A Budding Career in Taxidermy

Madison Gates, a Southern Huntingdon County FFA alumna from Pennsylvania, grew up trapping, hunting and fishing with her grandfather. Her interest in taxidermy grew as a natural result of this upbringing — and soon became a full-fledged business. “I first learned taxidermy from my pap [as she lovingly refers to her grandfather], as he always did European mounts,” Gates says, referring to the type of taxidermy also known as skull mounts. “I was fascinated by how you could turn an animal into a trophy that you could keep forever.”

Gates decided to start her own taxidermy business in late 2022, and after talking to her FFA advisor, she learned it could be a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). As she started her business, H-Valley Euros, and learned more about taxidermy, she realized that her attention to detail and good hand-eye coordination were a great fit for the trade. Before graduating in May 2025, Gates was named one of the top four Star in Agribusiness finalists in Pennsylvania for her leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

In the fall of 2025, Gates attended taxidermy school, where she learned more about tanning and mounting small and big game animals, as well as fish. She hopes to continue expanding her business — and sharing her love of taxidermy — by displaying her work at local events and entering taxidermy competitions. “Most people think it’s just about mounting animals,” Gates says. “But in reality, there is art and science and a lot of creativity involved.”