In the summer in Montana, there is nothing better than hiking into the many Mtn lakes in the area. Its the best way to stay or get into shape, not just for the summer but for life.

Many will hike into the lakes like myself and mark it on to the GPS , sit down and eat lunch or a high energy snack , take some pictures with the one that you walked into it with and off you go, back to the trail head or up or down to the upper or lower lake in that chain you are on. The main rush for me anymore is the hike, the mental commitent, the physical  part of it  on walking uphill for hours and miles  a time in the summer heat.

Some do all the above and then will put toghter a pole and start to fish for the native cutthroat trout in the lakes. Most everyone that fishes will catch some of the trout, most will be under 12” in length and I would say about 90% of the fishermen will catch and release the fish. Some will catch the trout and start a small fire and cook them right there on a open fire and eat the high in protein meal for lunch. And then some will catch them and pack them out to eat at home but the only thing wrong with this is that that fish will start to soften up and to spoil on the long walk out in the sun , but some will be on horse back and should have the fish out of the bush and on ice within a hour or so.

If you do happen to connect on a large trout or a different type of trout like a golden trout or to just to have a memories of the trip with a friend or family memeber, then one will have to roughly measure the length and the width of the fish, release it back into the high mtn lake and once back into the commutiy, bring or call the measurements into a professional taxidermy firm like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC and we will take great care into making that menery for you.

Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC only uses the best repo’s on the market today with fins that are flexible, bodies that have action in them and in no way look fake or plastic. They are the best ! And then i will professionally  paint the fish back to life with bottom coat of  laquer paints and a top coat of a high gloss enamel, all out of a airbrush

Just bring , call or email the measurements to us with a picture of it or just a description on the colors of the trout so I can paint it back to the same color of the fish that you released back into the lake and will hang on your wall or sit on the table for years to come and everytime you see that great repo done by Capp’s, you will think of that day you hiked miles into that high mtn lake and smile….Go have fun………………………..

The main part of life is being able to handle whatever comes your way . If it’s in work or on a adventure of a lifetime. One must be in good physical shape, in good health and maybe the most important is having a great mental commitment. I think if you are in so-so shape and in good health and have a great mental commitment then you will be able to do most of what you need to do. If you are hunting brown bear or sheep and the environment is less than friendly but you have a great mind set then you can over come the situations and the weather to harvest your game. I’m not saying that if you weigh 300 lbs and smoke 3 packs a day that if you have a good mind set that you will endure. No you must be physically fit ,be in good health and have the mind set for success. If you are going to apply for that special tag or to buy that hunt up north or a safari then you must start to apply your self to being in condition, both in mind and body.

It’s time to get in shape, if not for the hunt than for you to live longer. Start by walking and then hiking and then to the gym or buying a weight machine like bowflex. You do not have to look like Arnold but just to stay trim and fit. learn what the body can and cannot do. Learn how the body works with certain proteins and vitamin’s.

If you spent the money for adventure, then you do not want to get sick or have blisters or torn muscles and have no success, no you want to have fun,stay up with the pace of the adventure and to be successful, just to have great menories of the harvest and not memories of pain and defeat.

I , myself think that mental commitment is very important along with the physical part too. I live to hike in the mountains and to do that I work out by walking miles a day–to work- , to workout on my bowflex for x amount of time everyday and to contesting eating right with all the stuff that works for my body.

The same goes for when you harvest that special game critter, or fish. You must decide on the taxidermist  that yu0u would like to use and it dose not have to be the good old boy down the street. Here at Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC  we strive to be very professional and talented to complete any task sent our way. Its all in the mental staes. I can see the mount in my mind before I start the mount so I will know how and what to do when it comes to life and I am always willing to improvise on any given situation that may arise.

Use only commitment taxidermist for your works of art. Judge them on the experience, years in the business, full time  stats, and their professionalism–do they run a full time studio outside their home or do they have a day job and do it out of their garage and their rates. So charge way to much cuz of their overhead. Pick the one that will work the best for you–Try Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLc and see the different…..

It’s the end of spring and that means the hunting seasons for  bears in North America are going to a close. the good news is that African hunting is going on, stronger than ever and will end in September for most.

The bear hunters still have a few weeks to harvest one. If you are a D.I.Y. hunter , then all you need is time and patience. The bear usually comes out in late afternoon until dark. So all you have to do is find a few east/south slopes with parks that green up fast and with water somewhere close . Glass a lot and have some luck , you should see your quarry.

If you are a guided type of a hunter then you will be in a tree stand looking over a bait pile, flying over a kill and then snowshoeing in the next day, or  a hunter glassing a lot of areas or a hunter running behind a pack of hounds and then deciding on if it’s the bear you want to harvest.

The first thing you should do after you book or decide on your hunt is to contact a professional taxidermist like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC and they will get you info on shipping your trophies,skinning ,salting and packing tips. laminated tags if going in other states,counties. Trust only a professional taxidermist with your predator. It’s not like a antlered game as a deer. If they mess up the skin, you can not get a replacement for a predator as you can for a cape of a deer.

There are many ways to mount your trophy. About 90% of hunter will have their bear rugged out, which here at Capp’s means the hide is professionally tanned and that is the main subject here. A home tanned bear will not last over the years, it will not have all the grease taken out of it , it will have a smell to it in hot weather and it will not be 100% bug proof. A professionally tanned skin will last,will be bug proof,will not smell and will have a luster to the hair.. Also Capp’s will place a Capp’s sculptured rug shell with a open or closed mouth, padded and then double felt of any 2 colors you want and all machine sewn to the hide with d-rings sewn in to hang your prize.

Another way is to do a shoulder mount, either on the wall or on a table or floor pedestal. This is picked mainly if the back hide is rubbed off for the bear.

Then one can do a 1/2 life mount , on the wall or pedestal or the one that shows off the critter the best is a full size life mount, with a open or closed mouth,on the floor mount. One can do anything they want with this one. At Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC , I always tell the client to do something with action in it, I just hate seeing a mount just standing there looking off in space for a predator. One can for example have him standing over a winter kill, over a rack of horns, running, have dinner in it’s mouth like a salmon, fighting ,etc… Just whatever one can image can be done.

The last thing one can do is to just tan the hide as a wall hanger. In my opinion, this is just a waste. After a certain amount of time, the hide will lose it’s tanning oils and then you can not do anything with as far as mounting it later. But it the clients decides, not me.

Predator hunting is a great rush,and lots of work, before and after and yes,bears are money for great taxidermy is expensive but it’s worth it years down the road. So use one of the best, Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC in Montana…………..

Interior design and taxidermy go together like peanut butter and jelly.

The main idea here is that taxidermy is art. Plain and simple as that and good art always goes up in price just like any other commodity does. The main thing here is good taxidermy. Not some critter that dosen’t even look like the right species but great taxidermy that makes you look twice at it to make sure its not breathing.

To capture your imagination by placing you at the scene of the mount. May it be a scene of a Mt. Lion attacking prey or just kicked back relaxing on a log with it’s feet dangling. Or a shoulder wall mount that follows you with it’s eyes as you walk across the room. Whatever the pose, it must be great.

Some people are hung up on how it died, they want them to exit this world like a scene from Disney where it will lay down as the sun sets and peacefully go. Hate to burst their bubble but in the wild, all animals die a violet death , they are killed by predators, they go from diseases, they break bones, they are ran over and so on. Only in the human world do we and pets go peacefully cuz of the drugs it is given. So when people ask me how they went, I tell then a hunter took them with one shot and they never hear the shot for they were gone before they hit the ground and in the real world, that is all you can ask for, cuz they never felt any pain.And everything was utilized by the hunter and family and also the predators.

The best place to start to look for the great taxidermist are by looking at the true professionals that run successful studio’s, by looking at the piece of art that they have created, by what the references are saying about them, look local but the best is to look on the web to see the one’s hidden away in the small towns across America. Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC is one of this studio’s. They are true professionals in every sense of the word. They have many item in stock already completed and ready to ship. But if the client wants something different, a one of a kind art piece then Capp’s can make up whatever they want for the house,shop ,etc.. They will create a scene they will be the centerpiece of the room or rooms. Whatever the mind can think of ,in most times can be created. Anything from a bear running through water with a fish dangling from it mouth to a deer jumping a fence with a pheasant flushing up in fright to a elephant charging( better have one big room for that one) and so on.

The interior designers client must think outside the box to have a really great piece of taxidermy art. Be open minded and if you are worried about what sirtn friends are going to think, then maybe they are not real friends and are only followers on the ”in crowd”.

The best is to just look around, call and visit the professional taxidermy studio’s like Capp’s and not the one’s that only do this part time cuz they have a real job ( that just kills me for at my studio, I work 40 to 60 hours a week  and that is why my art looks like it does-like the real animal, bird or fish that it is subost to ) and that is why their work looks like it does, it might be cheaper to purchase but just remember that for all the years you have to look at it..

The main thing here is to be picky and go for what you want and not what you think others may think……Have fun.

Here are Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC  Contacts.

One  can visit my web site at www.african-montana-taxidermy.com

One can then hit the link on the bottom of all the pages to go to my business facebook and then go to the contact page for the business e-mail…. If you have anything positive to say,let me know………………………………….

Some Brook  trout of Montana. Created by Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC.

Safari Club International has a yearly pubuction which has all their hunting awards in it for harvesting the biggest and best game animal for their record book and for their grand slams and their inner circles. The slams and the inner circles are completed by harvesting the game placed on that type of slam. There are many types of slams and levels for you to complete and to climb the ladder so to speak. The slams are divided into the areas for the world, like the South Pacific for stag,thar,fallow.water buffalo,etc.. and the North American for the game animals and another for predators, another for sheep,etc and for Africa which has as many if not more than North American.

The levels for the inner circles are copper,bronze,silver,gold and the top is for diamond. They have a list and the ones you must harvest to apply for that level.

So it like when you were a kid looking at the christmas catalog and dreaming but for this you have to plan and plan ahead of time unless you have unlimited funds and have lots of free time on your hands.

When you deicde to go for a your type of slam, you must start by planning air tickets, guides or not, apply for tags in those states you want to hunt and lots more but that is the fun of this. Say for intence, you want to head to Africa on a 10 game packet hunt and you do harvest all 10, some were spiral horn game,some were predators and some were swine. So now you have a start on the slams by having taken game in 3 or 4 slams and you are on your way.

When you receive the next issue of the hunting awards from SCI, you can now start to plan to apply more to the same slams or to go into another one.

I for one think this is a great way to expand your world by traveling out of your circle and go on great adventures, meet some different types of people with their cultures and by harvesting some great and different type of game that you are not used to. By supporting hunting here and where ever you may travel to. Alaway check with your taxidermist like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC for they should like Capp’s will be able to give you a travel pac with very important info on the place you are going to and on and how to receive your hunting trophies back to the taxidermist and to your trophy room-no matter what size.

So if you would like to expand your horizons,I strongly would like to advise to look into joining SCI and start to dream and make the dreams a reality……go have fun

North to Canada. So you are thinking of hunting in Canada. What are you thinking of hunting. They are a wide variety of game to choose from. It could be the 4 type of caribou, big wt deer, 3 type of moose, black bear,wolf or sheep and goat. Its Canada so you have to go guided in most hunts or if you are after Quebec caribou you can go with just a camp keeper and will not be guided in the field.

Since you are traveling a distance to hunt this land, its best to do a combo hunt like goat and griz or moose and caribou. Its a lot cheaper to do it when you are up there rather than going back for something you let go in the first trip.

Now that you have decided on the game you want to go after it time to book with a outfit that has great references, will treat you good, feed you and take care of you.  You will have to book a time slot that will work for you and its the prime time for that critter. Will you be driving or will you be flying. If its flying that you picked, then you want to book a flight soon or just have a travel agent take care of it, especially if you have a stay over.

Time to contact the professional taxidermist like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC. and we will give you some ID tags for the game, a travel packet with tips,gun permits, and how to get the trophies to Capp’s went you get over the border and back in the USA. The best way to get the trophies to us is to take them home with you in a salted state and ship them by next or 2nd day air. Its a lot cheaper to do that than having them tanned in Canada plus you will be helping the US economy.

For the most part , all you need to bring is money for tags,tips,hotel stays and or gas, good optics,great sleeping bag,2 pairs of warm clothes,odds and ends like toothbrush,etc.. A good camera and a open mind. If you want a complete list of what I have always brought with me when I have fished and hunted in Canada, just let me know.

Most of the hunting up there is always teamed up with a great fishing spots so don’t forget to pack the breakdown fishing pole and tackle.

Just remember to hunt when you can and you don’t have to wait until you retired for if that’s the way you are thinking, you will never go anywhere hunting. I sen a stats on 100 people that will go somewhere to hunt when they retire and 3 will have to money to go anywhere,20 will be sick,25 will be dead,15 will be just getting by and 47 will be flat broke so go when you can for money will always be a problem, the trick is how to spend it-look around and do your homework , you do not have to book with the most experiences outfits to be successful….Go for adventure………

So, you are thinking of hunting the lower 48 or Canada. So, it may be hunt in the same state that you live in or maybe a hunt in another state .

The first question is are you hunting alone or with a friend. If you are booking a hunt with a guide or on a drop camp, its cheaper to hunt 2 on one and if you are driving, then you have someone to spilt the cost with.

Now if you are hunt a couple hundred miles from home, then the same question as above comes into play too.

The first thing is to find out if you need to draw any of the tags for the animals you want to hunt and if so, which areas are you going to apply for. To find this out, there are a number of ways to do this .1st way is to book with a outfitter and talk to them . Call the state fish and game offices. Belong to a hunting group that applies for you for the state draws. Talk to people that have hunted where you want to go.

Here are the questions you want to ask:type of terrain, trophy size, number of predators, private to public land, number of game animals, walk in or open roads, camping areas, state info on the regulations.

Call or visit great professional taxidermy studios like Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC and they will tell you how to care for the trophy, the meat,etc. How to ship or travel with the skins. They will tell you tips on travel, the areas you are thinking of hunting, they are full of info for they deal with hunters that travel all the time

Then you need to book travel, if driving then check out the rig, maybe new tires, a topper, etc,. Or maybe you have to fly and do not have to worry about the icy roads, then you have to book a airline ticket,buy or borrow a gun case for the plane, hotels before and after the hunt.

Start practicing the shooting , off trees, sticks,and whatever else you can think of. Reload or buy extra loads, if headed to Canada, then you need a passport and that that’s a little time to get. Buy a new sleeping bag for -25 below min. Start getting in shape and that’s the mind and the body. you are spending money on this hunt and if it comes down to running up a ridge or whatever to harvest the game animal , you want to be able to do it.. Go over all of the hunt in your mind over and over so you know what to do if you need to do something. If in the western states, buy a new GPS and the land map app for it and you will know exactly where you are all the time and do not have to rely on someone telling you.

Bring a good camera, great rain gear, great warm clothes, bug spray, etc. There is a lot to bring,depending on the type of hunt you are going on. The best thing I can think of is contact Capp’s, your booking agent,the state offices of fish and game and references and they will tell you all tell you all you want to know… Go have an adventure .

Yep, it’s February, what a boring month. Here in Montana we are usually mid thigh in snow by now and if you do not like the white stuff, well its not a good thing then. But for the sportsmen it can be a good month. You can do a lot of outdoor activities. One can ice fish, try to catch a great fish to put on the wall, be a brook trout or that 40” steelhead or northern pike and be using the professional services of Capp’s Taxidermy Studio LLC. Or one can go into the field and call in predators or lion hunting if you have the hounds or friends that do. One can always do the skiing,snow boarding or like I do, go snowshoeing.

One can always go hunting , say in Texas for all the hogs they are having problems with, go harvest some great table fare and if picky, you will get a trophy for the wall and a memory.

This time of the year you should be applying for the big game tag drawing and building up points in the western states. I , myself apply for a few states and so far all accompled is building up points but I will be drawing soon–you can’t bitch about it unless you apply.

There are still quite a few sport show to attend where you can meet the outfitters,artist,etc and go and enjoy the surrounding atmosphere.

Whatever you do, you must stay positive and active or old man winter will get you down. Go do something, life it too short to not do something all the time…………….