by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 23/97) - When Dean and Greg Robertson are done the only visible thing missing is movement.

What started as a hobby a decade ago is now a full-fledged business for Dean, Greg and father Les. They run Robertson Taxidermy, the only full-time taxidermy business in the territories.

Though a business, the Robertsons take a lot of pride in their craftsmanship.

That was the brothers' main motivation for entering their first World Taxidermy Competition.

"It was mainly for the thrill of competing, to place yourself against other taxidermists," said Greg.

Held in Springfield, Ill., April 2-5, the competition attracted taxidermists from 11 countries. Judges carefully assessed 700 pieces.

Dean, the younger of the brothers, only started full-time recently. "Because I was away at school, I was a hobbyist up until a year ago," he said.

Competing a level below Greg, but in a division that attracts the majority of competitors, Dean earned two firsts, two seconds and the third-place competitors away.

Competing in masters, the highest of three levels of competition, Greg captured the competitors award, given to the taxidermist with the best collection of mounts, as chosen by a panel of 14 judges.

Another of Greg's mounts, a wolf, won top prize in the large mammal division, and his arctic fox mount won second overall.

"The hardest part is putting the life back into it," said Greg. "Most of all it takes a lot of reference, reference photos of the animal, to get the eyes and ears just right."

The process begins with the animal skin, which is carefully cleaned and fitted to a "mannequin" made of metal rods and styrofoam.

The Robertson brothers worked on the pieces during evenings and weekends. Greg says he spent 80 to 100 hours on the wolf alone.

Judges at the competition pay close attention to detail, using flashlights to check inside the ears and noses for any flaws in workmanship.

"They check the eyes to make sure the pupils are set just right, and check the membranes around the eyes," said Greg.

The award-winning pieces now stand in the Robertson's showroom, a menagerie of Northern animals and birds, broken up by a Siberian tiger sprawled out in apparent repose.

It's a room that seems far more still than it should be.