Who on Hunting Beast does taxidermy?

[Mountain Man]

I'm curious as to who on the Hunting Beast does taxidermy. Please respond as to whether you do it as a hobby, part time business, full time business, used to do it, want to learn, starting to learn, etc.

Here's my story. I started about 10 years ago and learned from books and videos. In 2003-04 I joined the Wisconsin Taxidermist Association (WTA) and started competing. Joining the WTA and competing was probably the best thing I did to improve my work. In addition to improving my work I have met a lot of great people and made some good friends through the WTA. The taxidermy competitions helped take my work to the next level (actually up a few levels). A few years ago I started a part time business. Just recently I stopped doing customer work and went back to it being a hobby - it was cutting into hunting and personal time too much. I really enjoy the competition aspect and plan to continue with it as a hobby and competing once in a while.

[tresleggos]

i do.....lee gave me a quick run down and i did one mount w him and the rest ive learned on my own by books videos and trial and error

[Hurricane]

Me too, part time business for me...doing customer work for about 3 years now. I learned by books and videos as well as a lot of trial and error (on my own stuff!). Eventually I had friends ask if I would mount for them so when I got serious about it I went and spent a week with Joe Meder...gotta say that was a good move on my part as I learned, and was able to apply, more in that week than I would have gotten on my own in 5 or 10 years. I also take pieces to the state convention/competition. It is a great learning experience no matter how long you have been at it. It may not feel so great when the judges are raking you over the coals, but if you can take away some new pieces of knowledge it is well worth it!

Mountain Man...I am envious that you were able to take it back to a hobby. Much as I love to do this stuff, it does take ALL of a persons spare time! I say this as I await the arrival this evening of two more hogs and a goat, all of which must be caped out and into the freezer tonight...ughhhhh.....

[Spysar]

I don't do taxidermy, but I do european skulls with dermestid beetles. One day I would like to do deer taxidermy, but only deer.

[dan]

I learned how to mount deer heads but was not very impressed by the teacher of the class and his pushing them thru like an assembly line way of thinking...
I mounted a few heads and decided its not my cup of tea....
That experience did give me a much greater appreciation for those who do practice the art of taxidermy.

[Mountain Man]

Me too, part time business for me...doing customer work for about 3 years now. I learned by books and videos as well as a lot of trial and error (on my own stuff!). Eventually I had friends ask if I would mount for them so when I got serious about it I went and spent a week with Joe Meder...gotta say that was a good move on my part as I learned, and was able to apply, more in that week than I would have gotten on my own in 5 or 10 years. I also take pieces to the state convention/competition. It is a great learning experience no matter how long you have been at it. It may not feel so great when the judges are raking you over the coals, but if you can take away some new pieces of knowledge it is well worth it!

Mountain Man...I am envious that you were able to take it back to a hobby. Much as I love to do this stuff, it does take ALL of a persons spare time! I say this as I await the arrival this evening of two more hogs and a goat, all of which must be caped out and into the freezer tonight...ughhhhh.....

Hurricane - Spending a week with Joe Meder would be awesome. You're lucky to have been able to do that.

Two hogs and a goat tonight I'm glad it's you and not me - just kidding. I know exactly what you mean.

Good luck at the IL competition. Post some pics of your entries after the competition. I'd like to see them.

[venisonassassin]

I have a similar story. I was looking for a way to make some extra money on the side and also save by doing my own work. So I went up to the American Instute of Taxidermy to try and shorten the learning curve. After that I did it as a small business for a few years and now I just do my own deer heads and maybe a couple for family and friends. I do enjoy the end result but the work leading up to it can be very tedious and time consuming. Being that I've been working a lot of overtime at my day job I don't want to use up all my other time by working also.

[Goober]

I do not do any yet, but I have been thinking about it as a hobby. Any suggestions on the best way to learn?

[Black Squirrel]

I dabbled in it as a hobby for a couple of years, no deer only birds. I was never very happy with my work, though. Now I leave it to the experts. Like Dan said, you really apprciete a good mount after doing it. Anyone can mount the animal, but it takes a true artist to make it "come to life."

[PLB]

very tedious time consuming work! You gotta want to do it and you must have some artistic quality in you to make them come to life! I think anyone that just dabbles in something as a hobby will never truly succeed at it. Same with deer hunting If you think you can just pound a bunch out and make some extra coin, it don't work that way! You must be dedicated to doing great work on each mount!

[Casper]

I mounted a pheasant in high school!! Once I'm out of school, I would like to try one on my own. Just dont have enough space nor time to put the work I would need to in a mount.