The West Virginia Taxidermists Association Convention and Competition. Days Inn Conference Center in Flatwoods, WV. Contact President Jeremy Simon at (304) 591-5024.

In Part 2 of a four-part series on quail I will provide information and photo reference on the Northern bobwhite quail. Last issue in Part 1 I gave a brief review of the 9 species of “New World Quail” found in North, Central, and South America. Like all species of animals, there are some recognized subspecies of each and there is debate that some species should be split. For our/my purposes I will present some reference photography over the next few issues of the 6 species of quail that are native and found in North America.

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It is finally time to mount the timber rattlesnake. The skin has been tanned with a simple tanning solution and was then frozen while the custom form was prepared. With the form ready to mount and the skin ready, I will take you through my mounting procedure. Except for the head which will be attached later in the mounting process, the mannikin is ready for the skin.

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Even though it might seem like a tricky field to get into for a freshly graduated high school or college student, the Walter Gropius Berufskolleg in Bochum, Germany, does provide a stable start into the art of taxidermy. We would like to give you a bit of an insight into our school life, especially our progress in learning how to create a taxidermy piece, as well as the acquisition of the non-practical and scientific knowledge needed to do so. Aspiring taxidermists of all skill levels are welcome in this institution, ranging from beginners with absolutely no experience in the craft, to amateurs who may have already been working in this field before, or got their know-how elsewhere.

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In 2023 and the beginning of 2024, I worked on a model of a unique prehistoric fish, a sabertooth salmon! One thing led to another, and the fish finally ended up at the 2024 World Show in Coralville, Iowa. From there, it’s now going on to the World Museum of Natural History at LaSierra University, Riverside, California USA. This article is the story of how I made the model. I have some applications and techniques for making polyurethane foam fish models that I have not seen anywhere else, and I hope that the description of how I do will be to the benefit of someone. But first, I want to tell a fascinating and rather amusing story of a big misunderstanding.

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