03/27/2026
We’ve been staying busy wrapping up last season’s whitetails, but I made the time to enter my 2025 rifle buck—harvested last November—into the 46th Annual Virginia Taxidermy Association Convention and Competition.
When the doors opened Saturday evening after ribbon placement, I was excited to see a blue ribbon on my buck. Along with the ribbon, I received a detailed score sheet and had the opportunity for a one-on-one discussion with whitetail judge Clint Rickey, a World Champion Taxidermist from Wisconsin.
Later that evening, we received even more exciting news—the mount was awarded Judges’ Choice Best of Category for the Amateur Division Whitetail at the banquet!
I’m proud of where we are, but still working hard to keep improving.
A special thanks to Ferrin Sipe with HMS Taxidermy for letting me spend time shadowing him this past year and teaching me the art of taxidermy. His attention to detail is second to none and a big reason he’s considered one of the best in Virginia!