiguous embodiment of sadness.
This two-for-the-price-of-one bonus! A fox carrying a duckling!
This… house cat? Is this a cat? I don’t even know anymore.
This surprised tiger.
This exhausted polar bear.
This bloated bull.
This sad, sad creature.
This angelic cat.
WHATEVER THIS “AMAZON MAN” IS.
Some type of amazon cat and monkies?
TV host polar bear
Rat sllippers
Prankster lion
Leopard??
Wired weasel
Rabid monkey
Surprised cheetah
Stick fox?
Half assed??
Taxidermy has come a very long way over the years, but even with primitive techniques, these are far from professional in any sense. Some terrifying and some hilarious, each represents what NOT to do when having a mount done. Make sure you do your homework when finding a taxidermist 🙂
This oh-so-sassy bobcat.
This contemplative fox.
This… ambiguous embodiment of sadness.
This two-for-the-price-of-one bonus! A fox carrying a duckling!
This… house cat? Is this a cat? I don’t even know anymore.
This surprised tiger.
This exhausted polar bear.
This bloated bull.
This sad, sad creature.
This angelic cat.
WHATEVER THIS “AMAZON MAN” IS.
Some type of amazon cat and monkies?
TV host polar bear
Rat sllippers
Prankster lion
Leopard??
Wired weasel
Rabid monkey
Surprised cheetah
Stick fox?
Half assed??
Quality –
What is quality, quality is defined as distinguishing features or characteristic. Quality in taxidermy is the degree of accuracy and how accurate a taxidermist wants to make your mount. Quality can be an accurate eye set using live references and photos or a generic guess. You can have nostrils that have proper shape, nostril wings, contour, height and proper depth according to nose cast references or you can have round holes that you can see in three to four inches. You can have sewing seams that are not detectable or stitches you can see three to four feet away. You can have a skin that is tanned into leather or you can have a dry preserved mounts (more about this later). Quality will vary from shoulder mounted animals to life size, fish, reptiles, birds, and small game or large game animals. There is also good and not as good quality on habitat recreations your animal is mounted on. Some taxidermist’s think that over detailing muscles is better quality. These taxidermists go in hand with the hunters who want this inaccurate anatomy and the over muscled look.
Quality and detail is a strong opinionated area. How much should you have? How much do you want? This is one reason you need to visit as many different taxidermists you can. Have them explain to you what their meaning of detail or quality is. You will see this will vary drastically from shop to shop you visit. The taxidermist can also over detail muscular and skeletal anatomy. This is why you want to use live reference photos. These references will keep a taxidermist true and not stylized. Examples: A longhaired northern deer or elk will not show a vein in their face. Nine times out of ten, will either a shorthaired deer or elk. The facial veins only show for about ten seconds, how this happens is when the animals head is low feeding and suddenly lifts their head up. When the head is low, the blood rushes into the head then when the head is raised the amount and weight of the blood bulges the facial veins only for a few seconds. You can see this clearly in the summer time when the animal has short hair.
On the other hand, a life size African lion or cape buffalo will not have every muscle cut and budging although many believe they do. If the eyes were wide open and alert, then you would not have a relaxed nostrils or ears. Always try to educate yourself with live reference photos before visiting a studio. If you visit, a studio and you see something you are not sure about, ask questions. Ask the taxidermist to show you a reference photo explaining this.
On habitat bases how real does it look? Is any of the habitat falling or flaking off if you move or tilt the base? Does the habitat look out of balance? Did the taxidermist try to do too much on a little base? Can you see any leg support rods underneath the hoofs connecting to the habitat? If you do this is very sloppy work. Have you ever been told by a taxidermist the bases takes away from the mount. Most likely, that taxidermist does not have the artistic eye and balance coordination. A habitat should enhance your mount. Look one hundred percent natural and express involvement. If you see a habitat, that over powers or does not look natural or is too busy, the taxidermist may lack this artistic ability of coordination to put your mount in balance. Plants, grasses, rocks and driftwood should look natural. Grasses should look soft and bushy, not tight and strategically placed.
If the taxidermist recreates these types of habitats this does not mean they are bad people; they are just lacking the skills you are looking for. Be careful of short cuts that can be made.
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What is the Difference between Commercial Mounts (Client Mounts) and Competition Mounts (Display Mounts)
Written by Ron Shaefer
Trade shows and show rooms could be mounts they worked on just for show or something that have purchased from another taxidermist. That may not be what you get back. This is a very common. No matter how smooth the sales pitch is and what they say they can do. You want to see finished client mounts. Their finished work in the back room before it hits the display room is most likely what you will receive in return. Have the taxidermist point out what are their client’s mounts and what are display mounts or competition mounts.
When visiting a taxidermist ask why I should choose you over a different taxidermist. Let them tell you what they offer. You want someone to explain to you how they separate themselves from the rest. Then they can show you around their showroom that most likely is mixed with display pieces and pieces that are ready to be picked up by their clients. You can compare if their display is equal to the quality that leaves their studio. You may or may not want that type of quality. Ask if you can use a flashlight to check the quality of their work around the eyes and if the pupils are level, inside the nostrils, inside the ears or any shaded areas. After all most sales pitches are that, their quality supersedes the rest. Have them prove it. Have them point out their quality, not you trying to find it.
If a taxidermist knocks quality, they most likely do not have a lot in their mounts. Some may say you need to view it from 15 to 20 feet back. All though this may be true, you are just trying to determine if you are paying for the quality and not receiving it.
You will need to know the difference between a commercial mount vs. a competition mount. A commercial mount is what you the consumer will receive back. Your trophy is mounted and finished in a certain period of time in order for a taxidermist to earn a profit.
Stay tuned for Pt 3 How to understand quality in taxidermy
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What is the Difference between Commercial Mounts (Client Mounts) and Competition Mounts (Display Mounts)
Written by Ron Shaefer
Trade shows and show rooms could be mounts they worked on just for show or something that have purchased from another taxidermist. That may not be what you get back. This is a very common. No matter how smooth the sales pitch is and what they say they can do. You want to see finished client mounts. Their finished work in the back room before it hits the display room is most likely what you will receive in return. Have the taxidermist point out what are their client’s mounts and what are display mounts or competition mounts.
When visiting a taxidermist ask why I should choose you over a different taxidermist. Let them tell you what they offer. You want someone to explain to you how they separate themselves from the rest. Then they can show you around their showroom that most likely is mixed with display pieces and pieces that are ready to be picked up by their clients. You can compare if their display is equal to the quality that leaves their studio. You may or may not want that type of quality. Ask if you can use a flashlight to check the quality of their work around the eyes and if the pupils are level, inside the nostrils, inside the ears or any shaded areas. After all most sales pitches are that, their quality supersedes the rest. Have them prove it. Have them point out their quality, not you trying to find it.
If a taxidermist knocks quality, they most likely do not have a lot in their mounts. Some may say you need to view it from 15 to 20 feet back. All though this may be true, you are just trying to determine if you are paying for the quality and not receiving it.
You will need to know the difference between a commercial mount vs. a competition mount. A commercial mount is what you the consumer will receive back. Your trophy is mounted and finished in a certain period of time in order for a taxidermist to earn a profit.
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So each year I have been asked by many of our hunters if we suggest a good taxidermist. Though we do have a few that we prefer, they may not be in the hunter’s area. While doing my research, I came across an absolutely wonderful article written by Ron Schaefer of Heads Above the Rest Taxidermy located in Clifton Texas. Take some time to check out some of their absolutely stunning work…..they really know what they are doing and are truly heads above the rest in the industry!
How to Choose a Taxidermist Pt. 1
By Ron Schaefer
So many hunters spend endless hours researching an outfitter or an area to hunt. Some plan for years. Hunters spend endless hours talking with their friends, checking referrals and dreaming. They even spend an enormous amount of money on hunting gear, new rifles and equipment to collect the trophy of a lifetime. Some spend quite a bit on hunting leases and hunting licenses, there are hunts that cost more than some people earn in a year’s time. Some hunters save their entire life for just one hunt. They plan to take time off from work, threaten their jobs, some even threaten their marriages or get into huge arguments with their spouse over their hunting. Nothing seems to stop them in their pursuit. Yet upon arrival from the hunt, many will choose a taxidermist by simply looking in a phone book for who is the most convenient, or a taxidermist being the least inexpensive! This results in unrealized expectations.
You should take as much time planning a hunt as choosing a taxidermist! Most often times even more! The investment you made collecting your trophy is a memory you want to remember for a lifetime. This is why you should carefully choose a taxidermist. What the taxidermist gives back to you is what you have to reflect back upon for the rest of your life. When walking through different trophy rooms it is shocking, what the hunter has to remember their hunts for the rest of their lives. The time to look for a taxidermist is long before hunting season or the hunt you plan to go on. If you wait until after the hunt, you do not have the time to shop around. Panic sets in and you usually will leave your trophy with the first taxidermist who is most convenient or least expensive without completing your research on them. If you ask a friend or a hunter, what taxidermist do you use? They may give you a referral to a taxidermist of lower quality; you may want a better quality of mount then referred.
Taxidermy is an art form. As with any artist, some are better than others.. Some people cannot draw a stick person. Some can draw something that looks like it can breathe. Some draw abstract and some can draw just…0kay. The same holds true in a taxidermist; not all taxidermists are artists. What each taxidermist sees through their eyes or mind is what they will give back to you. As you are looking and talking to different taxidermists, you will see many different opinions, some much stronger than others. These opinions may be one sided, or not what you imagined and you will also find some truly talented people. All of these opinions can be acceptable as long as this is what you are looking for. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself before choosing any taxidermist:
Try not to make a decision over the phone or price shopping without stopping in and seeing what you are actually buying. This is strongly encouraged that you visit as many studios that you can because there is a difference between all taxidermists! If you want quality in return then you will have to look for it. If you are at an outdoor convention or hunting show chances are there will be a taxidermist advertising at these events. You can ask questions and look at their work being displayed but do not make a decision until you visit their studio.
Stay tuned for Pt 2 The difference between commercial mounts and competition mounts….
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