Turkey Hollow Taxidermy

Turkey Hollow Taxidermy Turkey Hollow Taxidermy began in 1996 as a hobby and part-time business. In 2004, I turned Turkey Hollow Taxidermy into a full-time business.

For eight years, I mounted deer heads and ducks for myself, family, friends and other acquaintances. Since then I mounted over 1000 items, of which most of them have been whitetail deer heads.

04/24/2026

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: I will be retiring from my taxidermy business on May 1. This all began in 1996 with the help of Larry Clarke. In the 7 years to follow, I learned and trained and practiced over and over again. Then with the help and guidance from 2 of the best taxidermists in the state, Dave Emken and Mike Frank, they prepared me for my business to start. For the next 22 years, I met so many great people. I never could have done this without such a strong base of devoted customers. Several of these will be life long friends.

In my 22 years as a full time business, I managed to mount over 1860 shoulder mounts, 300 european mounts, 400 ducks/geese/turkeys/pheasants, and 50 full body animals from several different areas of the world.

I want to thank my wife and family for all their support. Without them this journey would not have been possible. I also want to thank all those customers who brought me so many incredible animals to mount. You will all be missed.

Major project finished up this week. Always fun to do some different animals.
05/23/2025

Major project finished up this week. Always fun to do some different animals.

05/04/2025

Are the glory days nearly over for Illinois quality bucks? Illinois is proposing longer seasons as well as rifle hunting. While EHD and over hunting has most of us seeing less and less deer, Illinois continues its aggressive heard reduction efforts despite what veteran hunters want. Within my circle of friends and other hunters around the state, we see less deer and mature buck numbers have tanked as well. Still the state strives to kill more.

Land owners practicing whitetail management find it's rough when the neighbors have a hand full of tags in their pocket. You better control a lot of ground for your local herd of whitetail, otherwise the outcome ultimately is over harvest. In a solid block of timber, five farms can practice whitetail management but if farm number six kills every deer they see it wrecks the entire effort.

I used to hunt public but now hunting public for a mature buck is more of a quest than a hunt. Compounding the effects, EHD is a mass killer that is sweeping the state year after year. I own some of the best deer habitat in the Illinois. Twenty years ago I could sit in a tree on a cool November morning and count on seeing a two dozen plus deer and at least one being a mature buck. Now I'd have to sit in the same tree for a week and I'd feel lucky to even see a good buck. My strategy for big deer used to be get in the woods and eventually a big boy would show because there were plenty. Now I blanket the timber with cameras in hopes of finding a single shooter then hunt him exclusively till he slips up. I'm starting to actually feel bad when I whack the only shooter left alive. I'm no biologist and you can say what you want about my opinion. For I'm old now and my view is blurrier than it once was but throughout my lifetime when it came to hunting anyways, there's a general rule that I could count on. Good things never last! Hopefully I'm wrong this time....

03/29/2025

I will only be mounting 5 turkeys this year. The first 5 people who put a $500 deposit will be it. I will not be holding spots for people without a deposit.

The swan I mounted for Mouse River Outfitters made it to Pennsylvania for the Outdoor Show. If you have never been, you ...
02/04/2025

The swan I mounted for Mouse River Outfitters made it to Pennsylvania for the Outdoor Show. If you have never been, you need to make plans to go in the future. It is just a huge show. Mouse River is killing it already in booking hunts for next year.

01/09/2025

I have a client who is looking for a whitetail cape. If anyone has a cape from this year and do not need it, please contact me.

Good morning hunting this morning for my son Joe and myself. Each shoot a nice buck before 8 o’clock.
11/24/2024

Good morning hunting this morning for my son Joe and myself. Each shoot a nice buck before 8 o’clock.

We had a great hunt last Sunday. Bryan started off the day shooting his bear with a compound bow after 5 minutes in a gr...
09/09/2024

We had a great hunt last Sunday. Bryan started off the day shooting his bear with a compound bow after 5 minutes in a ground blind shortly after 6 am. After dragging his 60 yards out of a bog, I began skinning his bear. Meanwhile, joe is taken to his stand around 9 am. 5 minutes in a tree stand, he shoots a bear with his compound bow. Joe, Bryan and T were able to get Joes bear out after a short track. Jeff was taken to his ground blind around 10:30. Around 12:45 Jeff shoots a bear with a cross bow. It only ran 15 yards. We all helped drag his to the truck. I then got to hunt in a stand and after 2 hours I shoot the 4th bear of the day with my cross bow. It ran about 30 yards. The rest of the night was spent skinning and butchering 4 bears. What a day.

04/14/2024

I have been asked if I was taking any turkeys in this year. The answer is yes but will be limiting how many. Please take care of your trophy’s if you shoot one. Need to get it cold as soon as possible and preferably to me to get skinned out and in the freezer.

03/29/2024

ANNOUNCEMENT: since I have a few ducks and geese to mount for friends and family, I have decided that I could take in an additional 5 ducks and geese. If you have one in the freezer from last season and would like it done get a hold of me soon. I will take the first 5 people who reach out to me. Thank you.

Address

6727 92nd Avenue West
Taylor Ridge, IL
61284

Telephone

+13097811831

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Turkey Hollow Taxidermy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category