• Australia    Brendan Ballarino
• Canada     George Elekes
• NTA  Blake Reiminger
• New Zealand      Chase Voss
• Quebec     Royal Robillard
• UK    Donal Mulkahy
• Arkansas   Brooke Beason
• California   Alan Dowdy
• Georgia     Brett Miller
• Indiana      Arlen Lehman
• Iowa Dan Adamson
• Kansas      Cory Foth
• Kentucky   Patrick Betts
• Maine         Cody Gould
• Maryland   Patrick Betts
• Missouri     Brian Olson
• Nebraska   Cory Foth
• New England      Dave Whitney
• New York   Kevin Flaherty

2024 World Taxidermy Championships® • August 6–10 • Coralville, Iowa

$4,000 in Cash Awards, made possible by Matuska Taxidermy Supply Co.

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The subject of this photo reference study is the California Quail, but I should first mention that the California Quail and Gambel's Quail are similar in appearance especially because of the comma- shaped plumes protruding from their foreheads. I will begin this study with two photos of these beautiful species of quail with a short discussion of the difference in each appearance. I will admit that I often will be confused when I see the two in photos and competition without a comparison, but I do know I am southern raised and have never hunted either of these birds in their western habitats.

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In the southwest U.S., Sonoran desert toads mate when the rains start during the monsoon season, typically from late June through September. During the mating season males will inflate their vocal sacs and croak. The croaking helps them claim territory and will attract females. I have wanted to create a competition piece with a reproduction toad doing this type of behavior (croaking) for quite a few years. Through the decades of competing and judging, I have never seen one done this way, so I decided to give it a try.

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This is the second part of the story of how I made the sabertooth salmon polyurethane foam model. In the first part, body and fins were shaped and put together, and there were some special solutions necessary to adapt the fins for shipping across the Atlantic. In this part, the main focus will be on details – scales, head details, eyes, and on the final touches to the project.

To subscribe or renew, visit www.breakthroughmagazine.com or call us at (985) 345-7266.