To pluck or not to pluck

No hunter ever said he shot a duck because of the thrill of "cleaning" it.

That is why behind the scenes of the popular California sport is somebody willing to get the tasty waterfowl ready for the oven.

Instead, if the hunter so chooses, he could have his bird preserved as a piece of art to enjoy forever as a thing of beauty.

Colusa taxidermist Brent Nobles does both.

"I was interested in taxidermy ever since I was a kid in 4-H," Nobles said. "I love to hunt and it was just something I wanted to do."

It wasn't until five years ago that Nobles, a lifetime Colusa resident, decided to make a career in taxidermy.

The former construction worker's practice incorporates many crafts, such as carpentry, woodworking, tanning, molding and casting.

It also requires artistic talent, including sculpture, painting and drawing.

"When a bird or animal is brought in, it can look pretty beat up," Nobles said. "Once the process is finished, they are beautiful."

Although Nobles can preserve any animal, among his favorite works of art are deer and elk game heads. As a certified USDA taxidermist, Nobles can also receive game from foreign countries.

"It's nice to be able to work with animals I probably will never have the opportunity to see in the wild," he said. "I've done African gazelles and other exotic animals."

Taxidermy is an art that incorporates only a small portion of the animal, Nobles said. To preserve a deer head, for example, the only natural parts of the animal used are the antlers and the skin.

All of the other organs and tissues are recreated with man-made materials. The eyes are made from glass, the eyelids are sculpted from clay, the soft tissues of the nose and mouth are sculpted from epoxy or wax, and the form, which duplicates the muscular and skeletal systems, is made from polyurethane foam.

"The skin is basically wrapped over a mannequin that can be carved into whatever position you want the animal," Nobles said.

After receiving his training in Colorado, Nobles opened "Fur, Fin & Feather Taxidermy" on Ninth Street in Colusa. This is his busiest time of the year.

Last year, Nobles began "plucking" ducks, the initial process of removing the feathers before cooking. He can even deliver the birds back to the hunter marinated and vacuum packed.

"It's a messy process," he said. "Not many hunters like to do it themselves."

On a busy day, he can pluck 300 birds.