Savanah Endicott on Pursuing Taxidermy and Artistic Skull Mounts

The Journey into Taxidermy

• 💡 Savanah Endicott, daughter of "the Herd Bull" Wayne Endicott, shares her unexpected path into taxidermy, specializing in skull mounts.
• 🎯 She initially learned by researching on YouTube and experimenting with methods like boiling, which she found less effective than maceration for cleaning skulls.
• 🔑 The maceration process involves submerging skulls in water to allow flesh to decompose, resulting in a cleaner, less chalky finish compared to boiling.

From Hobby to Potential Career

• 🚀 Savanah's fascination with taxidermy began in childhood, inspired by a cougar mount in her home, and she always wondered how animals could be replicated so realistically.
• 🧠 Despite initial self-doubt, she decided to pursue taxidermy, leaving a day job as a dental assistant to explore this passion.
• 🛠️ She credits her mentor, taxidermist Zay Smith, for allowing her to observe and learn, eventually leading to her first successful mount of her fiancé's blacktail deer.
• 📈 Savanah aims to transition taxidermy into a full-time career, setting a goal to take in actual animal mounts by the next season.

The Art of Skull Mounts

• 🎨 Savanah discusses the artistic aspect of taxidermy, particularly in creating detailed skull mounts, including her work on a Wenaha bull elk for Cameron Hanes.
• 🖼️ For the Wenaha bull mount, she recreated a photo of Cameron and her father hugging, adding scenery and tracing the bull's own antler to personalize the artwork.
• ✨ She emphasizes the importance of attention to detail, such as carving forms for neck rolls and positioning eyes correctly, to make mounts stand out.
• 💡 Savanah also enjoys creating habitats for mounts, incorporating elements like lava rocks and plants to enhance realism and storytelling.

Family Influence and Support

• 👨‍👧‍👦 Growing up in an outdoors-focused family with parents who hunted significantly influenced her passion for the outdoors and taxidermy.
• 🌟 Her parents, particularly her mother, have been strong supporters of her pursuing taxidermy, even when it seemed like a less conventional career path compared to her dental assistant job.
• 🤝 The support from her family, especially her father's encouragement and mentorship, has been crucial in her journey.

Navigating the Business of Taxidermy

• ⚠️ Savanah acknowledges the challenges of the taxidermy business, including the risk of taking on too much work and the importance of organization and realistic timelines.
• 📈 She learns from Zay Smith's organized approach and efficient work ethic, aiming to emulate his success as she grows her own business.
• 🎯 Her goal is to eventually reach a point where she can no longer balance her day job and taxidermy, signifying a successful transition to full-time.
• 🏆 She finds fulfillment in creating meaningful pieces that help clients preserve important memories of their hunts, treating each skull mount with care and respect.