Course Descriptions

PROGRAM COURSE(S)

Taxidermy 2 Week course (80 Hours)

Course Description:

The Taxidermy 2 Week course is a condensed Taxidermy program designed to introduce students to Taxidermy techniques and skills they will be able to use to provide Taxidermy work to the general public or within Taxidermy shops and/or studios. During the 2 Week course, the student will spend 80 clock hours learning a variety of taxidermy techniques and skills, to include how to do board mounts; which is putting horns on a base covered with material as well as how to cut, stain and sand plaques for the board mounts. The student will also learn how to properly clean a skull for a European mount; to include the whitening and finishing work. The student will also learn how to skin, flesh, and spilt whitetail capes for shoulder mounts. From there, they will learn all techniques including tanning, dry persevering and how to properly measure a deer for ordering forms and how to prep the forms. Students will be required to complete 2 mounts to complete the 2 Week course. 

COMPLETE LISTING OF SUBJECTS

Antler Board Mounting (8 hours)

  • 2 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 6 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Measuring bases, Plaster Paris work, leather work, and making plaques (sketching, sanding and staining)
  • Each student will be required to complete 1 board mount

European Mounting (8 hours)

  • 3 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 7 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Boiling and whitening skulls
  • Each Student will be required to complete 1 European mount

Game Heads (48 hours)

  • 10 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 38 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Skinning, fleshing, splitting, form selection, altering forms, anatomy of mounting and finishing work.
  • Every student will be required to complete 2 game heads. 1st mount you will have instructor guidance and 2nd mount will be on your own

Horn Stain, Horn Repair & Velvet Repair (2 hours)

  • Horn staining
  • Repair broken tines
  • Turn solid horns back to velvet

Painting and Finishing (11 hours)

  • 2 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 9 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Students will be taught the proper colors and finishing techniques to wax and paint (airbrushing) mounts

Laws (3 hours)

  • 3 hours lecture
  • The last day of 2 Week course, the local Game Warden will come in to discuss laws and regulations Taxidermists are required to follow
  • Open forum for questions will be allowed with the Game Warden

Taxidermy 6 Week course (240 Hours)

Course Description:

The Taxidermy 6 Week course is a full Taxidermy course program designed to introduce students to Taxidermy techniques and skills that the student will be able to use to provide Taxidermy work to the general public or within Taxidermy shops and/or studios. All classes included in the 2 Week course will be included in the 6 Week course. If the student chooses to continue with the 6 Week course, they will be learning how to do life size mounts, rattlesnake mounts, habitat scenery, novelty items, and bird mounts.

Additional Listing of Subjects

***Note the 80 hours of courses listed in the Taxidermy 2 Week course are included in the 6 week course

Rattlesnake Mounts (16 hours)

  • 4 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 12 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Skinning, fleshing and tanning
  • All Students will be required to complete 1 snake skin

Life Size Mount (40 hours)

  • 10 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 30 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Student will learn how to skin, tan or dry preserve, alter forms, mounting of the animal and finish work
  • All students will be required to complete 1 life size mount (Raccoon, Fox, Coyote, Bobcat, depending on what is in stock)

Habitat Scenery (16 hours)

  • 4 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 12 hours lab/hands on learning
  • All students will learn the latest techniques of base making and creating habitat scenery

Birds (40 hours)

  • 10 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 30 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Selection of forms, skinning, fleshing, and finish work
  • Student will be selecting drift wood and learning placement of the birds on the driftwood
  • Each student will be required to mount 2 birds

Painting and Finishing (20 hours)

  • 5 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 15 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Students will be taught the proper colors and finishing techniques to wax and paint (airbrushing) mounts

Novelty & Velvet (8 hours)

  • 2 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 6 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Students will be required to take skin, flesh, salt and preserve deer feet
  • Students can make deer hoof gun racks/cooking utensils/bottle openers
  • Students will learn how to turn horns back into velvet

Repetition (17 hours)

  • 3 hours lecture/demonstration
  • 14 hours lab/hands on learning
  • Repetition is key to being a skilled Taxidermist. “The more you do the better you will be”
  • Students will have the opportunity to enhance their skills in any area they feel they need more practice in

Laws & Business Lecture (3 hours)

  • 3 hours lecture
  • The last day of the 6 Week course, the local Game Warden will come in to discuss laws and regulations Taxidermists are required to follow
  • A lecture/discussion on business basics. (Providing Taxidermy for the public)

All students will be awarded a Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of the courses

Processing 1 Week Course (40 Hours)

Processing Equipment Review (8 hours)

  • Review grinders, mixers and stuffers
  • Review inner grinder parts
  • Sharpen knives
  • Learn tie and crimping methods for sausage
  • Discuss proper care of meat (temperatures, etc.)

Processing (15 Hours)

  • Learn Anatomy of the deer
  • Quarter
  • Debone
  • Steak out
  • Tenderize
  • Separate for sausage

Meat Seasoning (10 hours)

  • Season meat
  • Hang Jerky
  • Stuff Sausage
  • Smoke meat
  • Discuss Temperatures

Business and Packaging (15 hours)

  • Pull meat and package (vacuum seal)
  • Discuss Business margins and proper care of meat
  • Review OSHA standards for meat handling
  • Field trip to a working processing plant

1 Week Tanning Course (40 Hours)

  • 10 hours lecture/demonstration
  • Student will flesh 3 white tail deer
  • Student will salt hides
  • Rehydrating hides
  • Student will learn how to put hides in a pickle
  • Student will learn how to tan the hides
  • Student will learn how to drum flat hides
  • Student will learn how to oil and sand hides
  • Student will learn how to care for the hides
  • Student will learn about equipment
=============================================

Two Week Taxidermy Course

OBJECTIVE OF COURSE:
During the 2 week course, the student will spend 80 clock hours learning a variety of taxidermy techniques and skills to include how to do board mounts, which is putting horns on a base covered with material. How to cut, stain and sand plaques for the board mounts, how to properly clean a skull for a European mount; to include whitening and finishing work. The student will also learn how to skin, flesh, and spilt whitetail capes for shoulder mounts. From there, they will learn all techniques including tanning, dry persevering and how to properly measure a deer for ordering forms and how to prep the forms. Students will be required to complete 2 mounts to complete the course.

COMPLETE LISTING OF SUBJECTS

Antler Board Mounting (8 hours)

  • Measuring bases, plaster of Paris work, leather work, and making plaques (sketching, sanding and staining)
  • Each student will be required to complete 1 board mount
European Mounting (10 hours)

  • Boiling and whitening skulls
  • Each Student will be required to complete 1 European mount
Game Heads (48 hours)

  • Skinning, fleshing, splitting, form selection, altering forms, anatomy of mounting and finishing work.
  • Every student will be required to complete 2 game heads. 1st mount you will have instructor guidance and 2nd mount will be on your own
Painting and Finishing (11 hours)

  • Students will be taught the proper colors and finishing techniques to Wax and paint (airbrushing) mounts

 

Laws (3 hours)

  • The last day of 2 week course, the local Game Warden will come in to discuss laws and regulations Taxidermists are required to follow
  • Open forum for questions will be allowed with the Game Warden

 

6 Week Course

Objective

All classes included in the 2 week course will be included in the 6 week course. If the student chooses to continue with the 6 week course, they will be learning how to do life size mounts, rattlesnake mounts, habitat scenery, novelty items, and bird mounts.

Rattlesnake Mounts (16 hours)

  • Skinning, fleshing and tanning
  • All Students will be required to complete 1 snake skin
Life Size Mount (40 hours)

  • Student will learn how to skin, tan or dry preserve, alter forms, mounting of the animal and finish work
  • All students will be required to complete 1 life size mount (Raccoon, Fox, Coyote, Bobcat, depending on what is in stock)
Habitat Scenery (16 hours)

  • All students will learn the latest techniques of base making and creating habitat scenery
Birds (40 hours)

  • Selection of forms, skinning, fleshing, and finish work
  • Student will be selecting drift wood and learning placement of the birds on the driftwood
  • Each student will be required to mount 2 birds

 

Painting and Finishing (20 hours)

  • Students will be taught the proper colors and finishing techniques to Wax and paint (airbrushing) mounts
Novelty (8 hours)

  • Students will be required to take skin, flesh, salt and preserve deer feet
  • Students can make deer hoof gun racks/cooking utensils/bottle openers

 

Repetition (17 hours)

  • Repetition is key to being a skilled Taxidermist. “The more you do the better you will be”
  • Students will have the opportunity to enhance their skills in any area they feel they need more practice in

 

Laws & Business Lecture (3 hours)

  • The last day of the 6 week course, the local Game Warden will come in to discuss laws and regulations Taxidermists are required to follow
  • A lecture/discussion on business basics. (providing Taxidermy for the public)
  • Open forum for questions will be allowed with the Game Warden

 

All students will be awarded a Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of the courses

This course is regulated and approved by the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges.