Olson's Taxidermy

11/28/2025

11/22/2025

We wish everyone the best opening weekend of gun season! Unfortunately, due to a successful bow season, we are not accepting any more deer this year. 🦌

Thank you for your continued support in making our business successful year after year!

10/12/2025

SUMMER 2025 ISSUE #158
QUEST FOR THE GOLD (mule deer), by Brian Olson
Several years ago a friend sent me a picture of a bedded whitetail deer scratching his back with his antlers. I thought this would make a great competition mount as it was different and very interesting. I kept this thought in mind for when the right opportunity ever came along.
I had a successful mule deer hunt in Colorado so I immediately decided this deer would be the mount I could use for the half life-sized mount scratching his back with his antlers. I decided I would use that composition for a mount at the next World Show in 2024. Using this mule deer would mean I would now compete in the World Title Master Division Gamehead category. The antlers were perfect (I thought at that time) and the deer was in very good condition with hardly any scars or ear tears and it was mine to keep. Later, after a major part of my original form was being sculpted, my decision about the deer’s attitude would change, which I will discuss later in this article.
TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW, visit www.breakthroughmagazine.com or call (985) 345-7266.

10/12/2025

SUMMER 2025 ISSUE #158
PICTURED: NTA 2025 N.A+NAT.CHAMPS Peoria, Illinois
54th Convention and Competition
Embassy Suites by Hilton • East Peoria Riverfront Hotel & Conference Center
August 4–16, 2025 • East Peoria, Illinois

2025 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONS
Waterfowl Gold Alyssa Godwin - Green-winged Teal
Turkeys Gold Cole Cruickshank - Eastern Wild Turkey
Warmwater Fish Silver Cory Foth - Spotted Gar
Gold Dan Helmer - Largemouth Bass
Reptiles Gold Kent Allard - Prairie Rattlesnake
Reproductions Other Gold Cory Foth - Woodhouse Toad
Sm. LS Mammals Silver Abel Everage - Bobcat
Gold Ashley Eve - Northern Koala
Med. LS Mammals Gold Lance Van Dusen - Javelina
Large LS Mammals Gold Lance Van Dusen - Nyala
Large Gameheads Silver Scott Brassfield - Axis Deer
Gold Justin Frick - Pronghorn Antelope
Mule Deer Gold Brian Olson - Mule Deer
LHCM Whitetails Bronze Patrick Betts - Whitetail Deer
Silver Kevin Crane - Whitetail Deer
Gold Scott Brassfield - WT Deer
SHCM Whitetails Gold Clint Rickey - Whitetail Deer
LHOM Whitetails Bronze Mike Brignac - Whitetail Deer
LHOM Whitetails Silver Nathan Kelsey - Whitetail Deer
LHOM Whitetails Gold Brian Olson - Whitetail Deer
SHOM Whitetails Gold Brian Olson - Whitetail Deer
Birds No winners
Recreations No winners
Reproduction Fish No winners

2025 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Waterfowl Bronze Tyler Whisner Wood Duck
Silver Anthony Wells Cinnamon Teal
Gold Austin Godwin Pintail
Turkeys Silver Mike Putnam Merrimam’s Turkey
Gold Taylor Harmon Eastern Wild Turkey
Warmwater Fish Gold Laverne Miller Bluegill
Med. Mammals Gold Jeremy Simon Bobcat
Large Mammals Silver James Dykstra Black Bear
Gold Jeremy Simon Mountain Lion
Small Gameheads Gold Whitney Steward Bobcat
Large Gameheads Gold Manuel Reiner Black Bear
Mule Deer Bronze Sean McKinney Mule Deer
Silver Crystal Smith Mule Deer
Gold Erin Silcox Mule Deer
LHCM Whitetail Deer Gold Cole Mears Whitetail Deer
SHCM Whitetail Deer Bronze Everette Alderman WT Deer
Silver Tommy Pulatie Whitetail Deer
Gold Joe Morin Whitetail Deer
LHOM Whitetail Deer Silver Steve Lucarelli Whitetail Deer
Gold Butch Irwin Whitetail Deer
SHOM Whitetail Deer Silver Ty Gorham Whitetail Deer
Gold Cole Mears Whitetail Deer
Birds no winners
Reptiles no winners
Reproduction Fish no winners
Small Mammals no winners
TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW, visit www.breakthroughmagazine.com or call (985) 345-7266.

10/12/2025

Brian was featured in the latest Breakthrough, a step by step breakdown of creating his world championship piece. Follow along for the next article will be on his base work and habitat.

SUMMER 2025 ISSUE #158
Cover Artist: Brian Olson–Platteville, Wisconsin
The beautiful whitetail doe on our cover was mounted by Wisconsin taxidermist, Brian Olson. Brian also produced a superb article for us in this issue (see pages 14-28) documenting his procedures for mounting his Best in World mule deer entered at the 2024 World Taxidermy Championships®. In August of 2025 he continued his winning ways, capturing three North American Championships, as you will see in our coverage of the NTA show on pages 40-46. The whitetail doe on our cover captured one of those North American Championships for Long Hair Open Mouth Whitetail Deer.
TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW, visit www.breakthroughmagazine.com or call (985) 345-7266.

09/07/2025

09/02/2025

Congratulations, Brian Olson!

2025 Taxidermist of the Year
North American Champion - Mule Deer
North American Champion - Long Hair, Open Mouth - Whitetail
North American Champion - Short Hair, Open Mouth -Whitetail
Pre-made Manikin Judges Choice - Whitetail Doe In Clay
Peoples Choice - Best Gamehead
Joseph Bruchac Memorial Award

08/18/2025

2025 National Taxidermist of the Year, Brian Olson