How to Hunt for Taxidermy Specimens

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The use of a hunting rifle is the most effective way of killing an animal for the use in taxidermy. A much easier way of collecting a taxidermy specimen is to simply buy what is required. However, buying a specimen costs money and since many taxidermists are also hunters, it is a good idea to follow a few pointers when hunting for the specific purposes of taxidermy.

Firstly when aiming for an animal, the shots should be fired at its chest or main body. It is this part of the animal which can most easily take the damage of the bullet without being distorted. Try not to aim for the head as otherwise you may have created a lot of work for yourself later on when trying to fix the damage.

Take into consideration the power of the rifle or weapon being used. Some rifles can be simply too power and leave a too large bullet wound when they exit through the other side of the creature.

You must learn how to kill a wounded animal quickly so as to put an end to its suffering. Large game such as deer can usually be killed off with another shot or two to the animals main body – however this can damage the hide. Alternatively a hunting knife can be used to kill the animal but this shouldn’t be done unless it has been demonstrated to you beforehand and you really know what you are doing.

Birds up to the size of a small eagle can be quickly killed by compressing the lungs with your thumbs and forefingers. The advantage of this method is that it does not harm the quality of the taxidermy specimen. If it is a larger bird then it can be killed by plunging a hunting knife underneath the left wing of the bird aiming for its heart. Be careful when handling larger wounded birds as their talons can be quite vicious.

Some hunters like to bring their dogs along with them when they are hunting. However, most dogs, especially if they are not well trained are definitely not fit for this purpose. Spaniels tend to be one of the best breeds for this however, generally it is not recommended to bring a dog along when hunting. The main use tends to be if you are hunting small animals and have difficulty finding the creatures after they have been shot. Dogs such as spaniels can sniff out the kill and can retrieve it for you, and with proper training – without damaging the animal.

If you found this article useful I recommend you click here to read about how you should carry back an animal after it has been hunted. It is important to know this as a lot of unnecessary damage occurs to taxidermy specimens when they are carried back from a hunt.

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