The local Cabela’s Outfitters has a huge number of professional taxidermy pieces throughout the store that are gorgeous examples of the taxidermist’s art and of the animals they represent. Every detail is true to actual life right down to the whiskers. It’s a wonderful resource for studying many different species and many are set in scenes from their natural habitat. For those wanting to sketch, draw or study wildlife without trekking into the wilderness all over the world, it’s unbeatable. Far better than a zoo because the specimens are intended to present healthy animals in their prime, in the wild.

I finally got around to seriously checking them out a few days ago and came home with a lot of photos to use as reference. Also lots of ideas for poses. These two Pine Martens are part of a large display of both small and large game in a woodland setting. I really liked their poses, and once I had them on paper, improvised a little on the original setup of the display. I’ll be doing more of these in the coming weeks and will come up with a way to share them in print form for what it costs me plus shipping. I don’t need to make money on them. I would much rather they just be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates them. So stay tuned! 🙏