Hello everyone,
I am an avid hunter mainly deer and turkey but also ducks and geese. I want to learn taxidermy very badly but do not have any idea where to start. I live in southwestern Illinois. There is a taxidermy institute in Missouri but the classes cost over $2000.00. There are tons of videos and books but does that really help teach this awesome art? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot,
Chad
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You have to start somewhere. Reading, watching the many videos that are out there is where you should start. When most of us started out all we had were books, or a corresponent coarse we took through the mail. Join your states taxidermy Assoc. and go to the meeting and meet and talk to some of the taxidermist there. Get some books at the library and read those. Then since you're already a hunter, practice, practice, then practice somemore on some of the birds and animals you want to mount. Your best bet is to not jump into everything taxidermy has to offer, but stick with birds first, or gameheads until you're satisfied with those results before you go into something else. Your not going to learn everything in 6 months or a year. So don't try and cram everything into your head at one time. Each phase of taxidermy you learn will have it's ups and downs. A lot of the taxidermy schools will only teach you their ways of doing things. You need to learn to do things the way you see them, and not the way others see it. Don't get me wrong here, because hand on training from a skilled taxidermist is one of the best ways to learn this art. But at least get the basic's done before you decide to jump into a school first. Good luck to ya.
Coyote
I live in NW Illinois and started "toying" with taxidermy this past spring. I started out by buying a bunch of videos and a few Breakthrough Manuals.
From there I purchased some of the basic tools, bought several capes and mounted antlers that I had laying around. I also mounted a bear and a few fish.
That was in the spring and since then I have received a state and federal license and I'm now doing it as a hobby. I took in 19 whitetails to do for customers so far this deer season.
Get yourself a bunch of videos and start small....squirrels are a good start.
The next best thing to do is read as much as you can on this forum. I owe a lot of what I have learned to this site.
The key to starting out is learning from your mistakes....you will make a bunch. Don't get frustrated. If you are practicing proper techniques....you will get better and better each mount you work on.
Good luck
you can learn from the videos. Its how I started. Sally Dahmes has a video thats a litte out dated but she covers EVERYTHING from skinning to finish mounting. Although a lot of the finishing techniques have changed since then its a great video to get ya started on the tools you need and the basics. Follow it up with some of the new videos with emphasis on finishing and practice, practice, practice. Go to your local butcher and ask him if you can have some of his 15 or 16 inch capes that they will throw away, get some antlers from your buddies and just do it. Keep coming here and reading all the posts when you have questions, I have learned an amazing amount in a short time from the guys on this forum and you will too.