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Behind the Scenes: A Day in the Life at Collett’s Wildlife Artistry
At Collett’s Wildlife Artistry, the finished mount you see — majestic, lifelike, and powerful — is only the tip of the iceberg. Behind every preserved trophy lies a carefully choreographed process, carried out by skilled artisans, tanners, sculptors, and wildlife lovers. Today, we invite you behind the scenes for a look at a typical day in our South African taxidermy studio, where art meets anatomy and every mount tells a story.
6:00 AM – The Early Start
The day begins early. As the morning sun breaks over the landscape, our team is already prepping the workspace. Tools are sanitized, forms laid out, and the day’s schedule reviewed. Our shop smells faintly of leather, resin, and the earthy trace of hide — a smell that speaks of tradition and precision.
We begin with the most time-sensitive tasks: checking hides that were tanned the day before, monitoring drying mounts for any adjustments, and confirming incoming shipments.
8:00 AM – Sculpting Life
This is when the artistry begins. A seasoned taxidermist may spend the morning shaping a form to match the unique measurements of an animal — adjusting musculature, refining posture, recreating the perfect tilt of a head or arch of a neck.
We don’t rely on generic mannequins. At Collett’s, every form is assessed and often modified to reflect the exact anatomy of the animal being mounted. Capturing the animal’s “character” is one of the most vital and subtle skills in taxidermy.
11:00 AM – Mounting Begins
With the form sculpted, the tanned hide is carefully fitted. This is a meticulous process requiring extreme care — positioning the eyes just right, aligning muscle details, tucking lips and eyelids, and ensuring seamless adhesion.
The moment when the skin finally settles into place and the face begins to “look back” at you is always moving — a mix of craft and reverence for the animal.
1:00 PM – Lunch and Leather
While some team members break for lunch, others shift to the leather workshop — the other half of our artistry. Here, skilled leatherworkers handcraft bags, belts, rifle slings, and decor items from ethically sourced game hide.
Collett’s handcrafted leather products are made using the same care and storytelling as our mounts. Many hunters request custom accessories made from the same animal they harvested — preserving not only the visual legacy but a tactile one as well.
3:00 PM – Finishing Touches
After the mounts have dried for several days or weeks (depending on complexity), final finishing begins. This includes airbrushing around the eyes, nose, and ears to restore the natural look of coloration. We may gloss the eyes or wet the nose slightly to give that lifelike spark.
Clients are also updated with progress photos throughout the process. We believe transparency and communication are key — especially for our international clients from the U.S. and beyond.
5:00 PM – Wrapping Up
As the day closes, workstations are cleaned, notes logged, and finished pieces prepared for quality control or crating. We often end the day reviewing upcoming projects — planning for life-size mounts, new custom leather requests, or preparing export documentation for international deliveries.
Some of our best ideas come during these moments — when we sit as a team, reflecting not only on the work but on the meaning behind it.
More Than a Job — It’s a Calling
Working in taxidermy and handcrafted leather is more than a job; it’s a commitment to preserving stories, to honoring the wild, and to giving hunters a timeless memory of their journey.
At Collett’s Wildlife Artistry, every mount and every stitch carries our signature. It represents our South African roots, our global standards, and our deep respect for wildlife.
Contact us today to begin your own legacy piece or to learn more about our full range of services.