Sell The Sizzle, Not the Steak: First Impressions

FORWARD: Recently I saw a post by Joe Kish on www.Taxidermy.Net and I found it one of the most interesting writings I have read in a long time. I’m not sure how many of our readers saw this post, but I immediately knew that anyone who loves competition taxidermy needs to see and read it. The actual name for the post was Sell The Sizzle, Not The Steak – First...

Tribute: Robert Holshouser

It was with sadness and shock that I learned that Robert Holshouser passed away November 8, 2018. I first met Robert, or “Burt,”as I later dubbed him, in the late 1980s in Anchorage, Alaska. I can’t elaborate on all the specifics of Robert’s life and accomplishments, but knowing him for well over 30 years, I got to see firsthand the talents he...

Inflation's Relevance to Taxidermy

 Inflation is a sustained general increase in the cost of goods and services and a reduction in purchasing power of the dollar bill. If you charged $500 for a whitetail shoulder mount last year, to maintain the same pay rate (regardless of additional cost increases) this year with an inflation rate of 2.95 percent, you will need to charge $514.75 just to prevent a loss...

Reference Study: Coyotes, Part 2

THE LAST ISSUE'S study of coyotes featured facial details, facial attitudes, and still body poses. In this issue’s study, the focus will be body attitudes often recreated by taxidermists because of special requests from our customers, and other times it is for that search or quest for a new and different attitude for a competition piece. I have been told many times by...