Every hunter, rather one who hunts mainly for trophies or one who hunts mainly to put food in the freezer, loves the idea of having a prize harvest to place on the wall or stand. What makes that animal a prize is as personal as it is an opinion. For some, it’s a minimum size, for others it’s the sentiment. No matter the reason there comes a time when we want to have it mounted.

For me, that day was when I took the 8 pointer off a new friend’s property. My wife, Desiree, and I had agreed that should I get a respectable 6 point or better that we should look seriously into having it mounted. So we began to look into what it would take. Thankfully, the processor I use was very helpful in showing me how to cape the deer and prep it for taxidermy. I had no idea where to begin or what to do. He also suggested a local taxidermist who came pretty highly recommended by him and a few others as well. So I began the call for checking prices, references and so on. I knew price mattered some because my bank account required it, but I also knew and had heard of many shops and private business taxidermists who did some really “iffy” work. I really had no idea there was as much to choosing a taxidermist as there was until I began to look deeper into it.

I finally settled back on the gentleman suggested to me by my processor. Ryan Rhodes from Pawcatuck, CT has a local reputation as a fine taxidermist, and one of the best around. He attended the Pennsylvania Institute of Taxidermy, the only accredited taxidermy school in the US, and began his own business in 2003. I toured his shop at his home before finally agreeing to the job and was very impressed with the work he had done on other mounts of all varieties.

Thinking of choosing a taxidermist, all that I went through to find the one I decided to use, and the idea that there may be many others in the same position I was, I decided to ask Ryan if he would be willing to do an interview. If he might answer a few questions and give some general information that might help someone choose a good taxidermist. He agreed, and the interview went as follows:

-First, is there anything specific someone should know about prepping the game for storage while looking for a taxidermist, or for transport to the taxidermist?

“When in doubt, freeze it.  Whatever it is, deer, fish, bird, mammal, reptile, just freeze it! If you kill a deer in September, it's probably warm. Don't drive all over town showing it off in 80 degree weather.  Cape it and freeze it or bring to a taxidermist immediately or you'll be paying $150 for a new cape.  If you shoot a prime wood duck, lay it's feathers down against the body neatly and double bag and freeze it. Turkeys, don't gut, or breast them.  Your taxidermist will more than likely give you the meat if you get it to them fresh.  Don't gut your fish, rinse it off and bag it and freeze it.  Don't gut your fox or coyote or fisher, just freeze it whole!   Now, something to be said about freezing raw animals...  bag them as well as you can in 2 or 3 heavy duty bags.  But don't freeze them for too long.  After a year or so, you'll start to get freezer burn, and this will affect the quality of the mount.”

-So freezing it is key, and do it as soon as possible. Ok, the game is prepped and in the freezer. Now if someone has never used a taxidermist, or maybe even has a favorite one already, what should they look for… rather than just “picking” someone out of the yellow pages?

“Well, when it comes to taxidermy, just as in any trade, there are good and there are bad.  There are high priced, and there are low.  To me picking a taxidermist should be based on a couple things.  Quality is number 1; however to most customers unfortunately number 1 is price.  Number 2 is turnaround time.  How long is reasonable?  I'd like to always keep my turnaround under a year.  I generally get stuff back in 8 months or so, but everyone gets busy. Number 3 is price.  In this industry you get what you pay for.  If you pay $350 for a deer head, you get a $350 deer head.  IF you pay $500 or more, chances are you're gonna get a deer that actually looks like a deer, is commercially tanned, has good quality eyes and a good form, not homemade from wood and straw.”

-You mentioned “good quality eyes and good form”. What kind of details should stand out with a mount?

“Again, it's all about quality.  Most sportsmen don't have a clue what to look for, and that's not a knock against them, it's just true.  If I have a customer walk into my shop, and I ask him to draw the heads and tails side of a quarter from memory, I guarantee he can't do it, even though he's seen a quarter thousands of times.  Same goes for deer or any animal.  It's not just about antlers.  Are the eyes the right shape?  Is the nose and nostrils anatomically correct?  Are the ears nice and thin like on a live whitetail?  Is the brisket and armpits in the right place?  Next time you're home and you have a mount on the wall, whatever it is, take a picture out of a magazine of a deer, wood duck, bear, etc. and see if your animal matches that picture...”

I learned a lot in my search for a good taxidermist. There are many things I would not have thought about. Ryan pointed out several of the details to me that I have seen missed in many mounts. Little things perhaps, but for me it made a lot of difference in my choice. These are things you too can look for in your search for a good, quality taxidermist.

Quotes and photos used by permission from:

Ryan J. Rhodes, 19 Schiller Ave., Pawcatuck, CT 06379

Phone: 401-787-2994   E-Mail: rjrtaxidermy@yahoo.com

By Duane Taylor

TalkHunting Pro Staffer Duane "Duane72" Taylor was born in western NY. As the son of a pastor, he spent several childhood years in Wisconsin, then West Virginia where he graduated high school before landing in Rhode Island. Moving out on his own, Duane spent a few years in Texas before enlisting in the US Air Force where he served for four years, stationed in Germany and South Carolina, and took part in Operation Desert Shield. After, he returned to RI where he served an additional year in the Air National Guard and married his fiancé Desiree. He now works full-time as the Facility Manager of his church, as well as volunteer serves on the board of Deacons. Duane cherishes his life with Desiree and is the proud father of two boys.

Growing up in a family that, even though they were not opposed to it, had minimal interest in hunting, Duane had few, if no, opportunities to experience the world of hunting for himself. He has always had an enjoyment of fishing and holds fond memories of fishing the ponds and lakes of Wisconsin with his dad and siblings. Always having a deep interest in hunting though, he took it upon himself to get started the year after settling home in Rhode Island. Armed with nothing more than an ancient recurve given to him by an old man in his church when he was in his teens, and decked out in his Air Force BDUs, he plunged into what would soon become a passion, hobby, and lifestyle.

It was several years before Duane would arrow his first deer with a used compound bow he had "upgraded" to. But those first years brought with them many valuable lessons, mentors, and friends and were the foundations of the successful years that followed. Hunting also the shotgun and muzzleloader seasons, spring & fall turkey, as well as some small game and coyote, Duane spends a great deal of time in the woods or preparing to be there. His other passions are most importantly God, his family, and his off-season fix of motorcycles.