{"id":417,"date":"2015-10-09T16:09:02","date_gmt":"2015-10-09T16:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crosshairscommunity.com\/?p=417"},"modified":"2015-10-09T16:09:02","modified_gmt":"2015-10-09T16:09:02","slug":"what-you-can-do-in-the-woods-to-help-your-taxidermist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crosshairscommunity.com\/?p=417","title":{"rendered":"What you can do in the woods to help your taxidermist"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"garretttaxiderm\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t made it to over to the Greater Susquehanna Valley\u2019s newest gastro-brew pub-family gathering place known as the Rusty Rail in Mifflinburg, Pa., you and your family need to get there soon.
\nBeyond the food, drink and family-friendly atmosphere, it is Rusty Rail\u2019s taxidermy display that most impressed me and reminded me of what\u2019s in Penn\u2019s Woods.
\nThe owners, the Paul family, are well-known outdoors enthusiasts. On the pub\u2019s second floor there are enough taxidermy displays, the trophies of the elder Paul John\u2019s hunts that you could easily imagine that you had arrived in the Smithsonian\u2019s \u201cHall of the Wilds.\u201d
\nYou can see many impressive mounts of white tail deer, elk, caribou, turkeys and even some exotic African beasts.
\nTaxidermy is the practice of creating lifelike representations of animals and fish, by the use of their preserved and prepared skins stretched over various supporting structures.
\nOne of the practitioners of this art form who has most impressed me over the years is Curt Zaring of Liverpool.
\nGiven that Pennsylvania\u2019s archery whitetail deer season opened last weekend, Zaring passed along a few very helpful tips that you would be wise to heed:
\n\u2022<\/strong> Once you bag your trophy, be careful with it. This is particularly true with deer. Try to avoid dragging your deer and damaging its head or chest.
\n\u2022<\/strong> During early season hunts when the temperatures can be in the 70- and 80-degree range, it\u2019s critical to remove the animal\u2019s hide as quickly as possible to slow the natural decomposition process.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Warmth and heat can cause bacteria to grow quickly even in freshly-killed game and fish. Try to get your trophy chilled down as soon as possible. Then wrap the skin or carcass in plastic and place it in a freezer. Once it\u2019s frozen and stabilized then take it to your favorite taxidermist.
\nOne of the pieces of sage-like advice that Curt Zaring mentioned to me that I thought would be helpful to pass along was this:
\n\u201cRemember, animals live in nature and by and large live a tough life. They routinely face life-and-death situations that frequently cause them to get nicks, blemishes, scars and other imperfections. If you\u2019re looking for a perfect mount, remember that taxidermists can really only work with the material that nature provides.\u201d
\nIn other words, while nearly all taxidermists are artists and perfectionists, it might be impossible for him or her to make every mount look just like the majestic pictures that you might have seen in a picture book.
\nIt\u2019s the imperfections in your trophies that make them most interesting.
\nI remember seeing a ringneck mount that a friend of mine had that was very unusual. Rather than a solid white band around this bird\u2019s throat, there was a band that resembled a line of dashes. We had many discussions about this trophy as well as the biology and environment that might have caused the natural anomaly to occur.
\nIf you would like to check out Zaring\u2019s artistry and even see his work over the past 30 years, please visit his shop outside of Liverpool on Route 235. These visits are by appointment only and you should call him at (717) 444-2005 before stopping down.
\nAlso, please take a look on his Facebook page or on the web at www.zaringtaxidermy.com. He also has quite a few mounts that you can see at the Base Camp Outfitters in Newport.
\nA couple other places to check out impressive taxidermy displays in our Valley are the Union County Sportsmen\u2019s Club in Weikert and at Hilsher\u2019s General Store in Port Trevorton.
\nIt is said that \u201cart is in the eye of the beholder.\u201d
\nFor some folks, taxidermy is pure art and for others it\u2019s simply not their \u201ccup of tea.\u201d Either way, the practice of taxidermy has evolved greatly since its 15th century roots when rudimentary and primitive processes were used to create museum pieces.
\nToday, taxidermy involves high-tech tools that result in extremely lifelike poses and scenes that create entire natural-looking habitats.
\nBy working with local taxidermists, such as Curt Zaring, you can have a real \u201cmuseum piece\u201d that\u2019s a pleasant reminder of a recent hunt in your own home at a reasonable price for years and years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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