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Parental Discretion is advised.
Some of these photos depict graphic taxidermy
and should be viewed understanding wildlife and hunting.
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WHITE TAIL
"It's one of the most challenging hunts with a long bow."
Hunter and Guide, Eldon Jandreau - also our staff Taxidermist - enjoys hunting for White Tail Deer. "Of all the animals, the White Tail is the most intelligent. That animal can bust you more easily than any other animal and remember your smell and even your face!" It's too bad that so few exist in extreme Northern Maine. The winters of the past years (200 inches of wnos in 2007) have made life difficult for the deer herds and coyotes have decimated them."
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| Removing all the meat and fat from an ear is a long and tedious process. Taxidermy is an art but a process through which the final piece of "art" becomes an heirloom. |
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| This 10-point white tail has its antlers sawn from the head in order to prepare for the mount. |
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Oh Yea, Don't forget the COYOTES
Maine's winter of 2007 was one of the worst winters on record. Over 200 inches of snow fell on Northern Maine. During the winter white tail deer "yarded" in spots where they would barely make it to feed. Many froze to death and still others were killed by coyotes who were able to walk on the crust to reach deer and literally feast during the entire winter. Coyotes do not "waste " their kill though. According to former Game Warden Jim Dumond, "When a pack of coyotes kill a deer, every piece of meat is eaten and no deer is killed because of a predator instinct. They kill for food; by necessity." Because of their numbers in wilderness areas and now in urban zones as well, Maine has no season on coyotes. Hunters are encouraged to kill coyotes at any time.
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| This mount is Eldon's first and one of his favorite mounts killed using a Long Bow. He recounts how difficult it was and HOW COLD (10 below zero); he "could hardly pull." Many friends in Portage couldn't believe he was able to make the "Stick & String" work all! |
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| A daunting task to many, the taxidermy of White Tail Deer "is easy compared to a moose!" Eldon says, "Once you've worked on a few moose in a month, you appreciate the easy part of working on deer...or a bear for that matter." |
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| We were amazed at the many tools used by the taxidermist. Here Eldon Jandreau uses a simple hand saw to remove the antlers from the head. |
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