Assignment #5

I grew up in a hunting family. In fact, I have written an article on searching for shed elk antlers and in fact won the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award-Eastern States for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. So in my experience, these types of articles are usually assigned to the journalist or the journalist has an expressed interest in the subject. In this case, Orlean seems to have been assigned this piece. Her purpose was probably because it was assigned to her. However, her topic informs the reader of the happenings of the World Taxidermy Championships. She explains in specific details the events she witness. She made it feel like you were in the same room sitting right next to her.

I think that she was trying to bring a taboo subject to a wider audience. In my experience, most people cringe at the thought of a stuffed animal or hunting in general. This article conveys the fact that not all mounts are acquired from hunting, but also natural causes. She almost sympathizes with the taxidermists that their art is a very important thing that people either ignore or hate. She reveals that the art is not only in skinning the animal, but also in the very specific details that come with the profession. 

As a person who grew up around taxidermy, nothing seemed to stand out to me. I have handled some mounts before and have seen some amazing mounts of bears and elk. One specific one is of a 8 ft Alaskan Brown Bear whom is standing on its hind legs with its paws ready to attack. I used to watch a TV show on the History Channel entitled "Mounted in Alaska." It showed the viewer what it was like to taxidermy an animal. Orlean left out a lot of the gore involved, but left in the majority of the harder tasks. I think that Orlean probably realized that hunters and taxidermists would probably read this article. I think she conveyed the details beautifully. 

My questions as follows:

  If you are a person that looks at taxidermy as hatred towards animals, did this piece change your mind? If so how? Does Orlean take the taboo associated with the profession out of it? Did you realize that what she was getting at is that they respect and love animals and that is why they follow this profession?

Here is a great photo of a Wisconsin elk!!

                                         Here is my article that ran in a national newsletter!!