Taxidermy

That day will come when you shoot or catch that enormous trophy. That is the perfect time to get it mounted it so you can see it forever. To do that, you should go to a local taxidermy shop.

Taxidermy is a term describing the method of reproducing a life-like three-dimensional representation of an animal for permanent display. In most cases, the actual skin (including the fur, feathers or scales) of the specimen is preserved and mounted over an artificial inside. The word "taxidermy" is derived from two ancient Greek words; taxis, meaning movement; and derma, meaning skin. Therefore, loosely translated, taxidermy means the movement of skin. This is a reasonable definition as many taxidermy procedures involve removing the natural skin from the specimen, replacing this skin over an artificial body, and adjusting the skin until it appears lifelike.

Taxidermy uses many crafts such as carpentry, woodworking, tanning, molding, and casting. The taxidermist must also have artistic talent for sculpture, painting, and drawing. For example, in a modern deer head the only natural things are the antlers and skin. The organs, eyes, and tissues are all man made. The eyes are made of glass. Go to WASCO to learn more about artificial material used for taxidermy.

Today, some taxidermy mounts (mostly saltwater fish) do not contain any parts of the animal at all. They are completely re-created from man-made materials. This is ideal for catch-and-release anglers. They can release their gamefish unharmed, and still have a life-sized trophy produced from measurements and a good colored photo.

When choosing a taxidermist, prices are not the most important. You should always look to see if they have a display room. If they do, go to it and look at it. You should look for quality and craftsmanship. After you have gathered three or four taxidermy shops, compare the prices.

It may take a year or possibly two years for your mount to be finished, but remember that when you get the mount back it will stay with you for years and years.

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