# Best Texidermist in MI



## SpawnSac27

Doug Aven of Aven Taxidermy-Haslett,MI

Best Taxidermist in the state, hands down.


----------



## dsmithgall

Thanks for posting, that helps a lot of us out on here........


----------



## Liv4Trappin

dsmithgall said:


> Thanks for posting, that helps a lot of us out on here........


LOL!!
Yeah, very informative.:lol:
Do you have any pics of the "Best Michigan Taxidermists" work?
Maybe we can all learn a thing or two.

Mike


----------



## dsmithgall

Hey SAC,

post some pics of the masters work, I have heard good things about him. I think I saw a bunch of his work at the State Competition with a bunch of awards on them, if its the same guy.......maybe not :chillin:


----------



## SpawnSac27

If someone tells me how to put pics on here, I'll post 'em...Never done it


----------



## unregistered55

Wow! He does a better fish than Dale Cornetet? He does a better deer head than Owen Eldred? He does a better bird than Frank Newmeyer? :evilsmile


----------



## Paul Thompson

perca said:


> Wow! He does a better fish than Dale Cornetet? He does a better deer head than Brad Eldred? He does a better bird than Frank Newmeyer? :evilsmile


If he only knew, LOL Owen Eldreds deer always impresses me, I just stare at them and wonder how he get's them to look that way.


----------



## bigcountrysg

I don't believe that there is ever someone that is the best. Always seems to be somebody that is better. You maybe very good at what you do. You maybe really great at what you do. But your never the best because someone will come along that shows you they are better.


----------



## SpawnSac27

I appreciate all of you correcting my 13 year old cousin, Glad to know you all think I am an idiot now :sad:


----------



## Jon & Holly Cart

Thats horrible:sad:


----------



## Mitchell Ulrich

No, No, No, we don't think that your horrible at all...thats just some guys giving you a hard time...each and every one of us has done what you did and it was forgotten by the next day...

Mitch


----------



## unregistered55

Customers sometimes get so elated over the mount they get back that they think their taxidermist is "the best" around, and that's cool.  I can't say that I ever had a customer think that about me but HEY!... Many still liked what they got from me. That said, artists whom I have already named have the credentials...ribbons, trophies, scores, awards...that formally identify them as some of the "best" in our state. Sure, at some future time and some place another taxidermist might exceed their achievements, but as of today they are at the top.


----------



## SpawnSac27

I do not really know what classifies someone as the best...I have tried out a few taxidermists, and so far, I am most impressed by the work of Aven...The detail work amazes me. I give all taxidermists credit, as I have watched him at work and it is an amazing skill, and an ART! I took him a steelhead as well, which I will be picking up soon, anxious to see what it looks like...It's gotta be better than what Tim Hayes did for me, as that mount took 3 1/2 years to get back and looked like he attempted to make it look like a cartoon rainbow...you guys that do taxidermy are ARTISTS, big props to ya :lol:


----------



## mikieday

man i agree with bigcountry...i have used serveral 

legends taxidermy in luddington did my elk....wow just awesome

Bucky (in pickney) did one of my bucks...wow just awesome

Legends did a remount for me on one of my bucks (needed a cape) awesome

ray shultz (here in milan) did one of my bucks...awesome

bck stp in westland did a buck for me (the one legends redid for me) if i ever see that jack^& out i will get him...he sucked


----------



## Jon & Holly Cart

I will agree with that!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Ryan Vande Griend

I dont know....my dad is pretty good...! even though it is a side job.


----------



## GIDEON

Larry Wardo in South Lyons is also very good, all but one of ours has been done by him. When diong a mount that has foilage incorperated into it, he has a method of preserving the foilage that is un-believable, have seen green popular leaves that are 5+ years old that are still green and still feel like fresh leaves. Amazing work


----------



## mihunter

mikieday said:


> bck stp in westland did a buck for me (the one legends redid for me) if i ever see that jack^& out i will get him...he sucked


 Interesting to read this, I've been thinking of having a head he did redone myself.


----------



## Big Daddy Benelli

St. Clair Flats for me!


----------



## bigmike

Acorn ridge taxidermy for me


----------



## Sail

If you haven't seen Charlie Fanta's work you should check it out. He specializes in birds and has some great examples at his studio. He has pictures here on his website. http://www.fantataxidermy.com/gallery.html


----------



## eye fishing

Dave Sherwood in richland, international champion, need I say more. Really nice guy also. 

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## turkeyjim

There's good taxidermists all over this state. The next time you have a trophy you want mounted. First of all, know what your looking for. Leave your money and trophy at home. Go look at some of their work. A deer is not a deer from 10 feet away, check for excessive apoxie work in the eyes and tear duct area, and in the nose, and antler burr drop. If the mouth tuck looks like ragid sloppy mess that you can use it for a coin slot, and painted all black, keep checking around. If you look for the cheap guy, he's not the best he's the cheapest....
Jim


----------



## 12970

I have a Buck at Aven right now. There are many that are good across the state I thuink it is how close you are to that Taxidermist and what his mopunts look likje when you visit their shop. I ask here last fall after taking a good Buck. I went with Aven being he is close to a relative and I visit that relative alot and Aven is 15 minutes from him. I look at his work and talked with them for a while and they had a lot of mounts to do and they are a small shop. I like they way they answer my questions and give me a lot of informatuion and mount options. Since my last Taxidermist retired and move out of state I needed a new one it has been a while since I needed one so I went with Aven. Should have my mount back in September maybe a little sooner... Will know when I get my 10 Point Shoulder Mount back but so far I have been satisfied with them. They even like me take my antlers to get measured for CBM though it did not make the book. This will be my fourth mount one done in Texas, 1 in Montana and one here this will be my second one here... Cannot wait...

Aven has won some competitions for their work as well and a Member of the Michigan Taxidermist Association. 

Newaygo1


----------



## turkeyjim

Doug and Chris are two good guys, you did alright by going to them. They'll do a good job for ya.
Jim


----------



## lastflighttaxidermy

And no one mentioned me.:sad: lol. yeah there are very good taxidermists all over the state. some do it all and some specialize in one area. Best way to research one is to call em up and check out their work to be sure you will be happy with it. Research is always good.


----------



## Trout King

lastflighttaxidermy said:


> And no one mentioned me.:sad: lol. yeah there are very good taxidermists all over the state. some do it all and some specialize in one area. Best way to research one is to call em up and check out their work to be sure you will be happy with it. Research is always good.


I like your work! My buddy (Jordan) brings his birds to you now. I was actually in his truck at your place when he dropped off a bufflehead I believe. He also had a very nice looking woody from my grandmothers pond/swamp in belding that he got back and it was awesome! I'm not a big bird guy, more of a steelhead fisherman/deer hunter trying to get into waterfowling. I might be bringing a woody to you if I get a pretty enough bird next fall.


----------



## Knot Tellin

Jeff Lutz of Lasting Memories in Ironton Mi Near Charlevoix is damn good.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

There are lots of subjective ways to judge a taxidermist, but in my opinion, the best taxidermist in the state will be the one that charges the most for his services and still stays maxed out on his work load. I know of a couple guys (not from MI) that are charging over $800 for a deer head and they are still extremely busy. That kind of success as a taxidermist impresses me more than anything else. In taxidermy, you generally get what you pay for. So who is charging the most in MI and is still maxed out?


----------



## lastflighttaxidermy

Thanks trout king, maybe ill meet ya some day soon. As


----------



## eino fishere

Randy Desormeau near the Soo does amazing fish mounts.


----------



## METTLEFISH

http://wolfsmarinewildlifecreations.com/


----------



## turkeyjim

http://jimswhitetailtaxidermy.com


----------



## DFJISH

Of course that question will only get subjective opinions because "best" IS just that...an opinion. Mine? Glad you asked. IMO the guys in MI who can produce the most realistic mounts are not "taxidermists." They do it for a hobby in their spare time. They have a regular job, are truly gifted, and take great pride and pleasure in producing mounts that approach reality. 
There is one such person about 20 miles from me. He is a corporate auditor for the Dow Chemical Company. He is an intense perfectionist and is gifted with all of the abilities it requires to get as close to it as I have ever seen. He does only fish. I have seen the best of the best in MI and elsewhere. His fish are on a par with that of Dale Cornetet(dec.) who was widely acknowledged as one of the best at fish *in the world.* This guy may be even better than Dale, but I lack the knowledge to see _every one_ of the minute details of a world class mount. No sense in mentioning his name because he doesn't do fish for anyone. It's only because I learned of his talent from a mutual friend that I got to meet him and see his astonishing work. 
The bottom line for me is that, with all due respect for those who have proven their abilities with top honors at state competitions, there are unknowns out there who, in the privacy of their llittle shops, produce the finest quality mounts that anyone will never see.


----------



## Fish Head12

Spaulding's Taxidermy in dundee is pretty good.


----------



## Robert Holmes

DFJISH said:


> Of course that question will only get subjective opinions because "best" IS just that...an opinion. Mine? Glad you asked. IMO the guys in MI who can produce the most realistic mounts are not "taxidermists." They do it for a hobby in their spare time. They have a regular job, are truly gifted, and take great pride and pleasure in producing mounts that approach reality.
> There is one such person about 20 miles from me. He is a corporate auditor for the Dow Chemical Company. He is an intense perfectionist and is gifted with all of the abilities it requires to get as close to it as I have ever seen. He does only fish. I have seen the best of the best in MI and elsewhere. His fish are on a par with that of Dale Cornetet(dec.) who was widely acknowledged as one of the best at fish *in the world.* This guy may be even better than Dale, but I lack the knowledge to see _every one_ of the minute details of a world class mount. No sense in mentioning his name because he doesn't do fish for anyone. It's only because I learned of his talent from a mutual friend that I got to meet him and see his astonishing work.
> The bottom line for me is that, with all due respect for those who have proven their abilities with top honors at state competitions, there are unknowns out there who, in the privacy of their llittle shops, produce the finest quality mounts that anyone will never see.


 One of my best fish mounts came from a guy that is unknown but does great work


----------



## rwenglish1

SpawnSac27 said:


> I appreciate all of you correcting my 13 year old cousin, Glad to know you all think I am an idiot now :sad:


not an idiot, and don't tell your 13 year old cousin he is either. We all have egos and have are own thoughts, we all are great at any given moment in time, and we all are dirt at another moment in time.

I know Doug and he is a great guy, and it is nice of your cousin to say nice things about him. I also know some on here who posted, and they are outstanding people and great taxidermist also. If you don't belive that, just ask me and I will tell you. 

Some are at the top raising the bar, and the others are helping to carry the bar around and tying to one day raise it higher themselves. I do know that today's taxidermist are some of the best people to be around.


----------



## stinky reinke

Dennis Harris is one of the best...Sandusky, MI

http://artistryofwildlife.com/


----------

