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| History
of Taxidermy |
| (tak´sidûrme)
, process of skinning, preserving, and mounting vertebrate animals so that
they still appear lifelike. The fur or feathers are cleaned, and the skin,
treated with a cleansing and preserving preparation, is mounted on a man-made
skeleton. At first, taxidermy was used for the preservation of skins, hunting
trophies, and travel souvenirs. Animals were literally stuffed; they were
hung downward and filled with straw. Today, taxidermy is employed mainly
by museums of science. The true contours of the specimen are preserved
by making a clay model, exactly duplicating the animal's muscle structure,
over an armature that includes the original skeleton or parts of it. A
plaster mold is then made, from which is produced a light, durable frame
that holds the skin in position. Synthetic materials, especially celluloid's,
are now often used to reproduce the true color and translucence of such
specimens as reptiles and fishes. Taxidermy is no longer looked upon as
just mounting and preservation but has become an art form with a
few Wildlife Artists standing a head above the rest. These are the individuals
you should seek out to care for your trophies.
Taxidermy apparently has
its origins in the collection and preservation of skins and horns as hunting
trophies. West African gorilla skins were brought back to Carthage by traveling
warriors as early as the 5th century B. C. Stuffed animal skins date back
to the 1600's.
Akeley, Carl Ethan - 1864-1926,
American naturalist, animal sculptor, and author. His principal contribution
was in the field of taxidermy; his system of mounting specimens by applying
the skin to a finely contoured model is still used by museums.
Modern taxidermy seems to
have had its start in America in the late 1800's. A company called
Ward's Natural Science Establishment, in Rochester, NY, went into the business
of museum supply and included mounted animal specimens in their catalog.
Among the staff of talented naturalist-artists was a young man named Carl
E. Ackley. It was his devotion to the idea of raising taxidermy to
the status of an art that gave root to the development of modern taxidermy
in America. About twenty years ago things changed. Someone took a finished
deer head form and made a fiberglass mold... The era of modern taxidermy
was born.
Taxidermy can be a career
to earn a living while expressing your life long love of nature and wildlife.
Skilled craftsmen follow in the tradition of the old masters and present
animals in their natural habitat. A professional taxidermists does not
mount trophies; they display wildlife as it appeared in nature.
Modern science and mass
production have not removed the need for artistic skills in taxidermy,
but it has taken taxidermy out of the back rooms of museums. |
| Taxidermy
Training: |
| People do not realize when
looking at a mounted trophy on the wall the details of the work and the
skills needed. Taxidermist should be thoroughly trained in: |
| Tanning, Airbrush painting,
Form construction & alteration. Taxidermy business procedures, including
State & Federal laws and their effect on commercial taxidermy. Basemaking
and Habitat procedures. Areas covered include artificial rocks, plants,
water, splashes, snow, and icicles, to name a few. Accredited schools have
12+ weeks of intensive taxidermy courses, designed for the student who
wants the most in-depth training available. |
| Pricing
(ouch) and Choosing a Taxidermist: |
| The biggest expense in taking
something to a taxidermists is the time consuming preparation. Tanning
of hides is going to raise the cost unless your the DYI type and do the
"fleshing" yourself. There are "How-To's" hidden in many places on the
internet which we will eventually add to this page, but doing it yourself
is not recommended if your not experienced at the process. Many taxidermist,
who wish to skip the hide preparation, send the hides, (by way of the fastest
shipping), to wholesale tanning contractors who quickly have them returned
tanned professionally and ready for mounting.
Price is not a good measure
of quality workmanship in regards to anything consumers buy. It is the
same in regards to taxidermy. There are those who do quality work at the
bottom of the price scale and there are those at the high end of the scale
who do shady work.
Ask for references, check
local sporting goods stores and visit their shops. Check out their work.
Find out were you can see their work first hand even if in a customer's
home. Make sure you find out how recent the work was completed. More recently
done work (1 to 2 years) can be a better indicator of what to expect than
work done 3 or more years ago.
Find out if the taxidermist
attends local, state or national conventions. If a taxidermist attends
conventions or does competition, they are keeping up with the latest
methods and technological advances the industry has to offer. |
| Taxidermy
Do's and Don'ts Before and After |
| Game Heads: |
Don't cut the throat; haul
it with a rope or punch holes through ears for tags;
Do cut up from under hide
to avoid cutting the hair; peel skin down the neck;
Don't use water, allow to
get wet or prolonged exposure to heat or sunlight;
Don't hang a deer by the
back legs and wash out the carcass. Just wipe it out as best as you can
and let it dry. |
| Bears and Larger
Game: (caribou, moose, elk, etc.) |
Do use a game bag and pour
black pepper in the cavity to keep flies out. (bears)
Do fill cavities with frozen
jugs of water ASAP.
Don't make cuts past the
front legs. If possible, leave the hide attached to the cape, let the taxidermist
cut the hide away from the cape.
Do call a taxidermist before
you leave for your hunt. He can instruct you on some basic caping and inform
you as to which measurements to take from the specimen before and after
caping. |
| Ducks/Birds
and Small Game: |
Don't make cuts, keep specimen
cool, clean and dry. Plug holes, nostrils and throat with tissue;
Do wrap specimen in newspaper
or paper towels, (never use plastic), place in PAPER bag and freeze or
bring to a taxidermist ASAP.
Don't mount a duck that's
immature or heavily shot – some things may not be worth mounting;
Don't get blood on the feathers. |
| Fish: |
Don't cut, clean or skin
it;
Do plug mouth with cotton
or tissue and wrap entire fish in a wet towel and put it in the freezer. |
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