News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Robert Piechan works on a deer mount in his shop on Monday. Piechan owns Horizons Taxidermy and has mounted trophies for more than 30 years.

ALPENA — Most hunters and fishermen hope to shoot or catch an animal that is worthy of display in their homes, camps, or cottages.

To do so, they count on taxidermists, who use a keen eye for detail and craftsmanship to create a suitable likeness of the trophy.

Robert Piechan, of Horizons Taxidermy in Long Lake, has done taxidermy work for about 30 years, a skill that has been passed down to him from his father and uncle, who learned from trial and error.

Piechan said he began dabbling in the craft as a teenager, took a class, and, as his skills improved and his mounts became more true to the animal, he started his own business.

Over the years, he has mounted many large deer, fish, and other game animals, but his favorite was an animal his brother shot.

“My favorite has to be the buffalo head,” he said. “The animal weighed between 1,500 and 1,800 pounds. That type of mount is unusual around here, and you don’t see many. It is the only one I’ve ever done.”

With the help of today’s technology, Piechan said, people don’t have to preserve the animal after it has been harvested. If there are photos and videos that depict the size, shape, and color characteristics of the animal, the mount can be reproduced with the use of synthetic materials. He said such mounts are a near-perfect match to using the animal itself, and last longer.

“If it’s something like a fish, you just need a couple good pictures with the length, girth, and, as far as deer, they actually make mock antlers that you can’t tell if they are real or artificial,” he said. “Now, to get it close, you have all the dimensions and tine lengths.”

Piechan said nearly all of the mounts he creates use the natural hide, which he sends to a tannery for treatment.

“I have deer mounts that are 30 years old, and they look the same as the day they were done,” he said.

As new generations begin to hunt, Piechan said, many younger people are getting their trophies mounted and many are getting involved in the art of taxidermy. He suspects they use tools to learn the craft that weren’t available to him when he started.

Piechan said he is still learning and sharpening his craft, with the help of others in the same field.

“I follow many Facebook pages dedicated to this, and it is a good resource, and you can learn a lot,” Piechan said. “YouTube is also a good resource. It would also be a good idea for people just starting to take classes or be an apprentice. It’s amazing what is out there now and how easy it is to find information and tricks of the trade.”