Hunting might have finally caught up with the digital revolution through “digital taxidermy,” and some Wyoming outdoorsmen said they can see it catching on in the Cowboy State.
If it does, it could change the look of hunters’ walls in the coming years. Traditional taxidermy mounts of hunting trophies could be enhanced with — or even replaced by — digital, life-like images of the trophies set in natural scenes.
Chris Pazul launched Missouri-based Digital Taxidermy last fall, and was later joined by his business partner, Aaron Brie.
The response has wildly exceeded their expectations, and they’re scrambling to keep up with demand from hunters, Pazul told Cowboy State Daily.
“It’s really swept the country,” he said. “We were kind of surprised by the reaction to it. We’ve been putting in 14-hour days just to keep up. We’ve had customers from all over the country. I’m sure we’ve had some from Wyoming.
“As far as I know, we’re the only ones in the country doing it right now.”
Send In A Photo, Get A Digital File
The process is simple, and takes about three-five days per order, Pazul said.
A hunter sends in a high-quality photo of a trophy. It can be of a taxidermy mount, a skull with the horns or antlers, or even just the antler rack.
“The customers have to send us a high-quality photo of the antler rack positioned at the angle they want the animal to appear in the scene,” he said. “We have a list of premade scenes. We’re strongest in whitetail deer now. But as we’re growing, we’re getting into more species such as elk, pronghorn and mule deer.”
Although Wyoming isn’t as famous for whitetail deer hunting as some other states, such as Kansas, that species has plenty of fans in the Cowboy State.
Digital Taxidermy emails the customer a digital file, which they can then take to a printer or artist to have a poster or picture made, Pazul said.
For Wyoming’s best-known big game species — mule deer, pronghorn (antelope) and elk — the price is $119 for a scene with a single critter in it. Stores such as Walgreens can produce prints for about $20 more, according to Digital Taxidermy’s website.
Wyoming Hunters React
The digital wildlife scenes could catch on in Wyoming, outdoors enthusiasts told Cowboy State Daily.
“I really like the idea. I think it’s pretty cool option for a lot of people. I think people that don’t have pictures or have lost pictures of their animals from past, or even have pictures of the animals from the old timers, will like it. It’s really cool idea,” said avid hunter and hunting guide Johnny Bergeson of Laramie.
Hunter and conservationist Shawn Blajszczak of Powell said he can understand the appeal, even though he probably isn’t interested.
“Maybe some people will like it, but that’s strange to me to pay someone to do Photoshop for your trophy photo,” he said.
Josh Coursey, a hunter and conservationists who lives near Kemmerer, was more enthusiastic.
“Very nice. To be able to re-create one’s harvest and the memory made and shared in the field to piece of art is very satisfying,” he said.
“I find myself looking at taxidermy mounts in my home on a regular basis and recalling the special time in the field. Who I was with, what the weather was, the initial sighting or animal presentation, to the stalk and harvest. That is the beauty of taxidermy for me,” Coursey added.
Steve Werbelow, a seasoned hunter and master taxidermist from Powell, was also impressed.
“I think that’s pretty cool. I’ve seen that before,” he said.
As to whether Digital Taxidermy could pose a threat to his craft, Werbelow said he’s not worried.
“I don’t think it’s a threat at all. Hunters will still want the real thing,” he said. Digital Taxidermy “is kind of a cool addition to your mount, I think.”
‘By Hunters, For Hunters’
Pazul said he thinks business is booming because he and Brie are experienced hunters, so they understand the key to good customer service among that demographic.
“This company was founded by hunters, for hunters. We treat our customers as family, because we’re hunters ourselves, and we know how much those racks mean to them,” he said.
And if they can catch break from the frantic pace of their work, they’d really like to come hunt in Wyoming, Pazul added.
“Oh, we’d absolutely like to come out there,” he said. “We always talk about that – someday we are going to get together and go on a nice elk hunt in Wyoming.”
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
