Bourke’s Taxidermy

09/05/2024

Here’s what went out the door this week! 13 more heads are drying and will be finished when I get back from my bear hunt! With that being said, the shop will be closed from now until Sept. 15th. We will resume normal business hours on the 16th!

08/31/2024

Another week in the books! We have mounted up to 23-171 and finished up to 23-146! Phone call to come next week. I will also be finishing 12 more heads next week so stay close to your phones!!!

08/23/2024

Another 5 head completed and ready to go home! We are mounted up to 23-160 and finished up to 23-144! If I have contacted you about your deer head please come and get it, I’m running out of wall space!!!

08/17/2024

Another 4 heading home!! Still cruising right along

08/10/2024

08/10/2024

Latest heads ready to head home (23-128,129,130 & 131). We are mounted up to 23-144

08/05/2024

Here are the latest heads ready for pick up!

08/03/2024

A week of playing catch up! Mounted 6 this week and finished 10! Pictures of the other 2 will come next week as I will do some finishing touches on the base! We are finished up to 126 and mounted up to 134.

07/22/2024

The shop will be closed this week for pickups and drop offs, thank you!

07/20/2024

8 of the latest heads heading to their forever homes!

07/15/2024

Last week was all screwed up for me as my kids and I were sick, so I was unable to keep up my weekly quota. We got 2 heads finished 7/8, and the rest of the week I mounted 7 heads and worked on bases for upcoming mounts. Today I finished up 4 heads, tomorrow and Wednesday I plan to mount 2 each day, and Thursday and Friday will consist of me finishing 4 heads each day! That is if all goes as planned 🤞🏻

07/06/2024

10 mounted this week, 6 painted, and 4 fully finished. I will finish the other 2 Monday morning and start the process all over again!! Finished up to 23-100, mounted up to 23-119, and prepped up to 23-142

06/29/2024

Busy week at the shop! We are mounted up to 23-107, finished up to 23-91, and prepped up to 23-136! I mounted 7 heads this week and finished 6, while the guys prepped another 12 hides/forms. Finally settling into our groove!

06/22/2024

Here are the last 5 turkeys finished up!! I was also able to get 3 more deer heads mounted up this week and finished 3 as well!! We are now finished up to 23-85 and mounted up to 23-97, only have to get to 292…

06/15/2024

Six heads mounted up and 4 more ready to go home! Going to finish the last 5 turkeys next week and back to mounting deer heads!

06/10/2024

Here are 7 whitetails that I finished up last week as well! It’s nice to finally start rolling on them. We are going to be mounting another 6 up this week and working on base work for a couple heads that need to be finished yet, stay tuned!!

06/07/2024

Big week at the shop as far as finishing turkeys! There are only 5 more turkeys to finish’s, but in the mean time I have also been finishing some whitetails! Next week I will start mounting whitetails again and assembling some bases needed for them!

06/01/2024

Here are another 3 turkeys that we finished up this week, phone calls to come Monday. I was able to sneak into the shop this morning to put the legs, wings, tail, and back on the last customer turkey from 2023! I will put the chest in home Monday morning. While he and the rest of the birds continue to dry, I will start finishing some base work for the turkeys as well as start finishing whitetails that dad mounted up before he left for the cabin!

05/24/2024

This shop is closed from now until Tuesday at 8:00am. But another week in the books and the turkeys are still rolling! Was able to get another 4 mounted up and had my employee paint up a few rocks and do some habitat. Also got 3 more finished and in the show room. We’ve got 5 more customer birds to mount next week and we will get another set of birds finished, then off to deer heads!

05/17/2024

This week was a busy one!! We were able to knock out 5 turkeys, got legs set on 7 more and wings on 2 of those seven! We are rolling here at the shop! Oh and dad has finally said farewell for the summer as he is now in Canada at the cabin, rough life right? You better be making your minds up if you haven’t already about getting your birds mounted, as I only have 5 more spots available before I shut the doors. For those of you that I’ve spoken with already, you will have a spot! Thank you for my best turkey season!

05/11/2024

A few birds finished up this week! And we are still accepting turkeys, they are still coming in and we are still getting calls daily!! So get with me before I cut them off!!

05/06/2024

Last week we attended the National Taxidermy Competition and Convention. There was so much talent and knowledge at the show! We brought 2 pieces to enter and came away with 2 second place ribbons!! At the show I was asked to compete in a live sculpting challenge in front of the entire attending audience and I was lucky enough to come away with a 91 point first place ribbon and a cool bronze sculpture!! Also we attended an all day molding and casting seminar and came home with 2 molds and of a deer nose and mouth. We also met a lot of great people and come home with some new friends!

05/01/2024

Just arrived at the National Taxidermist Association Convention and Competition in Columbia, MO. To expand our knowledge, and to compete with some awesome taxidermists around the nation! Shop will be closed until Monday May 6th.

04/29/2024

A huge shout out to for trusting us with his monster of a turkey! 27 pound double bearded beast, not to mention that’s his first ever turkey! He’s got a habit of shooting the big ones! Congratulations and thanks again Don

04/27/2024

Another week in the books! 5 turkeys mounted this week as well as 6 deer heads, and finished a cat and black buck! We are still accepting turkeys, and skinning them as they come in. While I’m mounting turkeys, I’ve got dad getting a head start on 2023 whitetails. So once I finish turkeys it will be smooth transition into whitetails!

04/20/2024

This past week’s progress! More turkeys will be mounted next week!! Heads will be painted later.

04/16/2024

Mounting has begun in the 2023 turkeys! I was able to get the legs set on these 2 birds between checking in birds!! It was a rocking opening day for the northern zone here in Illinois! Numbers are starting to add up!
Just a reminder of the youth and adult random $500 giveaway to any customer that brings me a bird for a full body mount!

04/05/2024

Another productive week as I am 6 turkeys away from having all 2023 turkeys prepped and ready to mount!! I’m as excited as my customers to get started assembling them. In the meantime, we were able to get a black buck, a bobcat, and 3 tail mounts done as well. We also got our first shipment of hides back from The Wildlife Gallery, 2 dry tan bear hides, 1 wet tan bear hide for a full body mount, and 1 steer flat. The wheels are really about to start rolling in the next 2-3 weeks!