At the age of 10, MSU alumnus Charlie Fanta split the cost of a taxidermy course with his father.
“It was really cool to actually take something like a pheasant and turn it into a mount,” said Fanta, an East Lansing resident.
Bird is the word
His hobby turned into a profession after college. He has created mounts for museums and hunters, and worked with a variety of animals, from a giraffe to an eagle. Fanta said his specialty is birds.
“There’s a little bit more involved, a little more finesse in actually making them look like birds,” he said.
In 1995, Fanta entered the World Show and won Best in World bird taxidermist.
“I like creating things,” Fanta said. “I really enjoy animals, so being able to work with them all day is really interesting.”
READ MORE
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
