Taxidermy - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

rckcrwlr87 · 01-08-2007, 07:58 PM

Anybody here do taxidermy? If so how did you learn? Was it hard? Is it worth learning to do yourself?

whistle pig · 01-08-2007, 08:07 PM

I have bought the DIY kits and mounted a crappie and a mallard. I think they turned out OK but the ducks eyes aren't just right.

It is a pain in the butt skinning and fleshing the thin skinned stuff.

My brother does deer heads and they seem to be easier.

The next duck or fish will be done by someone else.

Here are some pics....

And the ducks evil eye..

rckcrwlr87 · 01-08-2007, 08:11 PM

How hard was the fish? How did you do the fish? Skin it? Paint it?

whistle pig · 01-08-2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rckcrwlr87

How hard was the fish? How did you do the fish? Skin it? Paint it?

The fish was pretty hard to skin without cutting through. You cut down the backside then hull him out.

You have to paint anything that isn't covered by fur or feathers as it fades.

Search for Dan Chase taxidermy. He has some excellent videos for the DIYourselfer.

here is the site....http://www.danchase.com/

rckcrwlr87 · 01-08-2007, 08:16 PM

How would you do it if you don't actually have the fish? I have pictures, and measurments for most of my fish.

whistle pig · 01-08-2007, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rckcrwlr87

How would you do it if you don't actually have the fish? I have pictures, and measurments for most of my fish.

Then the best thing to do is have a fiberglass replica made. It would be very time consuming and most likely expensive to make your own fiberglass replica...

rckcrwlr87 · 01-08-2007, 08:30 PM

The reason why I ask is because I found a website that sells the replica bodies in just about all the measurments you could imagine for pretty cheap. All I would have to do is put the head, fins, eyes, and paint it.

whistle pig · 01-08-2007, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rckcrwlr87

The reason why I ask is because I found a website that sells the replica bodies in just about all the measurments you could imagine for pretty cheap. All I would have to do is put the head, fins, eyes, and paint it.

That would be easy to do. The hardest part about fish is painting them. A good quality airbrush is a must have item.

That site and others have videos showing you how to paint mounts also.

01-08-2007, 07:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
rckcrwlr87 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Member # 23675 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 278	Taxidermy Anybody here do taxidermy? If so how did you learn? Was it hard? Is it worth learning to do yourself?

01-08-2007, 08:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
whistle pig Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Member # 43727 Location: North Louisiana Posts: 745	I have bought the DIY kits and mounted a crappie and a mallard. I think they turned out OK but the ducks eyes aren't just right. It is a pain in the butt skinning and fleshing the thin skinned stuff. My brother does deer heads and they seem to be easier. The next duck or fish will be done by someone else. Here are some pics.... And the ducks evil eye.. Last edited by whistle pig; 01-08-2007 at 08:07 PM.

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01-08-2007, 08:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
rckcrwlr87 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Member # 23675 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 278	How hard was the fish? How did you do the fish? Skin it? Paint it?

01-08-2007, 08:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
rckcrwlr87 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Member # 23675 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 278	How would you do it if you don't actually have the fish? I have pictures, and measurments for most of my fish.

01-08-2007, 08:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
rckcrwlr87 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Member # 23675 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 278	The reason why I ask is because I found a website that sells the replica bodies in just about all the measurments you could imagine for pretty cheap. All I would have to do is put the head, fins, eyes, and paint it.