In 2006, Nolan Skuse graduated from one of the countries most renowned taxidermy schools "The Academy of Wildlife Arts” in Duncansville, Pennsylvania. Having a love to hunt with friends in the big woods of Northern Minnesota, in 2006 Nolan started Northwoods Taxidermy & Outfitters. Through 15 years of hands on hard working experience Northwoods Taxidermy and Outfitters has become the place to go!
As for me and my house we will serve the lord Joshua 24:15
Deer
The key to a great mount is proper cape preparation-this begins as soon as the deer hits the ground!
The first thing you want to do when caping out a head for a shoulder mount is to make sure you leave enough skin. As a general rule, if you leave a least 6 inches behind the front legs you will have plenty. When you have a lot of repair work to do such as bullet holes, drag marks or fighting scars it is a good idea to leave about a foot of extra skin. You can always trim off what you do not need but it is almost impossible to put skin back and have a quality mount. When you have figured out how far back you need to cut the skin, simply cut a ring around the animal and make a cut up the back of the front legs following where the white and brown hair meet from the knee to the cut around the body. Now just skin the shoulders and neck like taking off a sock to the base of the skull. Once you are at the base of the skull twist the head until it pops off. Make sure there is not any neck meat attached to the skin, otherwise it won't pop off. Leave the skull inside of the head for the professionals to take out. After you have your head and skin disconnected from the rest of the body put it in a plastic garbage bag and freeze it solid ASAP!
The longer you wait to put your cape in the freezer the greater risk of bacteria getting to it. It will rot and your cape will be no good.
Fish
When taking care of a fish you want mounted the first thing you have to do is pick a side. When you pick a side, that's the side you want to see when its mounted. Take a picture of the side when its fresh and wet still. It helps the taxidermist to match the colors and spots. For every minute that the fish is out of water, its colors fade away. As soon as you can take your fish and smooth down the fins against the body. Wrap it in a plastic garbage bag and put it in the freezer. Make sure it freezes solid. DO NOT Wrap your fish in a towel or any kind of paper! It will leave an imprint in your fish's face.