Animalartistry

Animal Artistry began in 1980 when Mike Boyce was a pastor who mounted trophies as a side hustle with hunting buddies. The garage project exploded so fast neighbors forced them out. From that small commercial building, Mike built something remarkable: a taxidermy studio that treats every mount—from a teenager's first deer to museum displays with hundreds of animals—with the same obsessive attention to detail.

Mike's hunting expeditions across North America, Africa, and Asia informed his entire approach. He didn't want stuffed, stagnant trophies. He wanted animals frozen mid-motion, with grace and dignity. That vision resonated so hard that within five years they'd outgrown their space. Today, Animal Artistry occupies a custom-designed facility at 1190 Terminal Way in Reno, Nevada, just blocks from the airport.

Core Services: - Full-service taxidermy (shoulder mounts, pedestal mounts, half-lifesize, life-size) - Trophy room design and custom habitat creation - Remounting services for damaged or poorly executed old mounts - Reproductions (detailed replicas nearly indistinguishable from originals) - European mounts (horns/skull without animal form) - Field preparation consultation for hunters

Specialties by Region: - North American: Elk, deer, antelope, bear, mountain goat, sheep - African: Lion, elephant, leopard, giraffe, buffalo, and more - Asian/Exotic: Ibex, markhor, argali, and specialty species

"Animal Artistry takes great pride in producing a quality mount that keeps the memory of your hunt alive."

They run a structured, efficient system with quality checks built in:

1. Receiving - Immediate inspection and inventory matching 2. Tanning & Supply - Skins go to their partner tanneries within 24 hours; back in 30 days. Pose requests finalized during this window. 3. Skin & Manikin Prep - Hand-sculpted forms, anatomically accurate. Skins sewn, thinned at membranes, fitted with ear liners. 4. Mounting & Drying - Two-person teams seamlessly join skin to form, sew, pin, and dry. 5. Finishing - Airbrush artists add realism: grooming, texture, color correction, putty work. 6. Habitat (life-size only) - Custom trees, rocks, grass, setting. Final quality check and photo. 7. Final Invoice & Shipping - Photo sent to client. Animal Artistry's own trucks deliver coast-to-coast, or client arranges pickup.

• •Current Turnaround: 6 months or less from deposit and pose instructions.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM After-hours by appointment during hunting season

Contact: - Stewart Brown (General Manager): 775-323-0203 (office) | 775-342-7231 (mobile) - Mildred Reyes (Front Office): [email protected] - Carley Belez (Billing): [email protected]

Hunters handle their own caping to avoid extra charges (skinning and fleshing are pricey). Animal Artistry won't accept skulls with brain matter (wasting disease risk).

Key rules: - Take ample cape—don't cut short - Keep cool to prevent rot and hair slippage - Antelope especially susceptible; extra care needed - Ship frozen in triple plastic bags (never plastic wrap alone) - Continental US: ship Monday/Tuesday only, overnighted - Fresh skins need rapid turnaround

• •Alaska hunters: Use Alaska Air Cargo through Alaska Airlines. Stewart provides discounted account numbers. Most bears ship to Reno for ~$130 (vs. $800+ through standard forwarders).

Deposit required upon trophy arrival. Pose instructions must be submitted within 30 days or excess tanning charges apply. Kill photos are critical—face/neck detail, entire body angles, habitat shots (if life-size mount requested). Photos let them recreate scars, nose shapes, horn damage, hair condition, body shape.

• •Euro Mount Trade: Hunters with usable elk, deer, or antelope capes in excellent condition can trade them for European mounts (horns/skull only). Great option if you don't want a full body mount.

Mike Boyce also sculpted bronzes and painted wildlife art. His manikin designs are now used in taxidermy studios worldwide. The Art of the Animal gallery (in the facility) features:

• •Paintings - Mike's wildlife art and guest artists
• •Bronze sculptures - Stunning statues and maquettes
• •Current Sales: Michael Boyce Bronzes 25% off; Paintings 50% off; African artifacts 50% off

• •Online galleries available at animalartistry.com

Beyond taxidermy, they stock: - Euro mounts - Custom furniture - Decorative pillows - One-of-a-kind home décor - Quality rugs and artifacts

Browse online or visit in-person.

• •Critical: Never display in sunlight (even indirect). Fades and destroys the piece. Artificial lighting preferred; few/no windows ideal.

Maintenance: Every 6 months—gentle dust and pet brush grooming. Windex on eyes only. Lemon Pledge on antlers (never horns). With regular care, a mount lasts indefinitely.

Finished or unfinished items cannot be stored longer than 30 days. Arrange shipping/pickup promptly after completion.

• •No bulk discounts. Each project gets the same artistry, effort, time. This isn't a factory.
• •Every image on the website is their work. In-house projects, in-house photos.
• •They scale infinitely. Museum displays with hundreds of animals get the same care as a first deer.
• •Field expertise. They don't just mount—they understand what happens in the field and coach hunters on prep.
• •Architectural facility. Custom-designed building (not retrofitted) optimized for the taxidermy workflow.

• •Coppersmith Global Logistics - Trophy shipping from overseas hunts
• •D&C Expediters Taxidermy (Anchorage) - Partner for Alaska trophy delivery
• •Nevada Department of Wildlife - Field dressing and caping guides
• •Cabela's - Waterproof duffle bags recommended for bear transport