starting first mount wrapped squirrel any insite?

[bowmike]

I have messed a little bit with taxidermy and skinning and preserving small game hides with borax for tying flies. I decided when i shot this big PA fox squirrel i would get it mounted. Well after just buying a house and having a baby on the way i no that money will be needed elsewhere. I plan on doing a wrapped body on this. I have lurked on here for a while but decided i couldnt pass up the wealth of knowledge on this site.

So far this is what i have come up with. I am making a wire frame skeleton out of wrapped floral wire. I have picked up some galvanized wire as well to reinforce my skeleton. I bought some batting. I wanted to try and learn the old fashioned way before using the forms and such. I bought the squirrel kit and its tough to match the form. I am a mechanical designer and have a mircometer so i plan on transfering the measurments from the carcass. So far i have about 1.5 hours into it. I plan on finishing the skeleton on my lunch break so i can begin the body tonight.

I carved the head out of some foam and hit it on the grinder to get a match. I plan on sanding it down to smooth and exact fit. I plan on rebuilding the eye and nose area with clay.

I have 2 questions. When i make the head should i cut lines to allow tucking the lips in. DO you just pin the lips to the foam and it will dry on it. I will be using borax for the preservative on the mount.

I figured learning the old fashioned way is always a good place to start. I have eyes from the squirrel kit i bought but i am ordering more this week. WHat size and type of eyes do you commonly use on your squirrel mounts.

Wish me luck and thanks for the insight.

[pearsontat]

I would keep the leg bones attached, support wire and rebuild them with wood wool, it makes it easier to keep the natural shape to the animal. For the body, 14 ga support wire and wood wool body. Measure your eyes, that is the best way. Maybe you should mount a few on forms before you hand wrap or by one of Snow Hare's DVDs on wrapping first, they are well worth the money. For the lips, you can pin or not, that is more personal choice.

[bowmike]

here is my status as of lunch break. I picked up the 14 ga wire this morning. I reinforced the skeleton i have now. I found another method that doesnt require all of the wrapping. I am just practicing for now but i like the rigidness of the skeleton and can pose it in many ways. I think i may  do the pose in the background. I believe i will try to do a mount with just an average grey or red squirrle first before i ruin my trophy fox squirrel. I will keep you posted on wrapping the body and setting the head.

Contemplating buying the wrapping bodies dvd but just want to see if i can do it myself first and see what i can come up with.

This is all just practice right now because i dont want to skin the squirrel yet. I may try and get another grey squirrel and practice the method where you use the animals bones. I can see already i will have trouble making the legs look correct  without having joints. Thanks for the insite.

[DRT]

I am not telling you to do anything specific, but personally, with the technology in taxidermy I would use a foam maniquin, save your lunch money for a day or two and save the frustration of getting the anatomy completely accurate, use a form, cost about $15-20 plus shipping, Eye size is usually 12mm for a fox squirrel, I have used the glass 'bulbs', not really sure what they are for sure, McKenzie sells them, $3 a set I think.

Just what I think

Chad.