I mounted my first Bobwhite quail last night. It may turn out O.K. The books I have are all older methods. That is the way I prefer to learn though. Older methods first and then learn what technology has done for the feild. I used Excelsior for the body. I could sure use some practice in this old art, but I stumbled my way through it. Whew I did it. There may be some kind of future for me in this feild after all. I'm always eager to learn. I do it for a hobby now. Eventually I would like to do work for other people but I need much more practice before then. Thanks to everyone on this forum that has contributed all this info. It makes it easier to learn for the average person like me.
Return to Bird Taxidermy Category Menu
I learned in the old style and not just from books, but from my brother who apprenticed as a 14 year old with a man who had been in the business for over 20 years when my brother signed on. That means, I learned how to mount animals according to the practices of somewhere between 1945 and 1950. I still do a lot of things following these guidelines but I've been learning the new techniques with the new tools and not only is it a thorough knowledge of the craft but also a fun way to amaze yourself with new things almost everytime you mount something. The lessons never stop and the great thing is, I can recite from experience the changes made in taxidermy in the last 50 years.