Taking good care of freshly found specimens helps to ensure a better taxidermy mount is produced. As a basic rule handle minimally and chil or freeze at the earliest opportunity.

I’ve answered some common questions and provided advice below for assessing specimens and caring for them in a raw state awaiting freezing or delivery to me.

Q: Do I need to document where I found the specimen?

Yes. Any specimen should have a paper trail to show is was obtained or acquired legally. I will need this information from you for my records and should as a minimum include the following -

• Date found

• Location found (screenshots from location on Google Maps is useful for this)

• Cause of death (if known) or the suspected cause of death (e.g. found side of road as a result of an RTA/found after flying into conservatory window/found after prolonged bad weather, suspected to be starved etc)

• The finder or suppliers name, address and contact number

Notes:

All wildlife is legally protected by default and you should document finding specimens. If you are gifted specimens, please ask for the information above.

If specimens are from the result of legal activities, include information of this i.e. General/Specific Licence numbers, in season game/stalking etc.

Any specimen found that is believed to be the victim of wildlife crime should be reported to your local Police Wildlife Crime Department without delay.

Some specimens can only be collected or kept for scientific or educational purposes. European Otters are worth a mention here as although road casualties are becoming a common sight on the countries roads, they are protected under special legislation and unless a licence is obtained from Natural England they cannot be mounted and kept and cannot be traded under any circumstance.

Q: I’ve found a deceased animal or bird, is it useable for taxidermy?

• The sooner a specimen is delivered to me after death, the better the quality of the finished mount will be. However, there are many ways to preserve specimens that may not look useable but can be successfully mounted. If in doubt handle, store and deliver your specimen (as described below) for an assessment.

Q: I can see fly eggs on the specimen, does this mean its decayed?

• Fly eggs on a specimen are quite common and does not necessarily mean the specimen is unusable as flies can lay eggs within hours of death prior to decomposition. if the specimen appears fresh it can still be used.

• Most wild animals will carry parasites which can simply be left on the specimen and frozen within the airtight bag. All specimens are washed several times and all traces of dirt and parasites are removed prior to mounting. If specimens cannot be fully contained in airtight bags, spray fly killer / insecticides can be used to destroy flies, ticks and fleas.

Q: What if the specimen has broken bones?

• Broken bones are common in RTA victims and in most cases do not affect the finished mount.

Q: The specimen is wet and muddy. Can it still be used?

• Specimens found in rain or that have been soiled with dirt and can still be perfectly useable for taxidermy as they will be thoroughly washed during the mounting process.

• Dry specimens should however, be protected from water and dirt to protect them from staining, feather and fur damage and slow the decay process.

Q: What should I do with the specimen I have found?

• Minimal handling of specimens is essential. The heat generated from hands can cause decay through growth of bacteria in the upper skin layers. This is especially the case for mammals and smaller specimens resulting in the loss of fur and feather.

• Specimens should be placed in a lock seal freezer bag or similar sealed bag. (Birds should have their beak tucked under a wing to prevent damage when frozen)

• Specimens that are still warm with body heat should be allowed to cool to the ambient temperature with a free flow of air around them. Specimens placed in bags, car boots, in cloth shrouds will begin to decay very quickly in areas where heat can not dissipate.

Q: Should I freeze my specimen straight away?

• Yes, this is especially crucial in summer months. If it is impractical to freeze, e.g with large mammals or birds with long tails, the specimen should be kept in a suitable cool environment until it can be delivered.

Summary

• Handle specimens minimally

• Take care to fold heads inwards, under wing for birds, to avoid damage once frozen

• Use bags that are big enough to avoid bending and breaking feathers