The Stehling Process
From the moment your trophy arrives in our shop to the day it ships back home, every mount moves through the same disciplined sequence we have refined since 1978.
A taxidermy mount is part anatomy, part sculpture, part patience. What separates a museum-grade piece from a stiff, lifeless one is rarely a single secret — it is a hundred small decisions made in the right order. This is how we make them.
The Process — the essentials
Six articles, hand-picked from the Stehling archive, that answer the questions hunters and collectors most often ask in this category.
From Intake to Pickup
A walk-through of every checkpoint your trophy passes once it lands on our intake table.
Read more →Our Process, Step by Step
The full studio workflow — fleshing, tanning, form prep, set-up, finish work, and final QC.
Read more →Why We Tan In-House
Most studios outsource tanning. We do it ourselves. Here is why that decision shapes everything.
Read more →Custom Forms & Alterations
Stock forms get a mount in the door. Altered forms make it look like the animal you remember.
Read more →The Finish Work
Eyes, ears, septum, lip line, airbrush — the last ten percent that takes the longest.
Read more →Final Inspection & Delivery
How a finished mount is staged, inspected, photographed, and handed back to its owner.
Read more →12
Stages from skin to shipment
Frequently asked
The questions we answer most often, drawn from real conversations on the studio floor.
How long does the full process take?
Most shoulder mounts run twelve to eighteen months from drop-off to pickup. Life-size and rugs typically run eighteen to twenty-four months. Fish reproductions ship faster than skin mounts.
Do you tan hides yourselves or send them out?
We tan in-house. Owning the tannery is the single biggest reason our mounts hold their shape and color decade after decade — and the reason our timelines are reliable.
Can I watch my animal being mounted?
We do not run open-floor tours during production for safety and quality reasons, but we are happy to share progress photos at major milestones.
Who actually works on my mount?
Every mount is touched by a small team of long-tenured artists. Mark personally inspects each piece before it leaves the building.
What happens if I do not like something on the finished mount?
Tell us. Stehling-built mounts are built to be adjusted. Most concerns are resolved on the spot at pickup or with a return visit.
Have a project in mind?
Whether you have a specific question about the process or you want to brief us on a trophy already on its way, we are happy to help.