The mount is the animal. The habitat is where it was.
A bull elk on a plain wooden panel is a very good mount. The same elk standing in September grass with a broken aspen limb behind him is a place, a season, and a morning you remember. That difference is what we build here.
Habitat work runs from simple groundwork under a pedestal mount to multi-panel water builds several feet across. It isn’t an add-on we tack on at the end — it’s designed alongside the pose, because the pose and the ground have to agree.
What we build
Artificial rock. Sculpted and painted to a specific geology, not a generic grey lump. Ledges, outcrops, river stone, shale.
Water. The hardest thing in this trade to do well. Standing water, moving water, breaking waves, ice edges, a duck’s wake. We have built water scenes several feet across for Alaskan waterfowl displays.
Snow and ice. Drifted snow, crusted edges, ice shelves. Essential for late-season waterfowl and northern species.
Ground and vegetation. Forest floor, leaf litter, prairie grass, wetland edge, ferns, sedge, deadfall, driftwood.
African terrain. Thornbush, dry ground, red soil, rock.
Structure. Floor pedestals, wall pedestals, wall habitats, corner builds, backboards and panels, multi-animal groupings.
By species
Whitetail. Ground scrape, leaf litter, rubbed sapling, pedestal groundwork. See Whitetail Deer Taxidermy.
Bear. Deadfall, rock ledge, stream edge, honey log. Half mounts and lifesize both benefit heavily.
Turkey. Strutting on open ground, on a log, on a stump. The pose determines the base.
Waterfowl. Water is the whole point. Landing, swimming, wake, ice edge, wave. This is some of our most requested work.
Fish. Driftwood, water base, surface break, ice scene, underwater habitat. See Fish Replicas.
African and exotic. Pedestal habitats and multi-species groupings. See African Safari Taxidermy.
Small game and predators. Den, rock, deadfall, snow.
Lifesize and multi-animal. The largest builds we do, and where habitat matters most — because a lifesize animal on a bare base looks like it’s standing in a showroom.
How habitat is priced
There is no rate card for this, because a habitat is a design problem rather than a product. What drives cost:
- Overall size and footprint
- Complexity of the scene
- Materials — water and ice work is more involved than groundwork
- Number of animals in the display
- Whether it’s freestanding, wall-mounted, or built into a room
Species mount pricing is on our Pricing page. Habitat is quoted per project — tell us the animal and the idea and we’ll give you a number.
Planning a whole room
If you’re building habitat for several mounts, plan them together — the scenes should relate to each other rather than compete.
Museums, nature centers and large exhibits
Institutional habitat and diorama work is handled by our sister company, Epic Journey Designs.
Common questions
Can you build habitat for a mount I already have?
Usually yes. Send photos of the mount and how it’s currently based, and tell us what you have in mind.
Can habitat be added later?
Sometimes. It’s easier and better when planned with the mount, because the pose and the ground are designed together — but rebasing an existing mount is common work for us.
How much does a custom habitat cost?
It’s quoted per project. Size, complexity and materials drive it. Send us the idea and we’ll price it.
Is the rock real?
No — it’s sculpted and painted. Real rock is far too heavy for a wall or a shipped display, and sculpted rock lets us build exactly the geology the scene calls for.
Can you ship a large habitat build?
Yes. Large scenes are crated, and very large multi-panel builds may be assembled on site. Tell us where it’s going. See Shipping.
Do you build habitat for other taxidermists?
Ask us. Studios that don’t do their own scenic work do come to us.
Can you repair or rebuild an old habitat?
Yes. Habitat and groundwork restoration is part of our restoration work. See Taxidermy Restoration.
Design your display
Tell us the animal and the idea. Send photos of the mount or the space if you have them, and we’ll show you what’s possible.