HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-10-21, Page 13Crediton resident dill McNutt
Taxidermy - more than a hobby
lion.
Story and photos
By Fred Groves
T"A -stiff
CREDiTON - Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my.
Although taxidermist Bill McNutt has never stuffed a
tiger, he's done a lion and a bear.
Taxidermy is a craft used to preserve mammals, birds
and fish. it's been a hobby of McNutt's for many years
and one that has -seen him stuff and mount not only birds
and fish but coyotes, rabbits, buffalo, bears and res, even a
McNutt said that one day a gentleman showed up at his -doorstep with a
lion and wanted it preserved; the taxidermist obliged.
Since he was about 10 -years -old, McNutt has been interested in taxider-
my
"It was just son of an interest. 1 attended a few summer courses in Bos-
ton," he said.
He is a native of Nova Scotia and used to join his family on summer
trips to -Boston.
"Our whole family was in to hunting and fishing. 1 used to do a lot of
work (trapping and banding birds) for the Canadian Wildlife Service."
Taxidermy is a fairly simple process but one that is very time consum-
ing.
McNutt explained that a fish, mammal or bird will come to him, prefer-
ably frozen and then he cuts out a styrofoam pattern for it. In the case of a
fish. he would stretch the skin over the pattern and then add glass eyes.
He said he staples cardboard to the fins and iets the whole thing dry for
about a month. The cardboard comes off and some work has to be done to
the head with plastic wood because the head shrivels up after it dnes
Keeping the animal frozen immediately after it has been caught or shot.
is very important to the taxidermist.
"Animals with hair are really bad, the hair falls out very easily. They
(hunter) may leave it in the back of the pickup truck all day in the sun. The
meat heats up which causes the hair to fall out."
Cutting the styrofoam pattern for the animal takes a long time and must
he exact. For the smaller animals. McNutt will buy the pre -made patterns
which are often in the form of a mould.
"When you get into the big things (bears, deer, etc.) it takes me about 20
hours to,meke it (pattern) but it will Cast about $600 to buy one."
One of the animals in McNutt's etSllection is a young coyote and he says
, there are quite a few of them in this tltba,'but not as prominent as foxes.
"Everybody calls them wolves but 'they're coyotes. We have a lot of
them around here."
"Migratory birds are
under regulations
by the federal government. "
McNutt who works with the Ministry of Natural Resources on a regular
basis said that taxidermists have to follow some basic guidelines.
"You have to have a license to tnount.migratory birds and fur bearing
animals. Migratory birds are under regulations by the federal govern -
men t. "
in the time that he has been a taxidermist, McNutt has seen a few unusu-
al things like hunters coming to his house with hears hut the most interest-
ing story he has is the one about the lion.
"I didn't ask where he got it but it's not illegal. I assumed he got it from
the zoo."
Junior hocke\
I
Basketball big
in Eastern Europe
magine driving
down a residential
street in any town in
Ontario trod every
-Agftt llren linuses,litielng a
btockey'rink .
True, ice rinks depend on
weather, but just think of a
paved surface with two nets
on it so our kids can practice
their Shots and saves all year long.
It's hard to -believe, but in l;ithuania. there are -basketball
courts everywhere.
On his most recent trip home to Exeter, Brad Gregus saki
basketball is more popular in that country than hockey is in
Canada.
"It's played with a passion," he described. "There are more
children, adults and seniors involved in basketball per square
inch than there are hockey players in this country per square
milt."
Gregus is a supervisor for Ellis -Don Construction and since
June has been working in Europe. First it was in the former
} country of Russia and now in Lithuania
He said everywhere he goes in Lithuania there arc basket-
ball nets on the sides of houses, beside schools, even attached
to factories.
"1 don't know if they're personal or they belong to the city's
rec department or what?"
Lithuania has been a basketball powerhouse for many years
and although overshadowed in Olympic competition by the
dominant Americans and theirDrearrt.Team, Lithuania has al-
ways been a contender for the European championship.
Gregus said he has awakened Saturday mornings to the con-
stant sound of bouncing basketballs. On a drive through the
countryside he came across a tiny community and saw a doz-
en children playing basketball. It was 7 a.m
When Gregus first went over to Europe early in the sum-
mer, he took with him a box full of discarded baseball equip-
ment. He had visions of teaching his favourite sport to young-
. eters in hopes they may pick up the, game and who knows.
maybe baseball in Europe would some day become as popular
as basketball in Lithuania.
But unfortunately the idea was shortlived.
"It would have worked out better if I would have had more
contacts with local sports people."
Gregus is not known to be a shy person when it comes to
getting something done. That's evident by his dedication to
the Exeter Minor Baseball Association.
It wasn't for lack of trying that he couldn't teach the Europe-
an youngsters baseball but rather. it seemed to be the attitude
of European sports people.
"Minor sports in Eastern Europe is almost non-existent
They've gone through a transition period where everything
was conducted and supervised by paid coaches and now that
the old Soviet system has -fallen apart there arc no more paid
coaches."
They will have to adapt a program similiar to Canada where
des Be -Me.Soviets .sem .to
lackire service clubs like Rotary.. Kinsmen. Lions. Optimists
and Legions which dedicate time and /trillions of dollars to
minor athletics.
The Soviets are known for taking children at a very young
age, as young as five -years -old and then grooming them for a
career in which they will represent their country. Those days
arc long gone.
asieNNnes
by
Fred
t;roves
Quebec Nordiques fans may boo Eric Lindros for not com-
ing to play in their city but they certainly forgot about him
last Tuesday night when they saw the performances of Mike
Ricci, Ron Hextall and Steve Duchesnc.
The trio who were traded from the Flyers, along with three
others and $15 million for Lindros. dominated Tuesday's
game in which the Nords won 6-3.
And how about those Nordiques, along with the three a:
ready mentioned they've got Mats Sundin. Owen "I'm going
to -get -you -Eric" Nolan- nd captain Joe-Sakic7 Could be a
team that might even win the Adams division.
Lucan Irish .have easy time beating Hawks
By Fred Groves
T -A staff
EXETER - Up and down.
The Lucan Irish, just tour games
into the OHA Junior Development
regular season. are already on an
emotional roller coaster.
Friday night they easily handled
the host Exeter Hawks 8-2, but just
a couple of nights earher in the Lu -
can Arena, the Irish struggled and
an empty net goal saw them nip the
Mt. Brydgcs Bulldogs 4-2.
Irish coach Ken Needham has no
idea why his players aren't metal
ly prepared for every name and not
just.the ones they want to be.
"1 have no idea. That's what both-
ers me. Maybe they're up for -Exet-
er and not up as much for Mt.
Brydgcs. 1 don't know what the,sn-
swer is but we're going to solve it."
The Irish ,had little trouble , in
notching their fourth win in .as
many games as they led Jhe ltdawks
3-Q .at the ,and of the -first -period
and it was 5-0 after 40 minutes.
Chris Haskett got his.farst of -two
just 2:52 of the game and defense -
men Ryan Beliveau and Ed Van -
Mamie rounded Out the first pe-
riod scoring.
,ln the second, Jim Stanton and
Gag .best scored for the Irish
waffle Andy Ross, Paul O'Sthca and
Hackett connected in the Third.
Although leek Greenlee had
just one assist, he continues to be a
spark plug for the Irish.
"Derek Greenlee has probably
been one of our better players, both
ways (offence and defence). He
wants to learn so bad," said Need-
ham.
The Exeter offence which was
missing oattre Andrew Barton and
John O'Hara didn't get tolling until
the third when Sean McCann net-
.ied his fifth of the year and Shaync
Robinson scored on a powerplay.
"In the third period we .scored
Iwo quick goals to get the momen-
tum back .and make it 6-2 but Lu -
can put on a clinic tonight," said
Exeter coach George Pratt.
"They came to play and it wa.s
like they were on a powerplay all
night," he added.
He said the Hawks might have a
liulc bit of a psychological block
when they go up against the Irish.
Lucan o utshot ureter 41-32 and
Hawks' rookie .goalie Kirk ,Durand
mune. up with a hew big saves chiding stopping Sieve Monne on a
breakaway .
"Kirk didn't have a whole lot of
help tonight he triads sonic big
,Wives for sure. He'd make the ini-
tial save on probably Mall their
goals and they'd sure on the re-
bound."
In the Irish .act. Brent .Lewis
picked up his second win of the
season and ;tuns star has allowed
only tiree Milk in six periods.
"They (limier) had 10 shots in
the first period and 10 in the aec-
1
o nd but nine of therm were danger
oris," said Needham.
There were several minor alterca
uons during the game but for de -
most part referee Dave Whaley
only honied out minor penalties.
li I11/gs S. Hawks 3
Exeter Jaciied energy End effort
in this miens they lost their second
game ip a tow. Beck on Oct. 10 in
Mt. Brydges, the Hawks easily won
9-3.
Durand was spectacular in net but
didn't have much help. Scoring for
the host Hawks were McCann, Bar-
ton and Irvine.
Exeter got a break 1atc,in the sec-
ond period when Mt. Brydges',t;ap-
lain Greg Weston was ;given nine
mirwtes in penalties but the Hawks
could only i;apitalize once.
Lucan rookie forward Jim Stan-
ton scored two goals, including an
empty -nester as the Irish won their
home opener 4-2 over Mt. Brydges
Wednesday night.
Although Nesdbam was quite
disgruntled over .the way tie Irish
Played they did manage to win their
third straight.
Deh'rest who had several chani:es
throughout the game, also scare('
for the Irish with the other off the
stick of defenseman Jason Love.
Loin McInerney went the dis-
Cance between the pipes and he Hawks took on Alvinswn in Exeter Lambeth on Sunday...The Irish host
made 30 saves. and Friday host the l3elnient Pests Seafonh tonight at 8:15 pan and
Future games; Last night the at 8:30 p.m. before travelling to travel to Lambeth on Saturday.
Lucan Isiah forward Jason Reidltead was on hi:, belly:ps he triad to petite pn plowwci
goalie Kirk Durand during Friday night's OHA Junior Development game. 4490n won $-2.
f tetut