In 1976, after a visit to the American Institute of Taxidermy, I had this idea that maybe I could become a professional taxidermist! I’ve always had a passion for fishing, hunting and being outdoors. If I could combine that passion with providing a service to others, what greater incentive would I have to make professional taxidermy my profession!
I graduated from the American Institute of Taxidermy in 1977 and was later hired to do customer work and on occasion, I taught new students. Those were some good times, but eventually, I decided to go out on my own.
I chose Eau Claire, Wisconsin because it had all the basic ingredients in order to pursue taxidermy. Besides, the Chippewa Valley has some of the best hunting and fishing spots around. So I packed my belongings and moved up from Janesville, WI. My first shop opened in August 1977. I wasn’t quite 22 years old, but I was determined to make a go of this thing.
In April of 1985, I purchased a property at 1721 Birch Street. This is where I was to spend the next 36+ years, selling bait and tackle, and of course, doing professional taxidermy. I have so many great memories during my time there. I met so many wonderful people, made a lot of friends, and watched their kids grow up. Being of service to the community is the best trophy of all!
In 2013, my best friend and I decided to build a home on Edgewater Court. We were married in October of that year and moved in to our new home. It has always been my dream to continue doing taxidermy from a home location. In mid May of 2021, that dream became a reality! I closed the Birch Street shop and I’m now doing taxidermy in my home shop. Although I no longer sell bait and tackle, I am still doing head mounts and fish. It is a great feeling to get up each day and go to “work” with the sense of loving what I do. It can’t get much better than that!
“The secret to having it all is knowing you already do.”
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