MAMMAL TAXIDERMY 

PHOTOS BY LARRY JENSEN AND PATRICK RUMMANS

Montana taxidermist Larry Jensen gave everyone a "tongue lashing" with this mountain lion at the 1999 NTA competition. No, he wasn't verbally abusive. He actually mounted the lion's tongue, and captured Judges' Choice Best of Show!

HOW TO MOUNT A TONGUE

In February 1999, I began brainstorming for something special to present at the NTA convention, which was slated for Billings, Montana, in July. I had taken a nice mountain lion the winter before with my recurve bow. I had also made a New Years' resolution to add my own mounts into the shop work schedule. Since the new business had become full-time, it seemed the only way to be able to do my personal pieces was to put in overtime! My competition mount started to materialize--the mountain lion had its mouth slightly open, drooling over and burying a buck mule deer kill. I decided to really lay my head on the judges' chopping block with an open mouth mount, and I knew it had to be convincing. What a thrill it was when it was chosen as National Champion Large Lifesize and Judges' Choice Best of Show!...

...Continued in the Fall 2001 Issue of Breakthrough.

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