King Eider Taxidermy by Tom Attaway
Tom cast the large rock, added the snow and icicles, hand built the case and meticulously hand painted the dark, cold gray skies that frequent Saint Paul Island. In the top right corner you can see the cross of the Russian Orthodox Church which is ever prevelant all over the island as it is what the native Aleuts practice overwhelmingly. The drake is standing looking out over the Bering Sea as the hen prepares to swallow a sea urchin. Just a world class beautiful piece of art!!!!!!
King Eider Taxidermy by Shane Smith of Artistic Compositions Taxidermy
2007 World Champion - Ocellated Turkeys
My other two King drakes rounding out my limit of four in 2011 were mounted World Champion Taxidermist Shane Smith. The top piece is a drake riding a Bering Sea wave with the decoy I hand carved coming up the front side. Hard to see is the actual St. Paul black volcanic sand and the feet of the big King swimming up the wave. Museum quality work no doubt!!
The bottom piece is the largest of the drake Kings I took while on Saint Paul. Just a massive speciman simply standing on a rock that frozen over with ice, black volcanic sand and crusteaceans and algae native to Saint Paul Island. You have no idea how large this bird is. I still remember vividly the morning I killed it on Seal Lion Neck with my guide and resident of Saint Paul, Dustin Jones. One of the absolute greatest days of waterfowling career no doubt!
And although I will return the Pribilofs in the near future......first in November of 2012 I'm making the trek to Nelson Lagoon, AK on the Alaskan Peninsula. My quarry this trip will the largest of all the North American ducks: The Common Pacific Eider (V-Nigra). My friend and hunting buddy Tom Attaway will spend a couple of weeks in the "Great Land" chasing Alaskan seaducks and enjoying life.
Although I am in the preparation mode of this trip, including carving another decoy; a Pacific Eider.....this post will officially kick off my blog for this trip. God I love Alaska!!!!!!
Our destination....
Our temporary Alaskan home on Nelson.......
Our quarry for the chase.......
My friend......probably enjoys this sickness more than I do!! I could not ask for a better traveling gunning partner!!
Soon the trek will begin......follow me as I once again venture to the "Great Land" chasing seaducks!!
