Conference wahoo::fishing

    I have Had some friends who have used Wildlife Creations.  They
    do very good work.  Did you have it done a drift wood or a just
    a flat piece.  They both came out nice.
    
    
    Bassin' Bob
    

    I think I'm going to go with just the flat panel, the driftwood
    would take alot of wall space, or surface space.  Thanks for the
    reply, I'll feel a little better handing my fish (notice I didn't
    say HAWG) over to the postal clerk, knowing that someone else has
    done the same thing with success...   Boy, will I be looking forward
    to getting this HAWG (sorry couldn't help myself!) back!!!!!!!
    
    don mac

    How do prepare the fish for shipment? 
    
    Guess I'm getting a little optimistic!!
    
    		Joe Casazza

    The ad says to wrap them in newspaper and freeze them, then put
    them in a plastic bag, wrap more paper, then put it in a box and
    ship it next day delivery, marked RUSH-PERISHABLE...
           
    I put mine in a plastic bag, froze it, wrapped newspaper around
    that, packed it in some foam (tight all the way around) and shipped
    it.... 
           
    Oh yea, I left out one important step.....
                      
    FIRST you have to get it in the boat!
                                         
    Don Mac
    
           

    If you send a picture of the fish right after it was caught, that
    will help with the painting.
    

    That is a difficult price to beat or match for someone in business
as some of the previous prices stated show.  I nearly fell off my chair
when I heard the $180.00 quote!  Now I do believe that with increase of
quality there is increase of price, but for $180.00 for a 22 inch bass
I would expect a championship work of art with lots of personal attention!
I would also have to see some finished mounts for myself.  Getting back
to the Wildlife Creations offer, it's a nice looking picture and if the
finished product is such, it's probably worth it.  I'd really have to reserve
my assessment until I saw one.

I may be wrong with this part, but I suspect that what you miss out on is
the selection of the shape and form of the mount, repaired fins if desired,
and attention to actual shading and markings of the specific fish.  For
this price, they sort of go through a production line process.  The same
shape and style is done along with a "generic" paint job.  If they would
allow one to chose their form, submit pictures or color detail for the same
price, then I'd say they've got something going.  Some people will even
ask for a glint of red in the eye because they say that's how the fish looked
after it was caught.  These are glass eyes we're talking about.  Asking
for hand painted eyes is not free!  I'm not trying to get down-hearted about
this just trying to give an explanation to quality verses price.

Bottom line is, if it looks good to you then what else matters!  There's
more to the fish hanging on the wall then a scrutiny of the work done to
it.

Good luck and looking forward to hearing the results,

Steve

    Yea, your probably right about the production line setup.  I've     
    seen mounts that look like dried up dead fish, and others that look 
    like there jumping out of the water - so I'm curious as to how this 
    bargain will turn out, we'll see.                                   
                                                                        
    Anyway, about the $180 job.  Over the winter, I got in touch with   
    an old friend that I haven't seen in years.  When we found out that 
    we were both into bass'n, we talked all night.  He told me about    
    a guy in Barnstead NH that did alot of work for pro's from all over 
    the country, and that he was really expensive but his work was hard 
    to beat.  While looking in the yellow pages for taxidermy, one of   
    the entries was just a name and number in Barnstead, sure enough    
    when I asked him how much, he said "Are you sitting down?" at that  
    point I knew this must be the guy that my buddy had told me about.
    So, I'm sure that this guy's work would have been beautiful, but
    it was a little to steep for me...
    
    Don Mac
                                                                        
                                                                        

    Dis heres Coonass Bob fram dat Wilelife pleece, an I wans to told
    you dat we all enjoyed de fish dat chou sant. It wuz delicous an
    we gonna go an ketch another one fo chou wall. Mebbe dis one be
    9 or 8 pounds, huh? Jes how big do chou want, huh??

    I had a 7lb er (and change) mounted through Connecticut Taxidermy. They
    are on the expensive side ($120.00), but the results are undeniable.
    They do excellent work. By the way, I had to wait 9 months for the fish
    to come back. Looking at the mount and the picture I submitted, I'd say
    they did a great job of matching the colors. They have various drop off
    points throughout Mass (maybe New Hampshire too by now). If any
    of you went to the Outdoor show at the Eastern States Exposition
    (last year, not this year), they were there.
    
    They also do a very good job on trout, salmon etc. They say though,
    trout and salmon require extra treatment for a good mount. You need
    to roll the fish in borax (some kind of laundry soap?). This evidently
    sets the color of the fish. They claim it is not necessary for any
    of the warm water species.
    
    I'd be happy to give more detail to anyone interested. Since the
    7lber, I've had to throw back a few nice ones. Lookin for that nine
    or ten now!

    RE:.9
    
    The borax referred to is NOT a laundry soap!  It is a compound:
    Na2-B4-O7.  There was a vial of it in the chemistry set I got on
    my 10th birthday, I wouldn't know where to get additional.  My tackle
    box is pretty well stocked, but no borax.  
    
    Steve

    
    re:9
    
     The use of powdered borax as a dry preservative is very common or
    should I say always useful in taxidermy.  20 Mule Team does contain
    this compound I believe.  Many of the fish skin tanning solutions
    contain borax saturated, zinc sulphate, lysol, and glycerine.
    
    It's useful for the fleshing and shaving stage to absorb blood and
    grease.  Puffed borax (like puffed rice) which is the fluffy version
    is good for drying bird skins and helps mothproof.
    
    It's true that trout and salmon as well as many of the cold water
    ocean fish require more treatment then the "warm-water" fish like
    bass.  The reason being is that they are very oily.  This oil can
    raise havoc with the subsequent painting even after a long period
    of time.  The borax helps absorb that oil.  Besides using that,
    I also used a liquid degreaser to soak the salmon skin I worked on.
    After draining the container it was in, you could see almost a cupful
    of oil remaining.

    Steve

    Exactly what is involved in stuffing a fish?  
    
    How much of the insides are remove?
    
    Are the eyes, tongue, bones, etc. removed?
                            
    Signed,  Ignorant Angler

    re:.12

To answer your questions:  lots
                           yes
                           depends

There are different methods and techniques involved depending on the type
of mount desired, the type of fish being mounted, expense, know-how, material
availability, personal preference, etc.   There are the usual stuffed skin
mounts, fiberglass mounts made from castings, and state-of-the-art freeze
dried mounts.  Fiberglass reproductions should probably fall under something
other than taxidermy as would wood carvings.  I'll describe the method I'm
most familiar with now which is your typical stuffed from the back hanging
on the wall type mount.  This is called the half-cast method.

Basically, it goes like this: The fish is thawed out and notes are taken
on measurements, color matching and specific markings along with any seen
peculiarities.  The fish is placed in a sand box show-side up and shaped
to the desired mounting position.  Then moulding plaster is poured over
the entire fish.  This creates a reversed half-cast of the mount.  The fish
is removed and placed flat with the non-show-side up.  Here the fish is
cut open from the base of the tail across the middle to the gill cover.
The entire insides and meat is removed.  The ray extensions from the fins
and the tail are cut on the inside to facilitate this.  The esophagus is
cut with a little left over which gets tied closed later.  The entire mouth
tongue and gills remain.  The entire skin gets shaved of all flesh and the
back of the skull gets opened to remove the brain (yummmy).  The eyes are
removed and any flesh that can be reached from the sockets like the cheek
area and brain matter.  Borax is liberally used during this process to absorb
blood and grease.  If it is a trout or salmon then it goes into the degreasing
vat prior to soaking in the tanning solution.

Now you have a preserved soft, pliable skin with head attached.  This skin
is placed into the previously made cast and stuffed to the original shape
provided by the cast.  I use a filler made of molding plaster, vermiculite,
and some preservative.  Some use excelsior and string to form a body and
coat this with a plaster type filler.  Included it the body is a block of
wood to which the fish gets screwed to the plaque.  After filling the fish
is sewn or stapled or taped closed.  This can be smoothed over with a moulding
material after.  The fish is flipped over and the tail, gill covers, and
fins are carded.  This means spread to desired shape and attitute and secured
for drying.  When dry, any materials used for carding is removed and the
fish is sprayed completely with a fungicidal sealer and allowed to dry.
This helps preserve the fish and gives a base coat for paint application.

By this time I have the fish secured on a holder with screws in the previously
mentioned block of wood inside the fish.  Using an epoxy moulding compound,
shrunken (sunk in parts) areas are built back to original shape.  This is
especially neccesary for trouts and salmon.  There is a lot of head shrinkage
during drying on these fish.  The eye sockets are filled and the glass eyes
are inserted and positioned.  The fins and tail are also backed by a variety
of ways to prevent later curling.  I currently am using a clear tape and
clear paste adhesive for this.  This is where any fin/tail damage is corrected
also.

When this is all done the eyes are covered (protected) and the fish is painted.
Painting in itself is an extensive process.  Air brush spraying is the only
way to go in my book along with some hand brushing and pen coloring.  There
can also be the use of waxes but this is more for competition work.  This
is where the previous notes are important and reference material also. When
painting is completed the fish is given gloss coats to the desired degree
of "wetness".  All that is left is to attach the fish to the plaque.  

The "depends" answer to your third question is because there are some new
techniques being used by some which involves artificial tongues and mouths.
Also due to the heavy shrinkage in salmonoids, there is a technique developed
that replaces the entire head with a fiberglass one.  I like the real thing.
Becoming very popular also are foam bodies which are ordered to size and
pasted into the skin replacing the filling type method.  This eliminates
the casting and choice of shape.

Steve_who_has_typed_enough_today

    thanks Steve, that sure answers my question!	don mac

    
    Steve,..
    	    i masel, admire gratly yer explanashun of, & obveeus degree
    o skill 'ye hiv' concernin the above 'stuffin o fish' art!, i hud
    also wunner'd how it wis dun in relation tae the stuffin o animuls
    art!.... et the enn o the day tho Steve!, i hink a'll jist stick
    tae eatin o such hings!.. muckle eezier... mindye it's the wee wummin
    that dis maste o the cookin as, a masel, ten tae burn ower muckle!
    an hivnae reeched the 'kor don bloo big puffy white bunnet' status
    yit !!!!!!!!!!! so,... minny hanks agane!
    
    
    			cheery the noo!......Trapper

    I'm pleesed ye liked it, Trapper.  As fur the rest o them critters, most
o them deer and bear types are dun aboot the noo wi "preformed" bodies and
heids.  When the moufs are ope'd o the mount, they gie them the "artificial
jaws" treetment wi the teeth and tongue.  Sum o the diffrinces are the "tanning
solutions" ye've goat tae use fur keeping the hare oan the hyde.  Ye make
use of "ear inserts", and the paintin is more fur "touchin up" and
"hi-lightin".   As fur the byrds, the same bodies are used along wi stuffin
and sum string made types.  The skull is saved wi the skin o feathers, and
wires used fur surporting the neck, wings, and legs.  Agane, paintin is
fur the bill and the feet.

When the day I become Chooky arrives, I'll hiv a wee bit more time fur ma
artwork.  That way ma wummin dae not gie me the wellie o her heid's thumpin,
yer ken.  A've goat to agree wi yerse aboot the eatin bein muckle eesier,
but tis still nice tae hiv a memory o the one that did nae git away.  No
"coo don bloo big puffy white bunnet" fur masel either, but minny hanks
fur the warnin :-) in case I eer cross the puddle in serch of yer seetroots!

Cheery the noo to ye too, Trapper!

Steve

    Hay Al Noyes
    
    	DID YOU GET YOUR BEAR CUB STUFFED???????????
    

    
    Ye ken! Steve,..
                    it's no oaffen a git oanybudy talkin tae masel (nae
    blame oan oany reeders intended!) so,..ye've nae idear how welcummed 
    a wis by yer humour! o the last yin!.. a split ma kilt laffin!,..an
    it lits masel see how a rite, an how it must appeer tae yese awe!(:-)
    
    	A, can tell ye this!.. ye'll be a chooky 'sumwhaur' afore lang!,
    cause oany man that his the unnerstaunnin o masel.. shood asend
    this height nae problim....a agree wi yer hinkin oan yer wee wummin!,
    ma ain is similar wi mine,. a keep the fishin time a nice evin split
    60/40 in her faevir,.. bit this disnae seem tae help the sair heid
    sindrum (:-). A notissed ye menshinned pentin o the burd's bills
    an fits!, when a wis wihoot marital 'kin' a used tae dae a bit o
    'isle pentin' an 'watercolors'..  when the 'wanes' ur a wee bit aulder
    a'll hope tae git oot the brushees agane!,. who kens?? i mite evin
    dae yin o they 'misterpeeces'.
    
    	Oan the menshin o seatroots a goat masel ma furst 'samin' o
    the seasin the ither nicht bit 3 (Mondy), oan a 'reel' wurm, it weighed
    jist 6 pun, bit wis a nice fish awe the same, an a dour fighter,..
    the seatroots hiv bin a bit poor this yeer an a hiv oaly maniged
    jist ower a haundfu o these fish, bit this is  guid fur there 
    'spawnin' this yeer!(if lit alone by poachur's). So if yer evir
    ower this way bring summy that tannin wi ye, cause ma ain heid is
    stertin tae thin a wee bit et the tempil,.. efter a wee rub wi this
    stuff we cood hit the seetroots!?? eh.
    
    
    		weel, as lang rins the fox as he his feet!
    
    			Cheery the noo!..Trapper 

Associated Press Tue 02-SEP-1986 00:15                           Taxidermists

  Taxidermists: Some Of Them Make A Fast Buck
   LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Some taxidermists just throw their work
together for a fast buck, says the president of the profession's
Arkansas association. But how fast can you put together a buck?
   Actually, the proper mounting of a buck's head alone takes 15
hours, says John Creager. A taxidermist charges from $150 to $250
for such a job.
   Creager, who heads the Arkansas Taxidermists Association, said at
the group's annual convention over the weekend that the craft of
taxidermist has become an art form over the past five years.
   ``Prize-winning taxidermists sculpture their work, using
photographs and real animals as models, to make every part as
real-to-life as possible,'' he said. He should know. He is the
Arkansas Taxidermist of the Year.
   ``We take life and then recreate it,'' Creager said. ``We want to
make the animals so close to life that it looks like they would jump
off the wall or run away or shake their heads at you.''
   About 50 taxidermists from across the country brought their work
and competed for prizes at the convention.
   Jean Thomison, 27, of Copan, Okla., won first prize in the
amateur division for a black squirrel climbing a driftwood trunk and
surrounded by yellow and orange silk leaves. It was her first entry
in a competition.
   Ms. Thomison said she and her husband became full-time
taxidermists after being laid off from their oil-field jobs.
   Taxidermists no longer confine their work to wooden plaques.
Recreating scenery or habitat is part of the work.
   Entries were judged for mechanical soundness, craftsmanship and
accurate resemblance to the live animal, including its profile, eye
color and size. Bonus points were given for difficult expressions
and unusual poses. A delicate technique of tucking a deer's eyelid
into a bulging glass eye without disturbing the long black lashes
contributed to one taxidermist's success in the competition.
   The taxidermists at the convention shared new techniques. Creager
said taxidermy has changed a lot in the 1980s because of improved
materials and processes.
   After an animal is skinned and tanned, the taxidermist glues the
hide to a premolded polyurethane body made by taxidermist suppliers.
The ears are filled with a fiberglass-based liquid mold. Eyes, teeth
and claws made by suppliers are planted into the body.
   Several taxidermists said they won't preserve people's pets
because it is too difficult to recreate an expression or stance to
an owner's satisfaction.
   Marie Lecroy of Little Rock said an elderly couple asked her to
preserve their cat in the position it always assumed in their motor
home window. They gave Ms. Lecroy pictures of the cat and she spent
more time than usual working on the preservation.
   ``When they came to get the cat, they said it looked fine but the
eyes just didn't sparkle like they used to,'' Ms. Lecroy said. ``I
told them, `Well, sure they don't. They're glass.'''

   re .10 & .11
    
    what then is the recommended procedure to follow to preserve a fish
    for mounting? Is it different for cold water species? Does Borax
    do anything for the color? Sounds like I don't need to put any in
    my tackle box. 
    
    I am heading up to the salmon river in a couple of weeks and hope
    to come back with a trophy. What would be the best way of preserving it
    for mounting.
    
    Guy

    re:-1
    
    Guy,  the borax mentioned is for the taxidermist's use.  Check out
    note 127.3 for keeping the fish in good shape.  Basically on ice
    and frozen or use of salt and keep out of the sun.
    
    Good luck on the Salmon River.   I couldn't make the trip this year,
    but some people I know caught four last weekend in the bay including
    a 33 lb'r!  Do you have an ice chest four feet long?!
    
    Let us know how you do.
    
    Steve
    

    re: -1
    
    Steve, thanks for pointing me at 127.3. I guess there is no difference
    in preparing a cold water species as opposed to a warm water one.
    I'll let you know how I do. I don't think I'm prepared to pay the
    taxidermy bill on such a fish (like the 33lber you mentioned) but
    you never know.
    
    I understand the some people smoke the fall run salmon and say they are 
    pretty good to eat that way. Any comment?
    
    Guy
    
     

    Got my hawg back yesterday!  Looks great!
    
    Looks very similar to the one advertised in the BassPro catalog,  
    mouth open, gills flared, all fins up and out, body a little curved,
    just like it's jumping out of the water!                  
                                                                      
    I mailed it away July 14th and recieved it Sep 17th, pretty quick!
                                            
    Don Mac  (looking at it will be an incentive for the tournies!)

    That is pretty quick, Don.  I'm curious how the backside of the
    fish looks?  Did they put a second eye in ?  Normally that isn't
    visible so would be covered over.  The backside also is usually
    painted over a dark color.
    
    Steve
    

    Yea, it has two eyes, which look great.  The head is not flat on
    the panel, it's curved out (the tail is curved out also).  I think
    every place showing is painted in natural colors.  Are you going
    to be fishing the pawtuckaway this weekend?  Joe asked me to tag
    it along to he could check it out, I'd be glad to show it to ya.
    
    I'll take a look at the back side tonight and see for sure.
    
    They took the tongue out, the inner mouth is painted white, and
    I believe they have placed some sort of fake inner red gill in there
    too...
    
    don mac

    Yeap, the back is painted naturaly... you can see where it was opened
    (from the back)			don mac

    This past weekend I caught a 5 1/2 lb. Largemouth Bass and would
    like to send him to a Taxidermist.
    
    My question to all is this: Which method of preserving is best ??
    
    Freeze-Dry ... or  Skinning
    
    Also I need some personal references in the Salem,,Derry,,Manchester
    area. Refer me to another note if the topic already exists.
    
    
    
                                      almost-end-of-season
                                              Steve O.

    Freeze it whole....
    
    Give BASS PRO a call...you cant bet the price for a good job..
    
    dennis

    
    Well, after checking around the Derry Manchester area, I did not
    like what I saw so I decided to send my Bass to BASS PRO. I was
    spoiled by my father-in-law's mount which was FREEZE_DRYED whole
    and then painted. He was even able to pick the colors from a book.
    His fish is so lifelike it is unbelieveable.
    
    The sad part of the story is that this taxidermist will not do anymore
    fish. 
    
    I was wondering if the $15.00 was only for RETURN SHIPPING. I had
    to pay $20.00 UPS to send it out. See ya in 3 months.................

    12 weeks,and a day it has finally arrived, and may I say I like
    what I see.........
    
    BASS PRO TAXIDERMY did a very good job and I would recomend them
    to anyone. I will rate the bass from 1 to 5 ( 5 is excellent).
    
    COLOR - Top of fish - 5
            Bottom of fish - 4
    ACTION - 5
    DETAIL - Outside fish - 4
             Inside fish - 2 *
    MOUNT - Flat plaque - 5
            Name Plate - 4 (Miss Spelled approx. - oprox)
    BACK-SIDE - 3
    
    
    * Because the inside is foam-filled the stomach opening is removed.
    
    Note: I was surprised to see the big box on my front door step in
          0 degree temp. with no one home.????????
    
                                                  -Merry Christmas
                                                     Steve