Step By Step, Shipping A Fish To Wallhangers Taxidermy

[HD]

I thought it would help to show a step by step process of shipping a fish (or whatever) to Auggy to get mounted........

#1 First you have to catch or harvest it. (take pictures of the fish and include them with it when sending)

#2 Handle the fish properly, (I did not as you can see in the photo's) It is recommended that a fish be frozen in a wet towel or old t-shirt to keep it fresher in the freezer. NEVER freeze it with news paper. (makes a mess when it un-freezes) Since mine had not been frozen that long, he said that it would be fine.

#3 Contact Auggy about what your intensions are, how you want it mounted (I found it easier to call him on the phone to discuss what needed to happen) He will give you details on shipping, packaging and cost.

#4 He uses speedee to deliver the fish, but had told me that UPS has been used before. But, speedee is prefered. They are very reliable and in most cases will be more economical. Either find a drop nearest you or have a pickup scheduled at your house (I had to have one scheduled cause I kinda live out in the sticks)

#5 Pack the fish in a box, he recommended that you use some insulation to serve as a way to keep it frozen, and, it also helps as packing material.
Make sure that you include your name, date of harvest, DNR number, address, phone #, and sign the paper (or include a copy of your hunting/fishing license with a signature) Also, include a deposit, placing all of the information in a seperate zip lock baggy to keep it from getting wet.
Put the ship to, address on the package.

As this progress's, Auggy will fill in the details as he recieves the fish, so stay tuned!

[Auggie]

HD did a fine job of packing as the fish arrived still 95% frozen. I will add pictures of the process during the mount until the finished project. Look for more posts in about 2 weeks.

[Auggie]

    Just to add a little on HD's prep of the fish when he caught and froze it. Paper or news paper not only is a mess when you thaw but it also pulls moisture from the fish. By freezing in a wet towel or old t-shirt it helps keep that moisture from leaving the fish and acts as a buffer in the freezer to protect it from damage when shifted around your freezer or mine. For other species of animals if you have any questions PLEASE ASK. It will save me or your taxidermist of choice some avoidable problems down the line.
     Shipping on HD's package came to a little over $5 if he would have dropped it at a Speedee location. But in his case as he said, I scheduled a pick up for him and they add a $10 fee for this service which is very reasonable when you think about the price of fuel and the convenience factor in having it picked up at your door.

[Auggie]

Now on to the next step in the process. Carving the body. First a simple pattern of the fish. I take very few measurements anymore because after doing the number of fish I have they just fit. Then that is placed on a block of foam. I cut it out with my saw, then on to my knife, and  last but not least some fine tune sanding for just the right fit.

[Auggie]

more pictures

[Auggie]

And a couple more. I like to carve my body before I skin the fish. That gives me one more thing to refer to for proper shape and size.

[Auggie]

Then I skin the fish. I take out the majority of the meat and bone at this time. You can see the skin is not all that clean yet. I rinse it at this point and it goes into my fish pickle solution to firm up the remaining meat and it also tightens the skin to lock the scales in place. This is very important on crappies as they can slip scales very easy. After it comes out of the solution all the rest of the meat is cleaned from the skin and it is fitted to the body. 90% of the time I hit it on the first fit. But this one took two!!!! I must have gotten a little rusty after my little vacation.......

[Auggie]

After the fish is fit to the body I use some clay to blend some of the transition areas and fill the void where the meat was in the cheek. Then it is stitched up on the back side. Then the fins are carded and some pins placed around areas of the fish to hold things in place while it sits to dry.

[Auggie]

Look for more pictures once the fish is dry.

[Auggie]

Now the fish is dry. I have installed the eyes, rebuilt the areas needed, repaired all the fins, and applied a sealer to the whole fish. It is now ready for paint.

[Auggie]

I will post more pictures later next week after it is painted and the packed up to return to HD!!

[Fawkinnae]

Very interesting Auggie. Thanks.

[Auggie]

Here is the finished product. Ready to ship back to HD!

[redbull135]

  nice looking fish

[Auggie]

Thanks redbull135, but pictures really don't do this fish justice. You can make out a little of the  shimmering blue, but the golds, pearls, and greens really don't show with the lighting/flash a photo creates.

[HD]

The MNO Crappie has arrived!
I would have to say that the attention to detail on the fish is very exceptional!
One of the best fish that I have seen come out of a shop in many years. 
I would recommend that if you have a trophy that you would like to have mounted, that you send it to Auggie...He does a great job!

I took a picture in the sun to try to show off the detail, but does not show off the fine colors as well as it should.

The second picture, is with my 10 inch Blue Gills, as you can see, the detail is much greater in the Crappie than the gills.

You deserve a  my friend!
HD

[Fawkinnae]

Nice!

[Auggie]

Glad you are pleased HD. That is the most rewarding part of the job! Turn around time wasn't bad either, just under 2 months. That is a realistic turn on all my fish as I constantly have fish going because of the volume. Everything else I try to stay at 10 months or less if I can. 

[lentz]

auggie im about to get a job so i can pay to get my bear hid turned into a rug how long would it take (already taned)

[Auggie]

It would take about 5 months I would guess. I mount the head and send it over to my rugger for the border and backing part. Her lead time is about 3-4 months most of the time.