2017 Major Award Winners
Taxidermist of the Year
The Theodore Roosevelt Lion Award
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
235 Mountain Goat
The Breakthrough Best of Show Award
Judges' Choice Best of Show
Josh Hunt
Morgan, Utah
226 Mule Deer
The WASCO Award
Most Artistic Entry
JEFF MOURNING
Littleton, Colorado
218 Golden Trout
Best All-Around Taxidermist
Highest Combined Score in Four Categories
SCOTT HUMBLE
Springville, Utah
192-196 Otter, Mule Deer, Tortoise, Rooster
Challenge of the Art of Taxidermy
First Place
JEFF MOURNING
Littleton, Colorado
219 Sockeye Salmon
Challenge of the Art of Taxidermy
Second Place
GRANT WILBORN
Ogden, Utah
126 King Eider
Challenge of the Art of Taxidermy
Third Place
Jeff Mourning
Littleton, Colorado
218 Golden Trout
Judges’ Best of Show Collective Artists Division
Highest Scoring Entry by More Than One Artist
GW’s TAXIDERMY
Ogden, Utah
129 King Eiders
NTA Master’s Choice Award
Selected by convention attendees
Phil Soucy
Libby, Montana
214 Leopard
Henry Wichers Inchumuk Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Lifesize Mammal, Size of Squirrel or Smaller
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
200 Western Spotted Skunk
Chris Barnhardt Memorial Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Gamehead
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
236 Cape Buffalo
National Wild Turkey Federation Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Turkey
DARIN GARDNER
Kaysville, Utah
285 Turkey
Distinguished Taxidermist Award
Entry has previously won a Judges’ Best of Show at another qualifying competition
Josh Hunt
Morgan, Utah
226 Mule Deer
Brian Harness Memorial Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Lifesize Mammal
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
200 Western Spotted Skunk
North American Champions
North American Champion Re-Creation
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
201 Golden Eagle
North American Champion Turkey
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Darin Gardner
Kaysville, Utah
285 Turkey
North American Champion Gamehead
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
236 Cape Buffalo
North American Champion Large Mammal
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Josh Hunt
Morgan, Utah
226 Mule Deer
North American Champion Small Mammal
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
200 Western Spotted Skunk
North American Champion Reptile Reproduction
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
192 Desert Tortoise
North American Champion Coldwater Fish Skin Mount
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Jeff Mourning Littleton, Colorado 218 Golden Trout
North American Champion Waterfowl
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Dale Manning
Missoula, Montana
240 Harlequin
North American Champion Bird
First Place in the Division of Excellence
Dale Manning
Missoula, Montana
278 Blue Grouse
National Champions
National Champion Gamehead
Highest Score in the Open Division
Josh Bryan
Newburg, Oregon
231 Blacktail Deer
National Champion Large Mammal
Highest Score in the Open Division
Willie Ungerman
Huntington, Utah
135 Black Bear
National Champion Small Mammal
Highest Score in the Open Division
Stephen Shulte
Coalville, Utah
176 Bobcat
National Champion Warmwater Fish Skin Mount
Highest Score in the Open Division
Dan Johnson
Syracuse, Utah
259 Walleye
National Champion Coldwater Fish Skin Mount
Highest Score in the Open Division
Mickey Bowman
Layton, Oklahoma
166 Brook Trout
National Champion Waterfowl
Highest Score in the Open Division
Matt Smith
Hurst, Texas
185 Wood Duck
National Champion Bird
Highest Score in the Open Division
Jay Parke
Rigby, Idaho
257 Pheasant
Other Awards
NTA Best of Show Novice
Judges’ Choice for Best Novice Entry
Braxton Shaw
Layton, Utah
116 Snow Goose
People’s Choice Award
The Charley Haynes Memorial Award
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
235 Mountain Goat
Taxidermists’ Choice Best Whitetail Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply
David Hong
Spring Creek, Nevada
119 Whitetail Deer
Taxidermists’ Choice Best Fish Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply
Jeff Mourning
Littleton, Colorado
218 Golden Trout
Taxidermists’ Choice Best Reptile Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
192 Desert Tortoise
Taxidermists’ Choice Best Bird Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply
Grant Wilborn
Ogden, Utah
126 King Eider
NTA Best of Show Taxidermy Sculpture
Sponsored by the National Taxidermists Association
Dave Ferguson
Harrisville, Utah
280 Red Fox
NTA Best of Show Original Art
Selected by the judges collectively from all first-place winners in the five Original Art categories
Mijke Butts
Willard, Utah
130 Abstract Carving
People’s Choice Original Art
Sponsored by the National Taxidermists Association
Scott Humble
Springville, Utah
197 Rattlesnake Skeleton
NTA International African/Exotic Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Large African/Exotic Mount
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
236 Cape Buffalo
Delia Akeley Award
Best entry by a female competitor selected by convention attendees
Tracey Rhodes
Medina, Texas
102 Mouflon Sheep
Van Dyke’s Award
Most Creativity Mammal, Gamehead or Whitetail Entry
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
235 Mountain Goat
The New Wave Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Reproduction Fish
Dan Johnson
Syracuse, Utah
260 Walleye
The Polytranspar Award
Highest Scoring Fish Painted with Polytranspar
Jeff Mourning
Littleton, Colorado
218 Golden Trout
Youth Horizon Award
Judges’ Best of Show Youth Division
Hunter Carter
Great Falls, Montana
112 Chuckar Partridge
Taxidermists’ Choice Best Life-size Mammal Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply
Bill Neuman
Bismarck, North Dakota
235 Mountain Goat
People’s Choice Taxidermy Sculpture
Sponsored by the National Taxidermists Association
Dave Ferguson
Harrisville, Utah
280 Red Fox
The Star*Fish Award
Highest Scoring Fish Painted with Polytranspar
Jeff Mourning
Littleton, Colorado
218 Golden Trout