1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to this country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: From coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 2: I want you to stay a. 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: While as I share my experiences and life lessons. This 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: country Life is presented by Case Knives on Meat Eaters 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: Podcast Network, bringing you the best outdoor podcast. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 2: The airways had off. 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: All right, friends, grab a chair or drop that tailgate. 9 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: I've got some stories to share. Four Bit Bobcats and taxidermy. 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: Taxidermy is something I've grown up with and is a 11 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: part of my culture. It wasn't until I started seeing 12 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: other parts of the world and comparing them to mine 13 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: that I saw a stark contrast to my own. In 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: several areas having dead animals in the house being one 15 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: of them, going I'm gonna tell you all about it, 16 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: but first I'm going to. 17 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 2: Tell you a story. 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: The first mounted animal I ever saw was a moose 19 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: in a friend's house when I was in the first grade. 20 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: That thing looked big as a dinosaur. It hung over 21 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 1: the mantle of the fireplace, and I couldn't fathom how 22 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: big the rest of that joker must have been. I 23 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: think back now and I can see it clear as 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: a bell. It reminds me more of Bullwinkle in the face, 25 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: but the antlers seemed massive. And when my friend told 26 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: me his dad killed it in Alaska, he might as 27 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: well have said he killed it on Mars. How could 28 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: anyone go to Alaska from Rise in Arkansas and come 29 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: back with a moose? It made me want one of 30 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: my own. And if not a moose, a deer or 31 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: a squirrel or maybe even a coon. Now, the first 32 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: time I actually bought something and possessed something in the 33 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: taxidermy space, if you'll allow that stretch, was a bobcat 34 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: hide that I bought at a flea market. It was 35 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: in Pine Bluff and I couldn't have been more than 36 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: six or seven. 37 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 2: When we walked past. 38 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: The table that had a bunch of stuff I wasn't 39 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: interested in until I spied that hide hanging on the 40 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: side of the booth. Dad, what is that? I said, Bobcat, 41 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: I want it. You ain't got no money? How much 42 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: is it? He said, wyon't you ask the man selling it? 43 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 1: I did. The man looked at me. He asked me 44 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: how much money I had. I told him I didn't 45 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: have any, but my dad might have some. He said, well, 46 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: I don't think your daddy is interested in buying it. 47 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: That was the same feeling I was getting when I 48 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: looked up at him and he wasn't making any attempt 49 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 1: to dig in his pocket for the folding money. I said, well, 50 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: how much is it? The man said, oh, I'd probably 51 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: take four bits for it? 52 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: Four bits? The world was a bit? And where was 53 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: I going to find four of them? 54 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: Before somebody else came along and recognized the beauty of 55 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: this magnificent bobcat hide that I was now holding into 56 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: my hands, feeling the soft fur on one side and 57 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: the aluminum like texture of the other that had been 58 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: dried to the tensil strength of a stretched piano wire. 59 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: Needed to act fast. That you got any bits I 60 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 2: can borrow? 61 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: They they both busted out laughing, and then I learned 62 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: that four bits was fifty cents. You might be interested 63 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: to know that the term originated from the Spanish dollar 64 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: that was divided into eight parts or bits. The slang 65 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: term was then applied to the US dollar. Mildly interesting 66 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: to me now, but at the time not even remotely. 67 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: The only language I was interested in was hearing that 68 00:03:55,280 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: man say in English soul to Brent ribs Celine river Fur, 69 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: a fisicionado and spender of bits. Well, I handed him 70 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: fifty cents that my dad gave me and walked away. 71 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: I had that hide hanging on my wall for several years, 72 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: and I'd look at it and tell my friends when 73 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: they were over at the house, wild stories about how 74 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: I had captured it after it attacked me and I'd 75 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: killed it with my bare hands and I skinned it out. 76 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: I had hung there until. 77 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: I lost it in a game of blackjack to mine 78 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: and Tim's middle brother Chuck, a game in which he 79 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: was the dealer, and I'm quite sure was rigged from 80 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: the start because we only played one hand. He always 81 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: wanted that hide and asked for it, but I wouldn't 82 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: let him have it. But that day he specifically wanted 83 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 1: to play for that hide since I didn't have any money, 84 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: and so I bet my Bobcat hide against two dollars, 85 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: just knowing I was gonna win, and he drew a blackjack. 86 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 1: What a coincidence. Tyewatch probably still got it. I was 87 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: out a Bobcat hide, but I learned a lesson. If 88 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: you gamble, be prepared to lose. If you gamble with 89 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: your brother you're gonna lose every time, and that's just 90 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 1: how that happened. Taxidermy has been around for a long 91 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: long time. In fact, modern taxidermists can trace their history 92 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: back twenty two hundred years before Mary surprised Joseph with 93 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: the first Christmas present. Ancient Egyptians were the first known taxidermists, 94 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: and they started developing methods of preserving animals. They used 95 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 1: spices and ols ands and other embombing tools to preserve animals. 96 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: They'd mummify the pets of Egyptian royalty and bury them 97 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: in the tombs when they died. The Egyptians died, not 98 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: the animals. The Egyptians preserved techniques were not intended to 99 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: make the animals look natural or for exhibition. Instead, they 100 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 1: were meant to satisfy the editions of the time, which 101 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: I assume was to look like dead animals. I've seen 102 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: pictures of their work from the tombs that have been 103 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: opened mission accomplished. All those animals looked like was dead, 104 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: nothing like what we have now or are supposed to have. 105 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: Sometimes it turns out like that, but if you take 106 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: your time and do your due diligence and scoping out 107 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: the right taxidermists for what you want should be good 108 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: to go. My buddy Corey Eisenhower, on top of being 109 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: a Marine Corps veteran and a North Little Rock Fire 110 00:06:55,760 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: Department captain, is an accomplished taxidermist in his own right 111 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: and owns Ikes Taxidermy. Corey specializes in deer and ducks. 112 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: We were sitting in the shop one day and I 113 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: asked him for some pointers to relate to anyone out 114 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: there that would like to decorate their homes with dead 115 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: animals that, unlike his Egyptian counterparts, work, don't look dead. 116 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: Corey was quick on the draw and said, the first 117 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: thing you need to do now, This is important now, 118 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: but you need to have a plan together before you 119 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: pull the trigger, which is a little odd to me 120 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: since I never planned for anything now. I used to 121 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: train a lot for different events, most of them scary, 122 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: but seldom have I ever planned for anything. 123 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 2: It drives a lections, It's crazy. 124 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: I'm a gold with the flow kind of fella, and 125 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: as long as the bullet s ain't flying in my direction, 126 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: I feel pretty good by what's taking place. His advice 127 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: made sense to me last May when I called him 128 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: from Dolphin Manitoba, Canada. 129 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: Excited about the bear. 130 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: I just poked a whole in while hunting with crad 131 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: Can medal the McCarthy, I said, Corey, I just smashed 132 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: a big, color faced black bear. You want to mount 133 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: him for me? Cory said, man, that's awesome. Congratulations. No, 134 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: I don't, huh. I'm surprised, he. 135 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: Said, brother. I like deer and ducks. 136 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: Now. I was fifty seven years old when I learned 137 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: that not all taxidermists like mounting all games. Now, I 138 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: knew there were folks who specialized in certain animals and 139 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: amounts and have a knack or a particular skill set 140 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: that sets their work apart from others. But but what 141 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: I didn't think about was the familiarity that enhances the 142 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: animals that they work on. I met Cour several years 143 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: ago when I answered the ad that he had on 144 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: hunting for him about bear hunting bait, and my brother 145 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 1: Tim told me about it and I gave him a call. 146 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: We hit it off immediately. We've been friends ever since. 147 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: I've been to a shop countless times and we've hunted together. 148 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: He helped me with some logistics from Clay Bow and 149 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: I were filming the Mississippi River Expedition FIM. I helped 150 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: him drag a deer out of the woods he shot 151 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: with his bowl last week. He's my friend and he 152 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: just told me no, and for good reason. He don't 153 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: work on bears. Could he do it? Absolutely he could, 154 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: but bears ain't his thing. He likes to hunt on him, 155 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: but he don't like to work on them. I like 156 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: to shoot guns, I don't like to work on them. 157 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: My brother Tim likes to do both. It's the same thing. 158 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: So I asked him to help me with this episode 159 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: and shell out some advice for the folks that are 160 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: looking to decorate their homes with dead stuff. Let's break 161 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: down his first piece of advice. Have a plan why 162 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 1: you can't always have a contingency plan for everything, Like 163 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: when you're going to get the trophy you want now 164 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: and you can contact the taxidermis prior to your trip 165 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: and discuss when you're going, what you're going after, the 166 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: style of the mouth that you're looking for, estimated cost 167 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: to feel, care of the animal, which is head and 168 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: shoulders more important than any other step. According to Corey, 169 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: you can have a plan in place. You can have 170 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: a deposit ready to put down for what you want mounted. 171 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: Should you be successful, you can plan down to the 172 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: most minute detail. But if you don't do proper field 173 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: care in getting your animal from the kill site to 174 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: the shop, you have done hold the wrong rope. Now, 175 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: the creatures we pursue are gifts to us, and as 176 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: their stewards, it is our responsibility to care form to 177 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: the best of our ability. If we choose to have 178 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 1: them immortalized by the artistry of taxidermy, we need to 179 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: present to the artists the best items with which to work, 180 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: and that starts when the last breath of air leaves 181 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: that animal. Now, for deer in the South, for sure, 182 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: time and temperature are not usually your friends. I was 183 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: deer hunting yesterday morning and at a thirty it was 184 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: sixty four degrees, not exactly good conditions to keep an 185 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: animal from getting a little spicy if you don't act 186 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: fast and using the proper techniques to delay decomposition. Our 187 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: friend John Hayes at Hayes Taxidermy in Libby, Montana, who 188 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: does a lot of our mounts, doesn't have a lot 189 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: of issues with heat this time of year. I actually 190 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: just checked the temperature there and if it drops one 191 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: more degree. John can make ice cubes on his patio, 192 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: but down here it matters. Speaking on large animals, Course 193 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: says you need to get the guts out of them 194 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: asap if the weather is the least bit warm, and 195 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: if possible, get bags of ice placed in the cavity 196 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: to speed up to cooling. Now we have severalized chests 197 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 1: at Bear Camp every year packed with ice solely for 198 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 1: the purpose of getting those rascles cooled off as fast 199 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,679 Speaker 1: as possible. We're hunting in September and they can get 200 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: super hot some years, and we're usually only hunting in 201 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: the afternoons. Last light is normally when we shoot one, 202 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: so by the time you get that barry located and 203 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: drug off the mountain, a significant amount of time can 204 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:23,319 Speaker 1: have transpired. Have an ice in camp has saved us 205 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: more than once, especially when we're so far from any 206 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: place to run to the store and buy some. Folks 207 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: out west where there are hours and hours and miles 208 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: and miles further away from the convenience of being close 209 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: to a store already have a plan in place where 210 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: they should, which is gut, skin and pack out. But 211 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: temperature isn't the only thing that matters, how you get 212 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: that animal from the kill side to your taxidermist is 213 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: just as important. Big deer camps, especially the ones where 214 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: I grew up, would have a walk in cooler. Deer 215 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 1: be gutted and hung up before being processed. Now, obviously 216 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: not everyone's going to have this luxury, but for the 217 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: folks to do, Corey says it's absolutely his preferred way 218 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: of receiving an animal that he's going to work on. 219 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: I said, frozen. You'd rather have them frozen than fresh? 220 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: He said absolutely. He also said that every taxiderms is different, 221 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: but he likes them frozen, especially deer, mainly because of ticks. 222 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: It's a separate issue that those folks have to deal 223 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: with that I hadn't thought about. Now. I know, I've 224 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: been skinning deer and coons and squirrels and whatever and 225 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: seeing ticks and fleas crawling off of them, But to 226 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: have a large number of them brought into my workspace 227 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: has never been a problem. I get it, Corey. Now, 228 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: even how you drag the animal out as an issue, 229 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: Never go against the grain. Always drag the animal head first. 230 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: If you can't carry it or use a card or 231 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: in my he'll Billy Friend's case, am you as your conveyance. 232 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: Using a sled or a drag tart will protect the 233 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: side that's being drug from scar or losing hair. If 234 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: none of that's available, pick out the side that's not 235 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: going to be most prominent in the mouth you're supposed 236 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: to have already chosen that, remember. 237 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 2: And let that side sustain the damage. 238 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: Dragging a high the wrong way will have the hair 239 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: looking like the head of that singer from the band 240 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: Flock of Seagulls. 241 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 2: Trust me, you don't want him to look like that. 242 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 2: Just google it see for yourself. 243 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: There's a ton of how to videos on caping idea 244 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: for the taxidermists available to watch at the University of YouTube. 245 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: However, there's more than one way to scare a cat. 246 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: That analogy has never been more fitting, So talk to 247 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 1: your taxidermist first and let him. 248 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 2: Tell you how he wants it done. 249 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: Corey says you need to be wary of meat processors 250 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: that offer caping your deer in addition to cutting up 251 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: your meat. Some are good and others so much. It's 252 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: really not on them, he said. They're in the meat. 253 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 2: Processing business, not the taxi dermy business. 254 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: Your local taxidermist can help you navigate that if you're 255 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: not into processing, you know. On me. Most of the 256 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: times I am, but sometimes, especially if I'm doing a 257 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: lot of traveling, I'll drop it off and get back 258 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: on the road. Just make sure they know how to 259 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: properly kpe your animal before getting it done. Measure twice 260 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: and cut once. 261 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: It's never been more true. 262 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: And as you may have heard, my brother and I 263 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: used to be waterfowl guides. Now we had clients from 264 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: all over the country coming to Arkansas every year hunting 265 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: ducks and geese, and I guess probably twenty percent of 266 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: them wound up want to take something back home to 267 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: mount It was standard operating procedure for us to poke 268 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: the ducks in the pantyholes, all for that specific purpose 269 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: of my dad head tucked under one wing and wrapped 270 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: the newspaper, then taped up and frozen. I had always 271 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: been told that's the way to do it, and I 272 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: told Corey that was what we did, and he goozle 273 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: chopped me out of my chair. He didn't actually do that, 274 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: but I think he really wanted to. He said, newspaper 275 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: sucks all the moisture out of the skin and will 276 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: freeze and burn a duck faster than a wren can poop. 277 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: Now that's fast, he said. The only reason a newspaper 278 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: should be close to a duck is if he wanted 279 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: to read it. Pantyhose is good to keep the feathers 280 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: in the line, but it's not necessary, and he said 281 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: tucking the head under the wing deserved an additional goozle chop. 282 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: Here's how Corey the Birdman Eisenhower says to do it. 283 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: He touchs plastic bags he gets from the grocery store 284 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: with him in his blind bag or his pocket. If 285 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: he gets a duck or a goose that he wants 286 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: to mount, he doesn't let the. 287 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 2: Dog retrieve it. 288 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 1: He doesn't let it hang on the neck from a lanyard, 289 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: and he absolutely don't wring its neck if it hasn't 290 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 1: quite flown over the rainbow bridge. There are several duck 291 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,199 Speaker 1: dispatcher tools, he said, that you can hang on your 292 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: lanyard or keeping your pocket that won't damage the bird, 293 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: and they're easy to use. But most importantly, it's a 294 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: very quick and humane way to send them across the river. 295 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: Of course, says to hang them upside down for the 296 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: group picture, but be careful how they lay against other birds. 297 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: Then once the pictures take and lay them head backwards 298 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: on their back, place them in a couple of plastic 299 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: bags and freeze them. 300 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 2: Why not tuck their heads under the wings. 301 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: He got the goosele chopping look in his eye again 302 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: and said, most of the bleeding comes from the head, 303 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: and it'll stain the lighter colored feathers normally found under 304 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: the wings and on the fell is the birds. Well, 305 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,880 Speaker 1: all that would have been good information to have say 306 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 1: about forty years ago. Fish are almost always replica made now, 307 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: so if you're going to have one of those done, 308 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: it's imperative that you discussed with the taxidermists what photos 309 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: and measurements he needs to get you an accurate reproduction 310 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: if you catch. People are quick to hate on folks 311 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 1: that don't just catch and release fish. Now, I'm a 312 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: strong advocate of catching release, especially when the release is 313 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: into peanut ol it's about three hundred and fifty degrees. 314 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: Here's a quick way to judge the talents of a 315 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: taxi dermist. If you're not as fortunate to have one 316 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: as a friend like my buddy Corey, or get acquainted 317 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: with him through work like John Hayes's studio in Montana, 318 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: or have the good fortune to have a strong reference 319 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: for the ones like Authentic Taxidermy in Manitoba, where Patrick 320 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 1: Forkollo and Kenton Wallman are working on my bear. I 321 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: can't wait to see that rascal after the first of 322 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: the year, when Craig and Melanie bring it down. When 323 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: they come visit, ask your friends, do some legwork of 324 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: your own, and go visit the shops and see for yourself. 325 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: What they're turning out is what you want to hang 326 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: on your wall. Now, good taxidermy ain't cheap, and it 327 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: shouldn't be, but bad tax germy can be just as expensive. 328 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: It pays to do your homework. It's an art form 329 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,399 Speaker 1: all its own, and the folks that I know that 330 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: are in the business take a lot of pride in 331 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: what they're turning out. I look over my right shoulder 332 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: at the first deer I ever had mounted. It's a 333 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: nine point that would have to turn in a book 334 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:34,239 Speaker 1: report for extra credit to be much more than one 335 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: hundred inches. My son Hunter killed it with a bow 336 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: when he was fourteen years old. I felmed it from 337 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: start to finish, and it's a day that I'll never forget. 338 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: I couldn't afford to have it mounted back then, so 339 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: I traded out some video work for the for the mountain. 340 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: I got a fifty percent discount. I should have gotten 341 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: paid because the quality of the video work was far 342 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 1: superior to what's hanging on the wall behind me. However, 343 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 1: when I look at that mount I don't see the 344 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 1: seams that weren't sown correctly, or the polls I specifically 345 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: didn't ask for. I see the delight and the wonder 346 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: of an aspiring bow hunter who practiced all summer from 347 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: a tree in our backyard. I see us checking trail 348 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 1: camera picks week after week, and him helping me decide. 349 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 2: Which tree he wanted to use. 350 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: I see all the times he jumped out of bed 351 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: when the alarm went off to go hunting, the same 352 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: bed that Alexis would have to drag him out of 353 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: to go to school. I see his face the morning 354 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,199 Speaker 1: he forgot his safety harness and we turned around and 355 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 1: went home because that was an unbreakable rule. I see 356 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,199 Speaker 1: the disappointment in his eyes when he went back that 357 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: afternoon and checked the camera and there was the buck 358 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: that we were after, Just like he dreamed he'd be. 359 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: I see the look on his face he made the shot. 360 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: A week later, when he turned to me looking for 361 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 1: reassurance that he'd done just what he thought he'd done. 362 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: I see the realization that all his efforts had come 363 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: to fruition when he laid his hands on the antlers 364 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: of his trophy. Mostly, I see my son and a 365 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: million moments that we shared in relation to a white 366 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: tail that most folks wouldn't give a second thought to. 367 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 1: It's not taxidermy, it's treasure. 368 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:32,719 Speaker 2: Now. 369 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: I hit the jackpot every time I look at it. 370 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for listening. Check out the second season 371 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: of The Mediator Kids podcast. It's now on its own channel, 372 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: so you'll go over and subscribe to it to hear it. 373 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: It's really good and the young'uns seemed to really enjoy it. 374 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 1: You'll hear some familiar voices there too. The Big Black 375 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: Friday Sale is going on with the Meat Eater online 376 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: store and all the Meat Eater brands, some of it 377 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: as much as fifty percent off. 378 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 2: It's going on until Peacember the second. 379 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: I hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and until next week. 380 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 2: This is Brett Reeves sign it off. Y'all be careful.