This habitat stuff is for the birds

[IAtaxi]

Trying to build a pedestal deer mount scene,  I may as well be building a car.  Wasteing a ridiculous amount of time on this.   One of them deals where nothing is going right and to make matters worse its a comp peice.  About ready to say F it and get back to the money makers.

[Matt]

Sometimes the simplest of scenes is the most eye catching. On a comp piece, I want something that is going to compliment the piece and not take away from it. Just remember, your displayed comp pieces are going to make you more money in the long run. Just my thoughts though.

[xXtrophy_in_trainingXx]

ttt

[PJK1944]

habitats can get to you but here are some things that may help you. Buy books on the subject on habitat making, also there are videos out there that will help you get started. Once you get into it you will have fun and make some real cool stuff. You have to take the time to learn just like you did to mount the deer.. you have to practice at habitats just like you would do any thing else. Don't give up its really not very hard at all..I made my living on just doing habitats, get alot of refference materials..Go to the seminars that have habitats being shown..Habitats with your mounts will add alot of $$$$to the finished peice..Stay Cool and Good Luck..Bases By Rick Kennair.

[Vermont Valley Taxidermy]

Hi IATAXI,
  I would agree that habitat can be challenging. I agree with the previous advice. I see in a previous post that you are a student of Denis Rinehart. So am I. The best advice i can give you is to throw all of his teachings out the window. It is extremely oldschool! After wasting my money at the American Institute Of Taxidermy, Denis Rinehart, I attended other schools and many seminars. For habitat, I would put my time towards the seminars. Also, as for Denis, have you ever called him after class for some advice? Good Luck! How about his attitude or sobriety?

[Mike108]

Wow Vermont I since a bit of hostility there..lol Yeah habitat work can be a real pain in the @$$. Good luck with your piece hope it works out for you!

[Dean]

I love doing habitat work. IATaxi-  You are trying to hard. Go for a walk and observe whats around you. Look at the trees, branches, grass, ground, fences,and other details around you out in the woods and fields. Right down to the dead stuff on the ground. You will eventually develop an eye for working at habitat. Many make it more complicated than it needs to be. It has to be real looking, creative, simple, balanced, and original. Don't fill it with a lot of clutter. I said it last week in a post to think what's around you and be creative and original. I got an ear full of negaitive coments from a few by not saying how or what  to do. You can't say what to do because ever piece is different. As a taxidermist you need to be creative from the beginning to the end.  If you can do a good job on a mount you can do a good job with habitat. It's just another art form that you need to develop your skills on. Habitat should accent a mount and not overpower it. Maybe it came easy for me. It's hard to explain how and what to do but easy to show someone. What how big and what type of scene are you trying to do?

[Todd K]

   My son and I worked on his competition deer yesterday. We built the base which was nothing more than some pine 1x4's and some plywood. We built a little picture frame base with a 1x4 about 36" high to put the head on. He chose a cornfield scene, so we went to a local corn field with two 5 gal. buckets and started picking stuff up. The end result was awesome and we even added a little snow to it. I think my son had more fun with this part of the mount than actually mounting the deer. Although he did like the airbrushing part too! But once it was all put together and the head was hung above it, we took a step back and I think my son had a real feeling of accomplishment! Try to have fun with it, get creative and it will add that "little Extra" that will make that mount come alive!