This may seem kind of weird. By day I am a cardio surgeon. This is a very stressful career at times. I am also a waterfowler. One of the things I find very theraputic for stress is doing bird taxidermy.
I'm glad I can sew !
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Taxidermy is a tremendously satisfying hobby. You create works of art with your own hands and see a finished product which reminds you of a time afield. You can undoubtedly afford to hire a professional taxidermist but would rather do it yourself.
I can't imagine relaxing with an early season wood duck or a damned greenwing hen. Just walking to the defatter reminds me of Ed Gein.
From my viewpoint, Bob has an extremely stressful job - if he screws up a job, i.e. make a mistake on someones heart job, the person dies. However, even if he is mounting an early season wood duck for himself, then who cares - no one dies if he throws it against the wall and stomps on it. But, if a professional taxidermist takes in an early season wood duck (probably because of needing to make the mortgage payment or inexperience in accepting specimens he shouldn't) then he MUST produce a mount good enough to get paid, and his name is attached to the mount forever. The prospective client gets a poor mount and he tells everyone how crappy the mount was. THEN the mortgage payment becomes even more difficult to get. That is stressful!
I had an orthopedic surgeon who I gave dermestid beetles too who was fascinated with cleaning skeletons for himself. Relaxation is only within the frame of the relaxer. Heck, some people run miles a day to relax - I'd much rather split wood.