Taxidermy Made Easy With SPLITTING IMAGE TAXIDERMY

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How to complete your Hunting Register​

 

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Step 1

Collections are the first step in the taxidermy process, and it involves making sure that your trophies are clearly tagged and carefully transported to our Dip & Pack facility.

 

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Step 2

Once your trophies have been collected by our Skull Squad, they are delivered to our veterinary-approved Dip & Pack facility. Here they are carefully checked, photographed, and logged into our management system. Thereafter they will undergo all the necessary raw processing to prepare for taxidermy and/or export. Get to know our Dip & Pack manager, Ross, as he takes us through the ins and outs of this very important system.

This process includes:

• Checking each trophy part against the receiving register
• Creating a client identity number
• Logging each trophy part into our system
• Cooking and cleaning of skulls
• Drying skulls and skins
• Scratching skins
• Applying pesticides and powders

 

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Step 3

Once your trophies have been received and logged into our system, you will be contacted by a member of our Service Team. From this point, you will be assigned a dedicated client liaison who will be your single point of contact and will be available to discuss mounting instructions, and poses, give suggestions, and answer any queries you may have during your taxidermy journey. Get to know our client service manager, Rene, in episode 3 of the series. Renè leads an incredible team who are creative, love taxidermy, and are excited to make your experience with Splitting Image Taxidermy one that is Worth Remembering.

 

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Step 4

Meet Jessie in Episode 4 of SIT Stories, he is the production manager at Splitting Image Taxidermy. This is the man that follows each trophy from the beginning stages of tanning through to the packing department. His passion and commitment to meeting your expectations are humbling. After deposits are paid and your instruction are complete, your trophies will start in the production process. From this point on they will go through the different stages. Each step is critically important in the master art of taxidermy, we strive to provide our clients with world-class trophies and this starts and ends with the production and its team.

 

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Step 5

We are proud to tan all trophies at our in-house tannery. This allows us to control the turnaround times and the quality of the skins being mounted. Our tannery manager, Stephan, heads up a fantastic team that ensures your skins are in the best possible condition for mounting. We also offer commercial tanning of flat skins and back skins with hair on or to leather. In this episode, Stephan takes us through the following steps in the process:
• Soaking
• Shaving
• Tanning
• Oiling

The most important aspect is the quality check that takes place after each step. This allows us to address any concerns and produce the ideal result for beautiful taxidermy.

 

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Step 6

The sculpting of our own forms is something that sets Splitting Image Taxidermy apart and creates the foundation for excellent taxidermy. Our art director, Travis de Villiers, creates an anatomy sculpture using plasticine to capture the musculature and unique features of each animal. To do this, he uses a multitude of real-life and digital visual references as well as a meticulous measuring process. These sculptures are works of art in their own right and are authentic representations of their species, down to the finest detail. Sculpting allows us to produce some of the most life-like and anatomically accurate taxidermy forms in the world, enhancing the overall quality of our mounts. Watch the full video to see each step in the process.

 

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STEP 7

Every exceptional taxidermy mount starts with a great foundation - the form. Once a clay sculpture has been crafted, our Mannikins Manager, Andreas, will make a specialised mould from which mannikins can be cast. Firstly, the clay sculpture is separated into approximately five sections or panels - we use playing cards to create the separation.

Fibreglass and epoxy resin are used to make the mould. Once the mould is complete, polyurethane is poured into the mould to cast a new mannikin. After the polyurethane has been set, the panels of the mould are removed, and it is thoroughly inspected. Andreas will perfect this process before producing mannikins to scale. At Splitting Image Taxidermy, we ensure anatomically correct and altered to your specifications, to ensure that it is a true representation of your trophy.

 

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STEP 8
Mounting

Mounting is one of the most exciting parts of the taxidermy process. It’s where we begin to see the artwork come together and showcase your prized animal. In this video, our Head Mounter, Phillip, takes us through the steps of the mounting process. Our experienced team of mounters are experts in African species and ensure that each mount is anatomically correct and a true representation of the animal. We use creativity and client instruction to create taxidermy that captures your unique experience.

Our mounting method includes the following steps:
Altering the form to fit the tanned skin
Setting the horns and eyes
Clay work on facial features
Applying specialized glue
Fitting the skin to the form
Filling and shaping the ears
Stitching the skin
Grooming