Wholesale & Freeze Dry Taxidermy
Wholesalers Welcome
We cater to our own great state of Wisconsin including as well as our Minnesota and Iowa neighbors while adhering to state laws and have worked with taxidermists from many other states as well. Many of our wholesale clients come to us mainly to freeze dry pan fish, velvet antlers, turkey heads, and small mammals like mink and squirrels. No longer do you have to skin and mount pan fish – we can freeze dry them for you and either return your mount to you unfinished, or we can complete the finishing work if you would like us to! When you want require exceptional-looking mounts, we’re the taxidermy shop to meet your needs that expectation.
Give us a call today to inquire about pricing or to set up an appointment at 608-786-1397. All outgoing shipments to us, please notify us the day prior to shipment to ensure my availability. We want to make sure that not only are your taxidermy needs met, but more importantly, that your customers’ taxidermy needs are taken care of as well.
Freeze Dry Taxidermy
Our Freeze Dry Process
We have two freeze dry machines on site to take on multiple jobs. Freeze drying is a delicate process, and we take the time to recreate every detail in order to preserve your trophy. The advantage of freeze drying is to achieve a thorough drying of the specimen while in the frozen state. This ensures that, throughout the drying process, the cells within the specimen maintain their original size, therefore maintaining the integrity of the specimen for a more accurate mount with less finishing work. Throughout the process of freeze drying, a thorough hardening of the specimen by a progressive crystallization of the free water, which completely locks the body of fluids or an ice matrix. Once frozen throughout, the drying process can begin.
We dry our specimens under precise, controlled conditions, causing the ice within the specimen to change from solid, directly into a gaseous, or vapor state, which bypasses the liquid state altogether. We then use a vacuum system that removes almost all of the air from the chamber and condenser, allowing the ice/vapor molecules to move unrestricted to the condenser. Once the molecules are gone, the specimen stops losing weight and is thus thoroughly freeze dried.
For more information about freeze drying or our other services click below.
What is Freeze Drying?
In addition to our taxidermy services, we also provide freeze drying. Freeze drying is a method of preservation which eliminates the decaying process inherent in the living tissues of all plants and animals. Through a combination of very low temperature and vacuum application, all moisture is removed, leaving the tissues virtually unchanged. The tissue basically is in a state of drying while in a frozen state because the moisture is in the form of crystals removed as gas, similar to evaporation, or in this case called sublimation.
Advantages to Freeze Drying
Not sure about freeze drying your specimen? It may be a delicate process, but it is a very good method for preserving the life of your trophy. The end result is truly lifelike, which is our goal. With freeze drying comes the following:
- Whole specimens can be preserved permanently without damaging their basic structure.
- There is far less chance of shrinkage or tissue distortion.
- The color, size and other features can be retained for an extremely lifelike result.
- Leaves the muscles unaltered throughout the drying process.
- Leaves the finished product anatomically correct.
- Muscle detail is retained and looks just as it did when the specimen was alive.
- Makes it possible to mount very small and fragile specimens, preserving them perfectly.
For wholesalers looking to “freeze dry,” click below.
Hydro dipping
Contact Shep’s Thunder Valley Today!
Shep’s Thunder Valley Taxidermy
Hours | Vary by SeasonCall us to set up an appointment at 608-786-1397 or email at rtully75@gmail.com.