So I am going to start doing taxidermy! I am very interested in this and I was wondering if anyone does it or wants to do it. If so, how, what, where??? I noticed the schools are quite expensive and long ... I also saw an online school ... thoughts???
Most people I know are usually self taught, trough books and videos. See if you can get with a local taxi and just watch? My dad used to own a taxi shop so it is something I have always wanted to get into. My skills only go about as far as doingeEuropeans and building bases as of now. I would love to get more indulged in it. Bloodcrick should be able to chime in on this as well. I believe he has mounted a few of his deer and turkey. Perhaps not, I thought it was him
IMO taxidermy isn't something that can be learned online; you really need to find a GOOD taxi and spend time skinning, fleshing and laying skin under his tutelage as an apprentice. Spending quality time with a good taxi will show you it's much like painting: 90% of it is in the prep work.
First you have to shoot something worth mounting........ Sorry preach, I just couldn't resist. Especially after your contest smack talking thread. There are good DVD's and also check out the taxi forums. There is tons of great info on line. If I were to get serious about it I would check those things out and find someone local who would be willing to teach you. having someone right there to show you is much better than trying to figure it out alone. There are also competitons held all the time and these are great places to meet top end taxi's who are willing to share info and show you how to improve your work. There is a guy "mountain man" on hunting beast web site who is very good and willing to talk about taxi. Stop over there and send him a message and I'm sure he'll help you out as well. Then you have to have a place to do your work. The smells and sites of dead animals around the house may cause friction with the better half. Good luck! I've played around with it a bit and I enjoy it but I'm too slow and fussy to ever do it more than just for fun.
One of my best friends (sometimes posts under Jaws) apprenticed under another Taxidermist. That's probably the best way to learn, much less $$$ and probably much more useful.
I play around with it now and then. I learned from a friend who is an excellent taxi. It's not something I'd want to do as a living I know that. It's a messy messy job. And if you get a gun season when its hot, you have get those hides off the heads and in a freezer in a hurry.
Right now I was looking more to do my fish, predators, squirrels, and deer ... also the family's but if I like it, that would be some nice extra change ... no one real close to me to apprentice ... I suppose I could do the dvd and then maybe take the one week class... John and Todd ... you guys just self learners?
Best advice I can give you right now... Don't. At least for money... not other people's. It takes a DAMN good taxidermist to do a predator... DAMN good.
Yep, just spent a bunch of time in my buddies shop watching him and dove right in. My best advice is start with something with a lot of fur! My first was a nice winter raccoon. You can hide a lot with long fur.:p Fish is mostly painting. You can get replicas and just paint them. Airbrush is pretty much required. Next get some good reference photos. You might think you know what a deers nose and eyes look like. But I bet reference photos will show you don't.
I would also suggest tanning a few hides with and without fur and then see if it is something you still want to do. X2 on the messy hard work aspect of it. Plus, it will comsume amounts of your free time and you will also need a place to store equipment and hides. Shoot a squirrel and do that hide, it will be relatively inexpensive and you probably won't have to buy any extra tools. It will give you an idea of things. Here are a couple websites to check out. Look at the different articles DVD's they offer. http://www.braintan.com/ http://www.leatherunltd.com/furs/tanning/tanning.html http://www.sullivansline.com/ http://www.fntpost.com/ http://www.thetanneryinc.com/index.php
So Greg, am I to discern that you would require my services? :D I would do a bunch of my own stuff first ... but how hard can it be??? I have been to Build-a-Bear .... :p
I do it for friends and myself, most of my friends would say I take to long to get their stuff back, but Greg is spot on with the predator comment! You dont see many k9s or cats that look good, most ive seen online are laughable.
Mr. Culvey aka Hoty 'N' It just started up his own taxidermy business. He had one of his mounts on display at the G2G and it looked pretty good in my opinion. I am sure when he gets a chance he can give you the info you are looking for!
I have only played around a bit. I have successfully tanned hides by reading books. I mounted a phesant but I took a class at a tech school to do that. I had 2 deer heads that I wanted mounted but they were borderline size wise and I didn't want to spend the $ so I started researching doing it myself. I found the forums very helpful for info. I read old posts for days. I felt like I already mounted one by the time I did all my research. In the end I ran into a guy just getting started and we struck a deal that I would pay for the materials and he would do the work. He did a great job for just starting out so I paid him extra. If you don't want to spend the money for school you can always try on your own. What do you have to lose? If they look like road kill then pull off the antlers and try again with a new cape. There is nothing like hands on to learn! I have self taught myself many things and I believe if you do the research and are willing to make mistakes you can do anything. Good luck Tony!
Great stuff, Todd ... I have spent hours watching the dude on youtube doing a head mount ... awesome cool... I just may try it myself and using free internet...
Tony I to have entertained taxi also and had my hand in the cookie jar but just never got rolling with it. I have a couple videos that help alot. If I kill ne worthy I just might this year give it a go. Good luck to you bud. Hoyt N It just started last year and does an excellent job. Seen his work at G2G
Taxidermy Even at 60 I would love to open a taxidermy studio and spend time under a school or apprentice. The big problem and the first thing I ask people with this thought is what do you do for health insurance. If you do not work for a large company, opening your own place and trying to afford insurance is not going to work. I could see it if the spouse has insurance and you are on her insurance. Then there are always the people who say they do not need health insurance and get sick and have to sell everything they have. Con Quidado!
I'm here, I'm here! I was out of town this weekend at a wedding, anyways to answer your question Tony, I started whitetails last fall messing around with some of my father-in laws antler sets he had nailed to the barn, got some capes from a fellow friend and taxidermist out of northern wisconsin. I looked into schools but just didn't have that kind of money, I have always been the type who learns pretty fast from watching videos and trying things as I go along with what the video is displaying. Now days you can find quite a bit of how to vids and stuff on the net. I bought a couple different dvd's online and was mainly using Dan Rinehart video from edgerton wisconsin. Now I have sort of turned in the direction of Joe Meder out of Iowa, he has a deer farm so that he can study the deer's expressions on a daily basis according to their moods. I'm sticking with whitetail deer only because it's my biggest interest to go along with my passion with bowhunting! I already have a full time job that includes extra overtime, so thats why I'm not really getting into other species and fish, at least not right now plus I have 3 little ones in my household. Too be a good taxidermist you have to want to do taxidermy and have the love for the outdoors, which I'm sure you have. I pretty much have self taught myself and don't be affraid to call other taxidermist or if you already know a taxidermist, start setting up a schedule with them when they are working on a fox or deer head, etc... Everyone I have talked to is very helpful and willing to help out others because I know they were helped out too some point when they started out. Good luck bud, if you have any questions in regards to deer pm me.
