WATERTOWN, Wis. — Deer hunting season in Wisconsin isn’t just about the hunting. It is also about preserving memories.
Seth Schmidt has been a taxidermist in Wisconsin for over two decades and has lived in the state all his life. He owns Seth’s Taxidermy Studio in Watertown.
He said there is an art to the process he’s been perfecting for most of his life.
“First, they bring me the deer, then I take off the head, salt it, and then I send it to the tannery and once I get it back from the tannery is when I measure them and then I order the form per deer,” said Seth Schmidt.
Seth Schmidt said those forms are made of foam and are ordered individually to mount the deer on. He said he carves out the details to make each piece authentic.
Seth Schmidt said hunters should remember some special tips to help make the taxidermy process a success.
“Don’t hang your deer by the neck. It will wreck the hair. When you hang it, you can hang it by the horns. Don’t load them up with ice. The ice melts, water causes bacteria. You’ll ruin the hide, you’ll ruin the meat,” said Seth Schmidt.
Kevin Seibert is one of Seth Schmidt’s longtime customers. He said each piece he’s had made has a special memory attached to it.
“When people come to our house and they see the work, it brings back memories and I’m able to talk about it and if you have people who don’t hunt, they can come in and see these animals and Seth really brings them back to life. To me, it’s an art form,” said Seibert.
Seibert said he’s an avid hunter and believes it’s not just about the mounted trophy.
“One thing that I love about hunting is just seeing all the wildlife that’s in Wisconsin. You never know what you are going to see when you are out there. You can see anything from a squirrel to bobcats, bears, just about anything,” said Seibert.
Seth Schmidt said he shares the same sentiment. He said deer hunting is more than just harvesting an animal. It’s about friends and family coming together.
Seth Schmidt’s wife, Jamie Schmidt, said she is happy she married into the tradition.
“I love the business and the pastime. It’s about everyone getting together, it’s about love and family,” said Jamie Schmidt.
The couple has two daughters. Their daughter Lilly, who is 17 years old, said she’s picked up on her dad’s passion.
“I love living in Wisconsin. I like that I can go out hunting and mount what I hunted when I get home,” said Lilly Schmidt.
Seth Schmidt said he enjoys the help from his family and the memories that come with it.
“You go on this hunt, you take your friends with you, you go on this hunt and spend all this money on these hunts and then you come back, and you want to hang your trophy on the wall for the rest of your life. You want it to look nice, you always want to remember it,” said Seth Schmidt.
Seth Schmidt said he hopes to keep capturing these memories for this generation of deer hunters, and the ones just getting started.
