About Taxidermy
Taxidermy is a topic surrounded by mystery.
Some are fascinated by the art of preserving animals and displaying them as they looked when they were alive, while others may be repulsed.
But just about everyone has at least a little curiosity about the topic.
And it's a pretty safe bet that, sooner or later, anyone who spends much time hunting or fishing will eventually end up with a big muskie or a 10-point buck or some other trophy of a lifetime.
That advice comes from Floyd Easterman, curator of taxidermy for the Milwaukee Public Museum and past president of the Wisconsin Taxidermist Association.
I met with Easterman one morning last week and talked about how to make that important selection.
"Taxidermy is a fine art," he said. "It requires a knowledge of technique and materials and careful observation of the subject to create the realism that we see in nature. If quality work is what you desire, I recommend being very patient."
Once your trophy has been properly wrapped and safely stored in the freezer, Easterman suggests visiting at least three different commercial taxidermists to view and compare their work.
"Observation is critical," he said. "Take time to study. If you really want to be happy with your trophy, it's worth it to spend a little time selecting before you make a commitment."
The more you know about the anatomy of your subject and how it appears in nature, the more discerning you can be when viewing a taxidermist's work.
Visit a museum, or a zoo, or look at picture in magazines.
But even if you know little or nothing about what goes into good taxidermy, Easterman believes, you will be able to pick out the work that appears most natural.
"When a deer head is well mounted, when you look at the eyes, something will connect," he said. "It's like responding to a beautiful painting. There is a certain amount of intuition that enters into this."
Next, Easterman advises, don't be afraid to spend some money for quality work.
"Some hunters spend a fortune on the hunt and then take their trophy to the cheapest taxidermist they can find," he said. "Taxidermy, when it's done right, is a time-consuming art. Years of practice and conscientious effort go into developing the talents for doing this kind of work."
There are no standard prices, and skill levels range from the student or amateur taxidermists to the consummate professionals.
Once in a while you can find a bargain. But, in most cases, you get what you pay for.
And sometimes what looks like a bargain today could end up being a big mistake in a few years later.
"A person may have a deer head done cheaply and poorly mounted," Easterman said. "And, as the years go by and his perception of the creature develops, the appreciation of the mount can get worse and worse until it's relegated to the garage or the attic or the trash can."
Easterman said it was also a good idea to ask a prospective taxidermist questions about the procedures and techniques he uses.
With big game mounts, some taxidermist tan the hides themselves, while others send them out to be tanned. Either one can be good, provided that the work is done right.
But Easterman warned against "instant tanning agents that you simply brush on the skin, rather than go through the tanning process"
"The consummate professional does not use shortcuts," he said.
Some fish mounts can pose special problems.
Trout and salmon, for example, tend to be very oily. A good mount requires the use of a mold to create a fiberglass head, instead of using the real head.
Otherwise, Easterman said: "Grease, over a period of months or years, will ooze through the skin, discoloring it or causing the paint to peel and crack."
It's also a good idea to get recommendations from other hunters or anglers or talk with a taxidermist's clients to find out how his work holds up over a period of years.
The quality and selection of taxidermy materials and techniques has improved greatly in recent years.
But, Easterman said: "It still takes an artist to put all those component parts together."
Copyright 1995
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
