One Bismarck Hotel Turned Into An Animal House This Past W-End

A large ballroom filled with nearly a hundred dead animals was found in North Dakota this past weekend.

The North Dakota Taxidermist Association held its 41st annual show and competition.

This event took place from this past Friday, March 13th, through Sunday, March 15th, and has been held in Bismarck for many years. Taxidermists from across the upper Midwest and Canada were on hand to compete for various titles at this state taxidermy show held at a Bismarck hotel.

Just about every state in the country holds taxidermy competitions and shows like this each year.

Not only is it a taxidermy competition, but it also features various award-winning taxidermists who hold seminars to help improve everyone's work.

There are several levels of competition held at the North Dakota show every year.  The "Master" level for taxidermists is at the highest level, and the "Professional" division for the rest.  There's also a "Youth" division.  Some states also offer a "Novice" division for people just starting out.

After the mounts are submitted to the show, different judges in separate categories judge the mounts and hand out the ribbons.
Mounts that receive a score of 90 or above receive a "blue" ribbon.  80 or above, you will pick up a "red" ribbon. Those 70 or above will receive a white ribbon.  In addition, special awards are handed out for many different categories, including "Best of Show", "Best of Category", "Most Artistic Entry," and many others.

The weekend is capped off by a special banquet and awards presentation on Saturday night.

Bird taxidermy is also my side hustle, and yours truly is a former "Master's" level North Dakota Duck & Pheasant State Champion.  I used to compete in this show every year (and in other states), and I've always been fascinated by the world of taxidermy.  It's an often misunderstood art form.

The North Dakota Taxidermists Association usually opens the showroom to the public for a couple of days, and this year, there was no admission fee thanks to Scheels. So if you want to see the fascinating world of taxidermy, check it out next year.  The show has been held here in Bismarck now for many years and is usually the weekend closest to March 1st.

Here's a gallery of photos from the showroom this year for you to check out yourself.

Some very impressive animal works of art.