Matt just finished this up and sent me these pics, absolutely incredible! After seeing it as a work in progress several times over the past year I knew it was going to be great but my jaw hit the floor when I opened the pics! I told him to do whatever he wanted and this is why, hands down the coolest widgeon mount I have ever seen - can't wait to get it home to my man cave!

Matt did ask that if I posted this I remind everyone that he is completely full and not taking birds from new clients. I think it says alot when a taxidermist puts the quality of thier work over increasing profts/production, I guess that's why he is the best!

The drake and storm were both taken at my lease in Montague County.

........Awesome!

Awesomeness!

That is truly a work of art!

WOW...Those are nice. I am going to post a pic of my widgeon on this tread later so that everybody can compare and contrast what a good...excuse me, Excellent Taxi job is compared to a CRAP...hack job is. Makes me wanna try to get me a Widgeon this weekend and send it to Matt, to replace the one that I am too embarrased to display in my home...What was the Turnaround time on that.

Amazing !!

That is unbelievable.....

the best work around

Bad to the bone!

Sorry you had a bad experience with a taxi. As far as the return time, it was more of an evolution so I don't really know. At some point when I was in Matt's shop I mentioned that we were hammering the widgeon, and he told me about an awesome hen he had mounted in a swimming pose and how he was always looking for the perfect drake. I already had a few birds with him and wasn't planning on mounting another that season, so when I got a really good drake I took it by Matt's to give him for his project instead of keeping for myself. I think he felt guilty taking such a good specimen from a client so he ended up deciding to give me the hen to go with my drake, since they went so well together - color, size, etc-wise. Then last season I was lucky enough to get the Storm so it grew into a 3 bird mount.

As for getting one next weekend to get mounted, you might want to wait a bit. Birds generally don't get into prime plumage or get rid of pin feathers until later in the season, and in talking to Matt I learned that fat content also has a lot to do with how much a taxidermist can do to make a mount look good. I think the later in the season and colder the higher the fat content. These were two of the best out of over 300 widgeon we killed over the past two seasons, when looking for good plumage I start by looking for a really full 'robber's mask - you will be surprised how few have it.

Here is the Storm, taken in December I think





And the normal drake

First the awesome Hooded Merganser group ! Then the incredible Woodduck group ! Now this Wigeon Trio all I can say is unbelievable !!!! I will be keeping my birds in the freezer until your accepting birds again . Matt you tha Man !

Glad to see it all pieced together. Very cool.

That is sweet! He let me know awhile back he was starting on mine..... can't wait. Hopefully this year I'll add a Storm or another on my list!

That is why Matt is my Ace Birdman no wait is to long for work like this great job buddy

Guys I can truly say that I watch Matt take his time with this order.Alot of what you are seeing in this piece was custom made and there's a lot of studying in this job,It was the first time I had ever seen some one draw this on paper before ever skinning a bird.
Great work of art

Very very nice!

Man that looks good cant wait to get mine back.

There is taxidermy and then there is Creative Taxidermy Art....WOW
I am absolutely impressed. Nice job Matt
I wish you did more than just birds.
I would love to find a taxidermist doing hard horned animals that had this same creativity

My son has two ducks that he had done by another shop. So completely lame. He has them out in his house but every time he sees the birds I had Matt do for me he is reminded of what true quality is all about.

That is just too KEWL!

Pic does not it right. I was lucky enough to get to see it in person when I picked up my wood duck from him the other day. It is awsome in person.

those are some awsome mounts

Man those are awesome but I have to ask how much does that thing weigh. Has to weigh a couple hundred pounds?

Milosmaster,Congrats on a beautifull addition to your collection! Matt's work is awsome as usual but you had some fantastic specimens for him to start with.

Matt, that is crazy good my friend!!!! Just when I think I've seen your best piece, something like this shows up! You're an incredible artist. Can't wait to see what you do with some of my birds.

So incredibly good!