We flopped onto our cots at 1 a.m. after another 20+ hour day of trudging through tundra, swamps, and rivers. My guide asked me what time I planned to wake up for the last day of my grizzly hunt, and he chuckled when I said that we’d need to be up at 4:30 a.m. The last thing I heard him say was, “We’ll see.” Despite that chuckle, I knew Austin would be ready whenever I was.

True to form, we both rolled out of bed when my alarm rudely reminded us that it was the 11th hour of my hunt. Admittedly, we were moving a little slow in the gray light of early morning as we completed the routine of pack preparation and getting dressed. However, all of that changed when Austin glanced up at the river behind me and whispered, “There’s a big bear working up the river.”

Instinctively, I grabbed my rangefinder and bow and hopped our bear fence without a word exchanged between us. I started a brisk pace into the wind, paralleling the big boar on the opposite side of the river. While keeping tabs on him through the scattered willows, my mind was flooded with the typical thoughts that accompany the moment of truth. More than anything else, I remember feeling like that moment was surreal and not really happening.

Minutes later, I dropped my rangefinder to my chest after getting a range on a different bear that we bumped into while trying to close the gap on our initial target. If the morning had started surreal, it just took a turn for the truly unbelievable. When Austin whispered, “It’s definitely a boar,” in my ear, I went into autopilot. I’ll never forget what that giant bear looked like through my peep sight as I settled my 40-yard pin behind his shoulder. Before I knew it, the arrow was on its way and I watched the fletchings zip through him exactly where I wanted the arrow to hit. With a loud woof and an acrobatic spin, he was gone in seconds and I was left with the overwhelming sense that this was a moment I’d never forget.

After a substantial wait, we approached the location where we last saw the bear, and within 20 yards, Austin spotted a small patch of grizzly bear fur lying in the brush ahead of us. He had died less than 40 yards from where I had shot him. As I knelt next to him and ran my fingers through his hair, I was in awe. I had just killed one of the largest grizzlies that had ever been taken with archery equipment, and I had done so with someone by my side who is truly a ride or die friend and business partner. Again, I told myself this was a moment I’d never forget.

While it’s true that I’ll never forget a lot of details of that hunt, it’s also true that memories fade with time. Photos, video, and quality taxidermy are the best ways to capture those memories for life. A quality piece of taxidermy will make you smile and transport you back to the moment every time you see it. A poor piece of taxidermy will do just the opposite. Not only will it fail to transport you back to that special moment in time, but it will also leave a bad taste in your mouth that forever taints the experience you had. For that reason, it’s never worth settling for convenience or bargains when it comes to taxidermy.

As I mentioned in part one of this two-part article (August 2020), my grizzly bear had traveled about 5,000 miles by the time it landed in the capable hands of the taxidermists at Kanati. It was neither cheap nor convenient, but when I opened that crate and got my first look at the finished product, I was thrilled. I’ll be able to relive that hunt well into my rocking-chair years thanks to the lifelike recreation from Kanati.

For those who may not have read part one of this article, there are a few important tips I’d like to reiterate on how to successfully get your trophy from the field and into the hands of your selected wildlife artist:    

• Select your taxidermist prior to your hunt.
• Discuss shipping logistics with your taxidermist and outfitter prior to your hunt.
• Give the taxidermist and your outfitter an opportunity to act as a consultant for your plan.
• Good taxidermy starts in the field, so you’ll want to get the hide off the animal quickly and then, as much as possible, keep the cape cool, clean, and dry and where air can circulate around it.
• Fold and roll the hide in a manner that protects the hair or fur from the skinned side of the hide.
• Get the cape as cold as possible (hopefully frozen) before long periods of travel.
• Use a moderately-priced cooler as your shipping container for commercial airlines and/or a shipping service like UPS or FedEx.
• Package the cape in the cooler in a way that ensures no blood can escape during transit or you may have your package flagged, which could result in a ruined cape.
• If you are using a shipping service, share the tracking number with your taxidermist, insure the package for full value, and pay for the fastest method of delivery.
• Give your taxidermist a heads up before you ship so they can be on the lookout for your package.

When it comes to selecting your taxidermist, my preferred method is to view their work in person at a sportsman’s show or similar venue. Some taxidermists are very good at some species but mediocre at others, so be sure to look at the work they have done on the species you are considering putting in their hands. If you can see their work in person, I like to shine a light down into the ears, up into the nostrils, and anywhere that it would be easy to hide a hurried job. A true artist will make sure that all paint and finish work is completed even in areas that won’t be readily seen.

I also like to get a feel for how often the taxidermist modifies the forms they work on and use. I don’t know a single true wildlife artist who doesn’t put extensive form modification work in for most mounts. As you can see from the photos, Kanati did a ton of form modification work on my bear, and the results of that extra work are what transforms a mount into a three-dimensional work of art. If your taxidermist is passionate about getting the forms right, they will be excited to talk to you about it, so it’s easy to explore this topic simply by asking some questions about their preferences on forms and why. This question should not be an accusation or an inquisition. You just need to be genuinely curious about their process and then be a good listener.

Whether you’re inspecting a taxidermist’s art in person or through a virtual source, you should pay special attention to the habitat. Generally speaking, the smallest details on the habitat are the last items to be finished on a mount, so it’s also the area that’s most likely overlooked. Water, ice, and snow are all very difficult to duplicate, so be sure you see their prior work before you decide to add these elements to your mount. All too often, these items come off looking very plastic and artificial, which ultimately distracts from the final product.

Once your masterpiece is finally complete, you still have to get it back home. Again, this is where great taxidermy shops separate themselves from the pack. For example, Kanati has a dedicated shipping, crating, and logistics department that enables the artists to focus on taxidermy while the shipping team ensures your trophy arrives in pristine condition at the best shipping price possible. For my bear, I had the option of coordinating with Kanati and meeting them along one of their drop-off routes or shipping the crate directly to my door. I elected to have the bear shipped directly to me.

In spite of the logistics hassle of getting the bear home from Alaska and on to Pennsylvania and back to Utah again, it was well worth it when we wheeled him into our office and introduced him to the rest of the mounts that adorn the walls. I hope these two articles inspire you to never settle when it comes to taxidermy. Every time you get a new mount, you should be giddy with excitement, and the only way to ensure that is the case is to hand your taxidermy off to someone you believe in!
 
 

ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO NOT SETTLE FOR THE TAXIDERMIST NEXT DOOR
Item	Cost	Purpose
Rubbermaid Cooler	$67.95	To ship grizzly cape to Kanati
UPS Next-Day Air	$554.39	To pay for shipping to Kanati
Crate Freight	$952.00	To ship finished bear to Cedar City, Utah
Total Additional Cost	$1,574.34	To ensure my finished bear would exceed my expectations