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An Amazing 10 Months & A Great Result.


Elk hunter
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Thoses who have read my recent threads know I've taken up taxidermy 10 months ago. Although still an amateur my workshop is perry much kitted out and love to tuck myself away there. I've do many corvids on my own and a roe under supervision. It was time to stretch my legs and my Border Fox I shot has been a full solo mount from field to foam so to speak. Well I've finally finished it.

 

My Border Fox.

 

After removing from the tanning solution the skin needed a good wash to remove the formic acid and the fox smell. Warm water and washing powder.

Good wash

 

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Into the tumbler to remove some of he moisture before I thinned the skin down on my grinder. This is done to help when the skin dries, it shrinks and the thinner it is the less it shrinks. Took me a good couple of hours as the more preparation done the better the finnish.

 

Next onto the test fit. This is to see where the form fits or needs work. Either adding some clay or removing some foam. Although the form was small enough in length it needed building up on the neck and face. All a learning curve but worth the time, but adding the eyes stated to bring things to life.

 

Test fit

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Filling out

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The skin fitted well and soon came together looking like a fox although half drowned. My daughter helped where she could pinning up the mouth and ears. Most of my time was spent tweaking, moving and pulling the hide to get the look I wanted. Then a pile of pines were added to stop anything moving as it dried.

 

Helping hand.

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Pinning.

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Finally dry and looking good. For my first mammal I'm over the moon with the results. He's not perfect and I've learned plenty which has made even more enjoyable mount to do. Looking forward to doing another when they have stopped moulting. Funny how I take more notice of dead thing at the side of the road.

 

Andrew.

 

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Great work - looks a happy fox in the mount. It's interesting how something as small as a slight change in facial form may make something have such a different expression.

In your first pic of the fox when you were gauging size, it looks quite sinister - but by the end, a carefree fox

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  • 4 months later...

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