This month’s W2 Profile features 27-year old Molly Ragland, a resident of Buckingham, Virginia with a passion for taxidermy and a business called Off The Wall.
We started by asking her how she got started with taxidermy.
“I killed a deer with my bow and wanted to try a DIY Euro mount on it. Everything took off from there. I started my first two years only doing Euro mounts and decided I really wanted to try the real thing. I was honestly scared to death to try. I watched a DVD series through Taxidermy University (Whitetails 101). However, I still felt like some hands-on experience would be more than beneficial, so I was able to work with an outstanding taxidermist a handful of times to get my feet wet. I am so thankful for him letting me come in to learn all the techniques.”
Young female; not the stereotypical taxidermist, right? So we also asked Ragland what is it about taxidermy that interested her.
“Taxidermy is incredibly interesting. I have always found the whole process fascinating but never saw myself doing it until the day I started the Euro mounts. I highly suggest if anyone can just learn about a little bit of what we do it would be so much more appreciated. It is so much work, but when you are finished with a deer, you see the final result come together. It is an amazing feeling to know you brought that animal back to life.”
Ragland notes her specialties are whitetail deer and European mounts. She continues to broaden her scope by watching videos of different taxidermy techniques.
“I never want to stop learning different ways to do stuff. Another thing that really helps me is looking at pictures of deer. I do this all the time. Reference pictures are key to me.”
When a customer bring in a deer the first thing Ragland will do is discuss the condition of the animal with he or she. Then, it’s time to pick out a form and discuss ear positioning.
“Some people like add-ons like a plaque or habitat to go with their mount. All customers are required to put a 50% deposit down and fill out paperwork which includes all check-in information,” Ragland told W2.
If you were wondering how a taxidermist would like a deer prepared before drop off here’s Ragland’s Rules:
“I like receiving my deer as soon as they are killed. Frozen is also fine as long as you have room in your freezer to do so. This keeps hair loss from happening. Skinning the animal correctly is crucial to the overall outcome. If a butcher is caping the deer for you, make sure they are reputable. I always tell people skinning their own deer to watch videos on how to cape out a deer. Always cut at least halfway down the belly of the deer to ensure that I have enough hide to work with. Skin all the way down the neck until you get about six inches from the ears before cutting the head off. If you are feeling uncomfortable, then stop and leave the rest to your taxidermist. The further you go down the more likely you will cut a hole in the cape. I have had people bring me deer with almost the entire neck and that is totally fine. Also, keep the cape clean free from dirt and debris.”
So why did Ragland name her business Off The Wall?
“Because your mount is simply going to look like an actual deer. What I mean is a correct looking deer. The anatomy is so important and that is where other taxidermists drop the ball. If you don’t know the anatomy of a deer then you are honestly just mounting the deer in the dark. I cannot stand when I see a deer mount and I see tips of ears curling in, huge eyes or eyelids, eyelashes pointed upward, too much paint on the nose, I can go on and on but the bottomline is I want a deer to anatomically correct and that is what my customers should be receiving.”
Ragland says her favorite mount to date was the first European mount she did that started her business. She told W2 she also saved the cape off that deer and mounted it with a crazy set of antlers from a Pennsylvania deer she killed years ago on a hunting trip with her father
“Being able to do this type of work is incredible, and I am so blessed that I have been gifted at it. It was always a dream of mine since I was little to have some sort of job related to hunting. I hope I can inspire other young people to chase their dreams no matter how much it may scare you or how hard it may seem. Nothing about this is easy but I have found so much joy in being able to work with these beautiful animals. Hard work really pays off,” Ragland added.
