BROOKINGS – Taxidermist Tyler Erickson is a 10-time state champion, with more than 50 major awards and previously being named South Dakota’s best all-around taxidermist.
Adding to his already impressive list of accolades, now Erickson is a world champion. In May, he was presented a Best in World – Reproduction World Champion plaque and gold medallion for his work on a yellow perch reproduction in the master’s division.
The World Taxidermy and Fish Carving Championships were held in Peoria, Ill., in May, recognizing the best of the best in the art of preparing, stuffing and mounting animal skins in a life-like state.
Growing up near Fox Lake, Minn., Erickson was first introduced to the outdoors by his father and instantly fell in love. He went on to South Dakota State University to study wildlife and fisheries sciences.
Erickson decided to pursue certification in taxidermy at the Institute of Taxidermy in Wisconsin. Licensed in South Dakota, Erickson said it all started when he went on a fishing trip with his father and two uncles.
When they stopped at a garage sale in northern Minnesota, he noticed a sailfish. The 60-year-old man who owned the sailfish said that he wished he went to taxidermy school when he was Erickson’s age. That sparked his interest.
“I looked into it when I got home and thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll give it a whirl.’ I didn’t think I’d be any good at it,” Erickson said.
He went to taxidermy school while attending college and constructing mounts part time. It would eventually become an unexpected full-time career.
In 2008, Erickson started to compete in taxidermy shows. He would go on to state competitions, becoming the best in South Dakota and Minnesota with championship titles.
Erickson’s next challenge was to win the world taxidermy championship.
Usually before becoming the best at anything, champions have some bumps in the road. In 2015, Erickson finished second in the reproduction master division at the World Taxidermy and Fish Carving Championship.
“I wasn’t disappointed; it’s still a big honor to get second place,” Erickson said. “The guy who actually beat me by a point is one of the all-time greats at fish taxidermy, so it’s kind of like losing to Michael Jordan,” he said with a smile.
The World Taxidermy and Fish Carving Championships draw about 1,000 of the most talented taxidermists and carvers from around the world. The competition ranges from big game animals to smaller species of reproductions.
Over the course of a couple days, judges use flashlights and magnifying lenses to examine the mount. Judges look for exceptional anatomy, color, technical soundness and artistic presentation.
There are typically two to three judgers per division, and the show room is closed to the contestants and public while they work. Winning a subdivision will qualify a participant for voting by judges. In order to receive votes for a championship, the contestant must have a score of 90 or higher.
“It all basically has to be perfect to compete at the highest level,” he said. “When I do a customer mount, they might want it on a simple piece of drift wood or simpler mount, but for the shows I like to do a more artistic composition.”
This spring, Erickson beat out Scott Humble of Springville, Utah, who took second, and third-place winner Don Frank from Smithville, Mo.
Erickson said winning the world championship was pretty surreal and humbling.
“It was a goal I set for myself …. Honored to be in the presence of so many talented artists, and to win that was pretty neat,” he said.
Something new that Erickson unveiled at his last trade show was a new patent-pending product. He said he wants to take taxidermy to where it has never gone before.
The new product is creating fish replicas called “World Class Replicas.” The replicas are a custom mold and casting structure that is then painted. Erickson calls it “Photo-Fish” and says it will be an innovation in the art of taxidermy.
“There’s never been anything like this before. That’s kind of my new avenue, to innovate. Put new products out there to see how people respond,” he said.
Erickson noted that he expects these new products to be outlawed in competition.
Now his goal is to win another world championship in two years.
Erickson knows that he couldn’t have gotten where he has without his faith. He believes that his work is an avenue to reach and inspire people through God’s creation.
“I feel thankful I get to work with God’s beautiful creation every day,” he said.
For more information on Tyler Erickson’s business, Top Notch Taxidermy, visit www.tntaxidermy.com.
For more information on World Class Replicas, visit www.worldclassreplicas.com.
