Family started taxidermy business with just $5

About three years later and a with new space at 57 E. Basic Road, Werner Family Taxidermy is still family-owned and operated by Vikki, her husband Ryan and their three boys.

“We are busy all year,” Vikki said.

According to the Water Street Business Association, Werner Family Taxidermy is one of five commercially licensed taxidermy businesses in Clark County. Vikki is one of two female taxidermists.

The business started after a family hunting trip in Texas. To memorialize the occasion, they decided to send the animals they killed to a taxidermist.

When their animals were delivered nine months later, they weren’t too impressed.

“She thought, ‘I can do better,’ ” Ryan said.

Vikki did an apprenticeship to learn the tricks of the trade. The Werners tried to purchase another taxidermy business but were unsuccessful.

Vikki did the next best thing and started her own.

“Her first client, she charged practically nothing,” Ryan said.

They were able to buy more tools and all the necessary materials to complete the product.

Their first season, the family thought they did well with several orders of elk, deer and antelope. The following year, they doubled their work orders.

Ryan said, to his surprise, the work has quadrupled this year.

“The busiest we have been is 20 orders in one day,” Vikki said.

At first, the Werners said they could complete orders in about six months.

“We are a little bit behind because of the blessing we have had with more orders,” Ryan said. “But we have learned for next season. We will start saying it will take between six and eight months. We do have stuff turned out in four.”

When a client brings in an animal, the family guts it, cleans it and then puts salt on it to draw out moisture and preserve it.

“We do (the salt) two times,” Ryan said.

It takes about a day from the time the animal is brought in to the time salt is applied. After it dries for about a week, they send it to a tannery, which rehydrates the skin.

“When we were smaller, we could do the tanning ourselves,” Ryan said.

To save money, they try to wait until they have about 20 or so hides to ship off instead of sending them individually.

When the skins return, Vikki continues the process, which ends with her adding detail work so the animals look alive.

Werner Family Taxidermy takes all types of mammals, including deer, elk, antelope, badgers, raccoons and foxes. They even take fish and birds.

They don’t foresee the business growing the way it did last season but hope it stays steady.

Werner Family Taxidermy has joined the Water Street District Business Association, which highlighted the business on its website in March.

“Coming from a home-based business to a commercial business is different,” Vikki said. “(Water Street District Business Association) has helped a lot.”

Vikki said most of the credit goes to her family members. When facing adversity, they encouraged her to stick with the business.

“I wanted to stop,” Vikki said. “So we had a family vote (to determine whether to continue). I was outvoted 4-1.”

Her only stipulation was that the family members chip in with the work.

“Which they did,” Vikki said. “You would think my kids would complain because sometimes they have to work and not play. But they don’t. They enjoy it.”

Ryan, who also works a full-time job, comes into the shop in the afternoons to help.

For more information, call 558-2825.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.