Somewhere around 35 years ago, while walking a pretty little girl home from school, we found an expired Yellow Shafted Flicker on her front lawn. She commented "let's stuff it".

Proceeding to acquire a sharp knife, some newspaper, and the backyard picnic table, I was able to remove the skin from the body without any directions to follow. Amazed and confused, the rolled up newspaper containing the bird ended up in the trash. That was just the beginning.

A few years later, an advertisement in the back of Outdoor Life Magazine caught my attention!

"WANTED: Young boys and girls to learn the Art of Taxidermy." Send $12.95 to Northwestern School of Taxidermy, Omaha, Nebraska.

While learning, I needed specimens to practice on. It's amazing, you can catch quail with fishing line in a bird bath; until your grandmother catches you! So much for blaming it on the cat.

My first attempts were primitive, while showing promise, I continued, and past the course successfully.

Years of practice past slowly. While attending college, working with Alberta Parks, Alberta Fish & Wildlife, and Federal Fisheries; I learned and applied all I knew about animals, birds, fish, and their environment into my taxidermy hobby. I was finally given the opportunity to show my potential to a prominent Calgary taxidermist.

Years later, and without further ado, with a sincere Thank-you to my mentor, Mr. B. Schmidt, I gained my wings, and launched Bruin Taxidermy.

$12.95, a little girl, and a dead bird. Go figure!