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| Photo: Chad Garrison |
It's been an exciting morning out in St. Charles, Missouri, what with some 800 wildlife enthusiasts in town for the
2009 World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships.
(View a slide show of the animals here.)
I just spent the past hour in the judges chambers where a panel of experts is examining hudreds of trophy mounts ranging from the benign (deer) to the outrageous (gorillas). Personally, I liked this piece featuring a
turkey vulture fighting a opossum.
Of course, there are even more magnificent fight scenes also on display here.
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| Photo: Chad Garrison |
| Craig Lewis assists judges as a note-taker Thursday. |
"It takes profound skill to do this," notes volunteer Craig Lewis.
"
The most important thing is to remove any part of the animal that
might rot, stink or get eaten by bugs."
Lewis, a member of the United Taxidermy Association, flew into town on Tuesday from Washington state to assist in the judging. Like others here, he's quick to
inform that "
a taxidermist is a really an artist."
And what awesome artists they are. Observe these mounts below from the so-called "masters of masters" taxidermists. Want more photos? Click
here.
The conference, at the
St. Charles Convention Center, is open to the public tomorrow night from 6 until 10 and again Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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