Taxidermy apprenticeship

[brandondd24]

I just found out my local taxidermist is willing to teach me. I'm very excited to learn the art!
Has anyone else ever done this?

 

[brandondd24]

Also would like to know any thoughts about using preservatives instead of wet tanning. This taxidermist uses preservatives. My taxidermist ( another local) wet tans. I don't know anything about these processes but I'll be learning from the preservatives guy

 

[rinehart0050]

Congrats! Sounds like an interesting opportunity.

I think @gizmo recently opened a taxidermy shop- not sure who trained him.

 

[johnnyblues]

From what I understand Gizmo has partnered with a taxidermist with many years of experience. He's also attending school too.

 

[gizmo]

From what I understand Gizmo has partnered with a taxidermist with many years of experience. He's also attending school too.

Yip Johnny. I have a 20 yr taxidermist who works for me and I'm at a school right now. I also have a champion bird man who does my birds in shop but I also do birds.

 

[CAustin]

Good luck to you sir! It's an Art to do animals right.

 

[brandondd24]

Thank you Charlie!
Yes it is an art, I went to school with this guys son.
He's been doing taxidermy around forty years. He's pretty talented.

 

[cpr0312]

All the best to you!

 

[gizmo]

Also would like to know any thoughts about using preservatives instead of wet tanning. This taxidermist uses preservatives. My taxidermist ( another local) wet tans. I don't know anything about these processes but I'll be learning from the preservatives guy

Dry preserve is old school taxidermy. If done properly, which is rare, it will last well for a while. Wet tan came about because it is a much much better way to preserve the hide. If tanned properly the mount will last for lifetimes. There are serveral different methods of wet tan. Krowtan is an excellent product and eliminates the whole pickling process which is a nightmare to do yourself unless you really know what your doing. The other thing one can do is use a good, and I stress good, professional tannery which is what I do for 99% of my haired animals. If I do tan something myself I use Krowtan as it's simple and gives an excellent quality tan.

 

[enysse]

It was something I wanted to do 20+ years ago, I wish I had done it now.