Advances have turned taxidermy into an art

March 13, 2005

CASEY RESSLER/Frontiersman Valley Life Editor

In the last decade, the art of taxidermy has "taken huge steps" forward, according to Dan Williams, owner of Artistic Wildlife Taxidermy.

Advances in both education and materials have taken taxidermy to a new level, with incredibly life-like results.

"It's not like the old moose head your grandpa had out in the garage 20 years ago," Williams said with a chuckle. "It has advanced so far now."

Williams credits that to several things.

"The knowledge of the species is at a level that we almost know too much now," Williams said. "We've got whitetails (deer) studied so much, from extreme close-ups of the inside of their mouths to the insides of their ears. All of that knowledge comes through in detailed mounts."

Another advance is in the materials.

"We've got sculptors who are making some amazing, accurate molds," Williams said.

Because of those advances, mounts are aging better and better.

"If you take care of your mount, clean it every couple of years, in 20 years it's going to look just like it does today," Williams said. "It isn't going to look like that old moose head."

Technique has also improved over the years as well. Plus, the presence of state and world competitions - some with prize money that reaches $25,000 - has brought out the best in taxidermists.

In April, Williams is traveling to Springfield, Ill., for a world convention.

"You almost have to go, because of the clinics where they talk about all the new materials and techniques," Williams said. "They only hold it every two years, and if you miss it, you almost get behind with some of the stuff."

For more information, interested people can contact Williams at Artistic Wildlife Taxidermy at 746-3922.