The Rack Shack Taxidermy Shop

Having gotten the last of the 2023 season’s deer mounts put together yesterday my antler rack is now empty! I still have a couple projects to do but the load is much lighter!

Over the course of my taxidermy career I’ve mounted countless Whitetail Deer and they have all been different in some way. This is the first time I’ve seen this kind of unique hair pattern!

My goal this week is to get the remaining four deer mounts from last season put together. I’m a month behind where I wanted to be but I can thank having a fractured wrist in February for that. I really appreciate everyone’s patience!

Das right

Hey folks. I know life happens and sometimes people need to change their contact info. If I’m doing a mount for you and that happens, please let me know so I don’t have to spend time trying to track you down. Thanks!!

Another bullwinkle went home today. Has a 36” inside spread. Needless to say it took up a lot of space in my shop!

It’s been a productive week in the shop. 6 days—-6 deer mounts put together. Made a good dent in whats on my antler rack.

Today’s project going on… will be a full day!

Santa’s helper dropped off a crate full of head forms, etc. this afternoon so I have some materials to work with!

Hi folks. For those who are curious, materials are on the way for the following work orders: 1567, 1681, 1686, 1687, 1688, 1691, 1694, 1695, 1696, 1698, 1699, & 1701. The following capes are either ready to be mounted or are currently being made ready: 1567, 1681, 1686, 1687, 1688, 1691, 1692, & 1694.
Thank you for your patience as I recovered from a broken wrist!

Gurrrr…. I hate it when it happens! I placed a large order for materials last week only to discover today that I don’t have the red fox ear liners I thought I had! I was planning to put the fox together tomorrow. So much for that idea!

Since I’m no longer looking to take on new clients I’ve decided that I might as well start selling some of my display mounts . Those include a shoulder mount caribou, a half body black bear, and a full body skunk. Contact me if interested.
I also have a few full body manikins that I’ll likely not use, including some full body black bear.

Where there’s a will there’s a way. Working with my brace wrapped up

This brute which was harvested in Newfoundland went home this afternoon. I suspect it turned a few heads on its ride home! It’s one of two moose I took in this past October.
On another note I was finally able to flesh and salt a deer cape this morning for the first time since I fractured my wrist on February 19. My wrist is still in a brace until at least next week but I’m finally able to get some work done.

This mount went home the other day. The artificial drift wood is an option instead of a wood panel. It could easily be dressed up with some greenery. There are various options, including some that come with greenery attached.

Uugh. Finishing deer mounts with a casted fractured right wrist is challenging, but I need to get them done!

I hate to tell you this folks but due to my new attire I won’t be able to do much in the shop for the next 4-6 weeks. Hopefully I’ll be able to at least finish the mounts that I already have put together. I slipped and fell on ice Monday evening and fractured my right wrist. Pretty frustrating as I’ve been making good headway in the shop…….until now!

I think I’ll sleep good tonight after spending most of my day putting this beast together. It’s just a bit bigger than a deer head. Actually….it’s a lot bigger than a deer!

It’s been a full day of preparing manikins and attending to clients picking up their mounts. Another day of reminding myself that it’s a marathon not a sprint!

That would do it! 😂

It’s been a busy month in the shop! Next week I plan to work on lining a coyote rug, mounting a red fox and possibly mounting a moose .

Evidence that rabbits are living under my shop. If they only knew what goes on above them!

Was Christmas in the shop today! Been about 4 years since I’ve received a motor freight shipment in less than a week from when I placed the order.

Been doing some thinking lately while I work in the shop… since I’m not looking to take on new clients and I’m not sure how many more years I’ll be doing commercial taxidermy I’m giving some thought to putting some of my display mounts up for sale.
I also have some tanned skins that I have intended to put together for display mounts but haven’t been able to. If there’s something you’d like to add to your collection let me know and I’ll check to see if I have it.
In addition, if you happen to be a fellow taxidermist reading this, I have some extra manikins that I will likely never use and so I wouldn’t mind selling them. This includes full body bear manikins. Let me know if you’d be interested in checking out what I have.

As planned, I just placed a large order for materials, which includes 13 deer headforms, 1 pronghorn antelope headform, 1 moose headform and 1 lifesize red fox, along with some chemicals and various supplies. It's going to be Christmas in the shop when it arrives (hopefully next week)!
Also, all of the skins to be commercially tanned have been delivered to the tannery and all the skulls for European mounts have been delivered for beatle cleaning.

Happy New Year to all my hunting friends! I get to start the new year by taking inventory in the shop. Lots of fun…..NOT!! LOL

Was able to finish up and send home this challenging but cool mount today. Always makes me a little sad when the really cool ones go home! (This is the mount I was referring to a few weeks ago)

Heads up folks. If you have any critters in your freezer (deer heads etc) that you plan to have me work on please get them to me by Christmas Eve day, whether you have a deposit or not. Since I am booked up for the year I will not be accepting any more projects after that day. That includes heads tor European mounts.
Also note that my shop will be closed from Christmas thru New Year’s Day. And after 1/1/24 my shop will not be open on Sundays out of respect for it being the Lord’s day and because I need at least one full day off each week. After all… I’m a retired old guy!

Finally got my son’s 2022 Wyoming mule deer mount finished. It was an awesome hunt and I was able to watch him shoot it! I’ll never forget that week in Wyoming!