Remount from 1964 *Updated with finished pics*

Re: Remount from 1964

Cool seeing that old stuff. Thanks for posting

 

Re: Remount from 1964

I think the methods that were used by taxidermists in bygone days are fascinating. George is absolutely correct. If the average guy doing taxidermy today would have to go through what our predecessors had to go through there probably wouldn't be nearly as many as there are these days. So whenever I see a buck hanging in a bar or sport shop that looks like it's been there since the Eisenhower administration and it is missing the nictitating membranes I have to cut the guy some slack. The poor guy may have had to make his own form out of straw. I would like to see some of these young guys today fashion a mount using the tools and materials of the time and see how great their finished product turns out.
I also think that George deserves a lot more respect than he is shown here on occasion. He is always willing to help people and share his knowledge and experience. I know he has helped me several times never asking for anything in return. I was always told that respect has to be earned and George has certainly earned mine. Just my two cents worth. Take care...

 

Re: Remount from 1964

George gets all the respect he deserves. There are several "George Love Fest" threads around here to prove it.

Even he knows that you can't please all the people all the time, or that one should try or care to.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Well finished the old guy. Turned out pretty good. My wife will be posting the pics as soon as she can.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

I would enjoy the opportunity to learn how to do it "old school" although outdated now how it was done in the past is still important. It made taxidermy what it is today. Taxidermy and many other industries have progressed through time and improved. Saying a taxidermist from 100 years ago could not learn the ways of today or one from today could not learn how to do it a 100 years ago is pure ignorance. A artist is still an artist no matter what era he lived.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Every generation thinks they are the greatest. When George can hold his own at Guitar Hero, Tweet me.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Wow it looks great. Has the customer seen it yet? I think you got yourself a very happy customer.


There was a guy, Mr King from King's Taxidermy Supply who used to still come to the shows in the late eighties. Kenny and Denise James own it now - James Taxidermy Supply in Corinth MS.

Anyway he was the funniest guy I think I ever met. But he would tell stories how they did taxidermy in the old days. He said when he started that a deerhead was a "2 bucket" project. He would go down to the river and fill 2 buckets with Mississippi firm river mud. Nail a 2 x 4 to a panel at an angle (pick whichever pose you wanted: upright, semi-sneak, etc) and a second shorter piece to the first for the head.

Then start laying the mud on it and build your form.

After he started making his own "factory built" forms, he visited a local taxidermist to try to talk him into buying "factory forms". The guy specialized in birds and had his processes down to a science.

He sat at a long table on a chair on wheels. On the wall at one end was a chart. It had entries like "Owl - 5" and "Duck - 3" etc. The number was how many sheets of newspaper it took to stuff the particular species. So the guy would start at one end and work to the other end of the table and he was done.

He mounted birds "while you wait". 20 minutes. And the taxidermist had an epic wallet - so much cash in it he couldn't even fold it and get it in his pocket.

He said he asked the guy about posing the wings etc. The guy told him he just left them hang and "they can pose em their own damn selves if that's what they want"

My stomach would be sore for 2 days after hanging out with Mr King for a while.

I also remember reading a "taxidermy tip" article on how to use coat hangers for bird wire. Dude described a two day annealing process. For a nickels worth of wire. Also long debates on the relative quality of plywood as opposed to planks for a backboard. Plywood was thought to be a cheap substitute used by losers who cut corners and delivered low quality.

Some things never change.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Expectations were quite lower in those days. People realized it was after all just a dead animal they were hanging on the wall. They had so many real worries in life.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Nice!!!!!!!!
Never too old to learn, and never to young to appreciate.
Thanks!!

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Nice job! He should be very happy with that mount.

 

Just saw this post, nice before and after. Funny, I just took one apart just like the one on here, same eyes, form and ear butts, nails all over, mounted in the late seventies, early eighties.

 

great job

 

a second life begins!!!!!

 

Well done. It looks great.

 

Great ending. Thanks for sharing.

 

Re: Remount from 1964

Turned out pretty nice. What size form/cape did you end up using?

 

Awesome, job well done and good history and story !!!