Alaskan Crafts Profile: Taxidermy

about a month ago i was in Haines (a little town up the coast from Juneau) having a deliciously crafted homebrew at the Haines Brewfest and suddenly craft column inspiration hit me!

what is the quintessential Alaskan Craft (besides brewing craft beer)? Taxidermy! It may take a second to get the connection, but I assure you taxidermists are multi-talented crafters and masters of their domain.

So, this weeks article is dedicated to the art of preserving and mounting animals- a fascinating subject. Find the article here with some images. And check out more images below-

you can purchase these high-density foam deer head mounts pre-made. they are carvable!

the bear's hide gets stretched evenly and nailed down (in preparation to become a rug).

the hide gets stretched around the head mount, glued and pinned.

parts of the hide will have to be pleated and stitched to create a flat rug.

neat huh? these are musk ox horns- not every day you get to see these up close!

the pinned hide gets epoxied into the mouth and then airbrushed with several colors to create a realistic face. i would not want to meet that guy anywhere around town!