LIVE from the Texas Taxidermy Competition

[buck wild]

I noticed a few of the mounts had odd head poses (at least to me). Were these to show off customization of the forms?

Yes sometimes, but honestly it is MOSTLY done to throw off the judges to any side to side symmetry issues. It is harder for the human eye to distinguish symmetry when the item is not horizonal or vertical. It's a "trick" so to speak to hide any issues, not saying there were any. I have used it myself and ALWAYS hate my mount later when I have to look at it.

On the aoudad the head was actually rolled away from the area of action. It appears the aoudad is reacting to something to his right as evidenced the the hard eye roll that direction. In nature when an animal is being aggressive or even inquisitive, they look that way. They don't roll their head the other direction away from the area of interest, unless it was a rattle snake. Just my .02 Otherwise, it was very well done. "Very Clean" as we like to say.

 

[wesheltonj]

I realize there is a difference between the Masters and Professional, but who had the better aoudad?

And is the Buffalo guy going to enter his mount in the National?

 

[buck wild]

I realize there is a difference between the Masters and Professional, but who had the better aoudad?

And is the Buffalo guy going to enter his mount in the National?

Splitting hairs on the aoudad.

But people shouldn't get wrapped up in these competition pieces. They aren't always indictive of customer work and that cuts both ways.

The buff taxidermist is returning to his home country within the next couple weeks. He is not from the U.S. as I alluded to earlier. The World show is already past this year and not sure if he'll have his current employer taxidermy shop take it to Nationals for him. He was truly caught off guard with his success. I also think he picked up some competition techniques from his internship here that he was able to apply. He was genuinely appreciative of his time in the States.

 

[Philip Glass]

View attachment 473168

This one from my friend and taxidermist Jimmy Fontenot of Safari Studios in San Angelo.

 

[AustinL]

So where is the pictures of your entry and the bronze?

 

[buck wild]

So where is the pictures of your entry and the bronze?

It was one of the bronzes i have posted on here before of the two Kudu bulls jumping a low fence. I'll try to find the previous pic