Did your hunting or fishing produce a “wallhanger” this year?

That term describes a fish or game harvest of better than average size, form, or rarity—a personal trophy worth having mounted as a reminder of a memorable day.

If your answer to the above is yes, then your next step is to locate a taxidermist to convert your harvest into a display trophy. That is when craftsmen like Jim Haveman, of Traverse City, performs the artistry that creates ‘Nature’s Reflection.’

That is the name of Haveman’s taxidermy business, which he’s pursued for 27 years. In his home workshop, he transforms field and stream harvests into lifelike mounts that reflect the subject’s natural form and physical attitude.

His first experiences in making wildlife mounts were as a graduate student in wildlife biology at Northern Michigan University. These early mounts were part of wildlife anatomy studies. He still draws on that training in creating mounts that take on the physical stance and pose of the live animal. To view the mounts in his studio display is to catch a wildlife moment frozen in time.

For 27 years, he also worked as a conservationist with the old NW Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council (later known as the Resource Conservation Alliance) on stream restoration and wildlife and fisheries conservation projects in the 13-county area of northwest lower Michigan.

He practiced taxidermy part-time until he retired several years ago. Now, his efforts to serve hunters and anglers needing taxidermy services keep him busy full-time, doing what he loves to do. As to the number of mounts he has created, he shrugs and says, “I’d have to say ‘thousands.’”

Haveman’s following tips will help you get your specimen to a taxidermist in the best shape for creating a “wallhanger.”

1) First thing is to place it in a bag and get it into the freezer as soon as you can. There are some specific things to do beyond that, but your taxidermist can guide you there.

2) If it’s a large animal, such as a deer or bear, and you can’t get it to a taxidermist at once, go to a knowledgeable meat processor and ask to have a “cape” or “full-mount” made. An experienced meat processor will know how to remove the hide without cutting it improperly. But, it is still best to get it to your taxidermist as soon as possible so they can remove the hide properly.

3) With fish, such as coho, chinook, steelhead or other game fish, carry a pound bag of borax with you. Cover the fish with borax, let it air dry, and keep it in the freezer until you can get it to the taxidermist. Borax preserves the skin and colors.

When in doubt on any point of preserving your harvest, contact your taxidermist.

Haveman sometimes gets oddball requests for mounting unusual critters. He has mounted possums, skunks, badgers and small rodents.

He has also worked for educational centers (at a highly reduced rate), mounting owls, hawks and other raptors used as teaching examples. This requires him to be licensed by both state and federal wildlife agencies to work with these protected migratory species.

Educational mounts frequently include birds of prey, and even eagles and other raptors found dead or injured beyond recovery—often victims of encounters with power lines, tower cables or other obstacles; or victims of illegal shooting.

Hunters and fishermen should be aware of the master angler listings or big game records programs that list species by size and antler growth. This will help make decisions on whether or not to invest in having your harvest mounted. For others, making the choice might center on smaller animals, such as a grouse, woodcock or pheasant, which reflect a favorite field sport. Taxidermy is not inexpensive, so the choice of “wallhanger” should be carefully considered.

For catch and release anglers, a taxidermist can make a replica mount if you provide a photo and girth and length measurements.