Fanta Taxidermy

Charlie Fanta earned the title of Best in World bird taxidermist at the 1995 World Show—a gathering of top taxidermists from over a dozen countries with nearly 700 entries. He also placed second in world mammals with a coyote mount in 2001. Since then, he's been asked to judge and present seminars at state and national competitions across the country.

Fanta specializes in birds and big game, working with everything from Midwest whitetail to international species like Ocellated Turkey from Mexico. Every mount receives meticulous attention and is built to last a lifetime according to the highest standards.

• •Bird taxidermy (upland birds, waterfowl, turkeys, raptors)
• •Big game and mammal mounts
• •Museum and institutional work
• •Museum installation and curation
• •Personalized instruction in bird taxidermy
• •Judging and seminars at national competitions

"I learned in two weeks what would have taken me five years on my own" — Rick Carr, Lansing, MI

Fanta teaches "from the ground up," including the increasingly rare skill of making your own manikins. His straightforward techniques have proven easy for students to learn. One-week courses cover skinning, fleshing, washing, mounting, finishing, anatomy, eye and leg set, balance, reference work, and artistic composition.

Classes are held in a clean, well-lit studio with skylight and comfortable workspace. Lunch is provided daily. The studio sits in a beautiful country setting but is only 12 minutes from downtown East Lansing and 20 minutes from Lansing airport.

Fanta started at age 10 in 1967 with a correspondence course, apprenticed at a professional studio near Chicago, then earned a degree in wildlife management from Michigan State University. During college, he worked at MSU's natural history museum, handling everything from raptors to non-game species. After entering competitions in the early 1980s, he studied intensively and began teaching others what he learned.