Stickler for Detail

During a last stage of mounting the skin, Tommy Cox makes adjustments to the ears, while his children Ryan, 8, and Brandy, 12. lock the family cat under a milk crate. Cox takes pride in his work and, according to locals, is one of the best taxidermists in Kentucky. "I'm doing something here that can't no one just do," said Cox. "A lot of people can mount a deer but not like that."

Antlers are mounted on the foam head of a buck. To achieve an illusion of reality, Tommy Cox must align antlers properly with Bondo, a fiberglass epoxy resin often used to repair holes in the exterior of cars.

Ryan Cox, 8, twirls a football while visiting his father after school. Ryan is taking an interest in football but baseball is his favorite sport.

Tommy Cox rests while talking to his wife, Xxxxxxx, on the phone. He hopes to finish last year's deer before this rifle season opens, but long hours are wearing on him. What troubles Cox about his business is whether he can sustain the quality of huis work and still stay in business. Other taxidermists spend less time on their work and therefore charge less. "I tell people you can't look at it like you're losing $100," said Cox about the difference in cost. "You have to look at it like you might be wasting $250."