X2 but still whoa.

Dang boys! Quick on the trigger! I think a lot of you may have been a little too quick to judge something that you have never actually seen in person. Let it marinate a bit and then develop an opinion.

Concept is fantastic. It provides an innovative alternative from the norm. I think what makes taxidermy great is the variety you can pull from different artist's style. I personally like having each piece have it's own personality and to be different from the other art work in the room. Otherwise everything blends together and becomes boring. This is the perfect opportunity to re-create a hunting memory but with an outside the box cool twist.

I already have an idea in mind for a Texas Coast scene I'd like done up for some of the Redhead's I have in the freezer.

To each is own. I would bet there are just as many folks out there that love it as opposed to those who might not prefer it.

I think you'll sell a boat load of them. But they are not for me.
Just like a panel on a deer. Lots of people still do it. I would not use one. (On a personal deer).

I like the fish best!

I'm not really a fan, I think the colors or too vibrant...they take away from the mount. I believe I'd prefer a more elaborate base to the picture. It kind of looks like someone hung a picture too close to the mount.

Like other people had said about the size. If they were a little bigger I think they would compliment the birds. Also, if you were able to put in a picture of the habitat that you shot the bird at it would make it more personal.By that I mean they send you or the manufacturer a photo of where they shot it and they could make it into a full size panel. I really don't think most people would go for that option but if it was there it would be nice. It would go well around paintings or pictures of birds better that just having a bird mounted flying on a stick.

First, a big thanks to everyone for all the feedback. The THF never dissapoints.
Trout Killer, you bring up an interesting point. They are currently working on the technology right now to meld the picture that you send in with the wood working. In other words, you can take a picture of your lab or kid in the habitat of the hunt and then have the pic in the panel..next to the bird taken on the hunt. I can't wait until these come out. Ground breaking Stuff as far as taxidermy goes. More follows next post..

Now, I understand that the naysayers will just ask why they don't hang an 8x10 up next to the bird. This will be one stop shopping, of mount and pic, in a horizontal or vertical Oval of walnut, oak or even on rough barnwood for say a pheasant.

When I was a kid and doing blood work for a local taxidermist I was in the shop the day a supplier brought in the first reproduction fish I had ever seen. They were brand new to the market and the old man I worked for really didn't know what to think, but you could tell he was excited about the possibilities. Another competing taxidermist came over a few days later and was quick to attack the reproduction saying that fisherman would never buy a "fake piece of plastic." (cont...)

(cont...)

He went on to say that no real taxidermist would do anything but a skin mount. After he left, I watched in disbelief as the old man immediately called the rep and ordered a dozen of the reproductions in assorted sizes. I asked why he would do that after what the competing taxidermist said and he replied, "As soon as he began to rag on it I knew it would be a great idea." He explained that a negative response can sometimes be much more telling than a positive one...and in this case he was right, a year later he was doing 75% reproductions.

Based on the emails, phone calls and personal visits I've received I would be comfortable putting them out there to see how they will do.

I know you might not respond but is it Walnut Hollow?

I like the scenes used on the fish. On birds I do not find appealing with the current scenes. A bigger scene for the birds sounds interesting. An idea would be making the frames adaptable for personal photos. My two cents.

Those are kinda gay. Just my .02

none for me thanks

added comment: the fish one's are... ok.... I guess

I like the idea but to me the scenes look cheap to me. I dont care for the scene that the redhead is on at all but the pintail with the cattails is ok. If you look at the pictures you posted with the pintails next to each other the one where the head is on the blue background makes the brown head pop more but the one on top just kinda blends in and takes away from the mount. Also If you did full scenery and the picture I think that would look better IMO. The pheasant to me looks the best because it has both scenery and the picture. I might buy one but I would actually pay to have the bird mounted as I wished then looked to see if any scene complimented it. Just my .02.

We had a group actually come over and look at them in person and it appears that the underwater scenes for the fish are gonna sell like hotcakes here like they have in other parts of the country. The manufacturer hoped that the scenic panels could be extended to use on mammals, birds, skulls, etc, but I've reported back that Texas can be a very different market and that they have received a less-than-stellar response. Thanks for the input bigdaddy590.

Hey guys I just got an email from the manufacturer and thought I would share. Looks like they will have a multitude of products. www.walnuthollow.com

Those have been out for a while now, but they just did the email blast across the US. Even though they aren't under the "taxidermy" offerings, they are sooooooo nice. The National Wild Turkey Federation actually picked up the Turkey Scenes (my favorites) and are offering them on their website. Thanks for posting those up. Beautiful Stuff!
If you would like to see them in person, I found out yesterday that I will be displaying those as well as the other "multitude of products" that Walnut Hollow offers at the Texas Taxidermy Convention in June.

Where is the convention going to be if you know. And can anybody go? Im not a taxi but I do believe I would like to go and see whats new in the taxidermy world.

It is a traveling State Convention so this year it is:
San Angelo, Texas
June 28 -30, 2012
The Public Viewing of all the mounts is usually on Saturday from 9 to 3.
(If you wanna attend the convention, seminars, suppliers, etc...you would have to join the TTAI.Org.)
(San Angelo Hotel/Inn)
441 Rio Concho Dr.
325-658-2828

*I’m most excited about seeing the birds from Brandon Zahn. This young man is from deep south Texas, a super Talent (IMO the best in Texas) and always shows up with something nice! Rumor is that he is thinking about moving to Dallas to open a full-time shop!

The only one I liked was the perch/bobber. It actually integrated the mount into the habitat. The others look cheesy to me.

Justin T, Thanks for taking the time to give your opinion. That one was my favorite as well.

Dallas is such a great location to be a bird taxidermist. I am very grateful that I ended up moving here. There is actually another super talented friend of mine that might come and open up a shop here as well. His name is Eugene Streekstra with Wildfowl Unlimited. He has done a ton of work here as a wholesaler for a local taxidermist.Some of his work is probably in your house already. Everyone should have many choices to choose from.

Cool, always wanted to meet him. He helped me out over the phone on some prarie chickens. Great guy and very talented.

Here is a picture of Eugene and I mounting birds years back. I used to go to his shop and help him mount his turkeys and ducks, then we would jump on my birds. It's been awhile since I've posted about my awesome "Bird mounting marathon" trips up to Beautiful Montana. Really great memories. I'm just sorry that financially, after my kids came along, I could no longer afford to travel up there or pay him to help me mount my overflow birds as he did an excellant job. He's been called the Best Bird Man in the US and I, along with my top clients, was lucky to have him helping me.

Thanks