Taxidermy Trails By Rodney Elmer
Something most taxidermists won’t take
It was a Sunday night. The phone rang. The mother, had had a rough time of it to. The beloved family's pet had died. Her request wasn't all that uncommon. We are often asked if we would mount a pet for someone and hearing the positive, the conversation usually ends there. " It is one of the custom's of my husband's country. Can we see you tonight?" "Sure, come over and let's talk" my wife gave the directions. The family of four drove in and carried their dearly loved Dalmatian in to the shop. It seemed insensitive
wedges removed in width and height to down size it evenly. The main body required fattening and broadening and 4" less length also. It's usually easier to shrink a big mold ,then widen or lengthen a small one and maintain anatomical accuracy. Wolves,coyotes and dogs may be in the same genis,but each is vastly different.--We added the photos to our facebook page, asking the question "would you?" I'm sure you can imagine the respondces and feel free to write in yours to. It is a subject that most folks feel strongly about. "NO!" is the usual answer, and they often want it to end there. I must admit myself, I felt the same way and the thought of my best friend staring back at me everyday , reminding me
she was no longer with us, was reason enough. But,, this experience has changed me,,, some. A taxidermist is often asked if an animal is "Good enough" to mount. Mechanically, it only needs to be fresh. Emotionally or financially,, it is not my call. The family cow, the lama, the watusi, the parakeet,the house cat, the iguana, the boa constrictor, the rooster and now the dog, have returned home. It is a privilege to work on a special animal, regardless of where it comes from. That special first deer is sacred and I suppose we want to spend more time with it or be in it's presence longer because our experience passed so quickly. Wanting to capture that moment . We are often left trying to pay respected to other beings
we share our world with. I kept my grandfather's hammer in my tool box. I ware my son's hat when he's away at college and I miss him. The ring on your finger reminds and connects you with your wife. The hole in the back of the Beagle jacket made by the rifle represents all those miles walked. What animal deserves fond memories? The one's we want to remember. Our minds are like time machines , bring us into our futures as we think about what to make for suppore, or back to that special moment in our passed, we want to recall. Hammers , hats , rings , photos or taxidermy , they all work. Rodney Elmer and his wife Theresa own and operate Mountain deer taxidermy in Northfield,Vermont.
to talk about the process, the difficulty of how to present him. But, we found most of the trouble was ours. Dad saw to the details, helped his children through some of the pain, made some decisions, thanked us and they left. It's far from us to judge and tastes or wants are part of what makes art or memories work on the wall and are different for everyone. The fact that the person so intimately new the pet, it's facial expressions and all those years living together make reproducing it all the harder. Animals are very expressive, eyes, lips, ears and stance all matter greatly. The responsibility of making it depict the love they new in this animal, is something most taxidermists are unwilling to take. Taxidermy mistakes are magnified. A rough looking job would seem to only add to the distress, in my view. It was a well explained risk taken by these folks and I'm reasonably happy with my work considering the huge task this was. The kinds of skills it takes to build something like this, from the parts we had to start with that weren't even close, makes us often feel like the" Me-giver's" of styrofoam and staples. The wolf mold we started with was many inches bigger in all directions. The turned up, narrow nose needed shortening and widening and larger lips. The head required 8 cuts alone , with center The Outdoor Gazette
July 2012
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