Kerby started doing taxidermy in 1975 and competing in the 1990’s.  Mostly self taught until 1991 when he  joined the Arizona Taxidermy Artist Association (ATAA).   Although Kerby does all phases of taxidermy he enjoys reptiles and fish the most and mainly competes with reptiles and fish.  He has won numerous awards in taxidermy to include numerous State Champion awards in reptile and fish categories.  Numerous People’s Choice Best Reptile awards, numerous Starfish awards, McKenzie Distinguished Service award, McKenzie Best Fish award, Kansas Best Out Of State award, Kansas Master Best Reproduction awards (State Champion), New Mexico Taxidermy Association President’s award, numerous Original Art awards, numerous Van Dykes Most Original and Creative awards, numerous Polytranspar awards, Matuska award (Master Division with four reptiles) and other Competitor’s award, numerous Blue ribbons and Best of Category awards in the Masters Division in the fish and reptile categories, two Blue ribbons at the 2009 World Show in Professional Reproductions (reptiles).  He also received 3rd place ribbons in Master Division (reptile reproduction) at four World Taxidermy Championships.  He has given seminars at state shows in Arizona, Kansas, Idaho, Texas, Western Regional (New Mexico), the United Taxidermist Association (UTA) and at the 2011,  2013, 2015 and 2022 World Taxidermy Championships.  Kerby has judged fish and reptiles at state shows and reptiles at the United Taxidermist Assoc. (UTA) show in 2012, 2016 and 2023.  Kerby has taught taxidermy at Yavapai College in the early 1990s.  He has had numerous articles published in Breakthrough magazine for wildlife artists (fish, reptile, molding & casting and wood carving articles), the Herp Nation for herpers, Reptiles Magazine, the annual Texas Taxidermy Association magazine and the UTA Artisan magazine.   Kerby has a BS degree in history from Kansas State University and a MA degree in management from Webster University.   You can typically find Kerby out in the desert looking for snakes to photograph and carving fish and snake walking sticks.

I have had numerous articles published in BREAKTHROUGH magazine as well as in Herp Nation magazine, Reptiles magazine, Texas Taxidermy Association Inc. magazine and The Artisan magazine.


Issue # 85
Rattlesnakes, A Closer Look

Issue # 91
Mounting A Seamless
Argus Monitor

Issue # 93
Painting A Apache Trout
Reproduction

Issue # 94
Painting A Gila Trout
Reproduction

Issue # 95
Molding, Casting And
Painting A Desert Tortoise

Issue # 103
Mounting A Mojave
Rattlesnake

Issue # 105
Molding And Casting A
14" Red Ear Sunfish

Issue # 111
Carcass Casting A
Gaboon Viper

 Issue # 115
Molding & Painting A
Reproduction Thayeri
Kingsnake

 Issue # 116
Rattlesnake Custom Form
Alteration

Issue # 123
Driftwood Deer Head

Feb. 2014
California Kingsnakes

Issue 10
Herping Bagdad, Arizona


Issue 12
Reptile Taxidermy


Volume 4, Issue 1
Taxidermy Reference - Reptiles


Texas Taxidermy Association Inc.
2014
Molding & Casting Prickly Pear
Cactus Pads
       


From 1997.  Jim Hartsock, president of the Arizona Taxidermy Artist Association presenting me with my National Taxidermist
Association (NTA) plaque for being certified in Reptile Taxidermy.

Judging History
2012 Untied Taxidermists Assoc (UTA) show in Pasco, Washington - Reptiles
2016 United Taxidermists Assoc (UTA) show in Louisville, KY - Reptiles
2018 Idaho Taxidermy Assoc. show in Blackfoot, Idaho - Fish and Reptiles
2019 Idaho Taxidermy Assoc. show in Blackfoot, Idaho - Fish and Reptiles
2020 Idaho Taxidermy Assoc. show in Blackfoot, Idaho - Fish and Reptiles
2023 United Taxidermist Association (UTA) show in Wichita, KS - Fish and Reptiles

Taxidermy Awards
2023 Texas Taxidermy Association - Desert Tortoise Reproduction 2nd Place - Master Division
2023 Texas Taxidermy Association - Alligator Snapping Turtle Reproduction 3rd Place - Master Division
2022 World Fish Carving Championships - Common Carp 1st Place - Novice Division
2022 World Taxidermy Championships - Sonoran Desert Toad Reproduction 3rd Place - Master Division
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists MATUSKA AWARD - Master Division
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Sonoran Desert Toad Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Mojave Rattlesnake 2nd Place - Master Division
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Western Diamondback Rattlesnake 2nd Place - Master Division
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Arizona Black Rattlesnake Reproduction 2nd Place - Master Division
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Original Art - Carp - Fish Wood Carving 1st Place
2022 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Habitat 1st Place
2021 Texas Taxidermy Association - Sonoran Desert Toad 1st Place - Master Division
2021 Texas Taxidermy Association - Arizona Black Rattlesnake Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
2021 Texas Taxidermy Association - Wood House Toad Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
2021 Texas Taxidermy Association - Arizona Mountain Kingsnake Skin Mount 2nd Place - Master Division
2021 Texas Taxidermy Association - Graybanded Kingsnake Walking Stick 1st Place - Original Art
People's Choice Award
2018 Western Regional Taxidermy Championship - Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
2018 Western Regional Taxidermy Championship - Hand Carved Walking Stick 1st Place - Original Art
2017 National Taxidermist Association Nationals - Alligator Snapping Turtle Reproduction 2nd Place - Professional Division
2017 National Taxidermist Association Nationals - Desert Tortoise Reproduction 2nd Place - Professional Division
2017 National Taxidermist Association Nationals - Wood Carved Walking Stick 2nd Place - Original Art
2017 New Mexico Taxidermy Association - Cuban Rock Iguana Reproduction President's Award
2017 New Mexico Taxidermy Association - Woodhouse Toad Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
Best Of Category Reproduction - Master Division
Van Dykes Most Original And Creative Presentation Award
2016 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Thayeri Kingsnake Reproduction 2nd Place - Master Division
State Champion Reproduction
2016 Arizona Taxidermy Association - Alligator Skin Mount 1st Place - Master Division
State Champion Reptile Category
People's Choice - Reptile
Best of Category Reptile - Master Division
2016 Arizona Taxidermy association - Thayeri Kingsnake Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
2016 Arizona Taxidermy Association - Red Ear Sunfish Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
State Champion Fish Category
Best of Category Fish - Master Division
Polytranspar Award
2016 Arizona Taxidermy Association - Woodhouse Toad Reproduction 1st place - Master Division
2015 World Taxidermy Championships - Woodhouse Toad Reproduction 3rd Place - Master Division
2014 Oklahoma Taxidermists Association - Competitors Award (3rd Place) Uromastyx Lizard - Reproduction
Thayeri Kingsnake - Reproduction
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake - Skin Mount
Carp - Skin Mount
2014 Oklahoma Taxidermists Association - Uromastyx Lizard Reproduction 2nd Place - Master Division
Van Dykes Most Original and Creative Presentation Award
Starfish Award - Reproduction
2014 Oklahoma Taxidermists Association - Carp Skin Mount 2nd Place - Professional Division
Best Of Category - Professional Division
Polytranspar Award
McKenzie Taxidermist's Choice - Best Fish Award
2014 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Uromastyx Lizard Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
Best of Category Reproductions - Master Division
Kansas Best Reproduction - Master Division
Starfish Award - Reproduction
Best Out-of-state Award (Scored 93)
2014 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Skin Mount 2nd Place - Master Division
People's Choice Best Reptile
2013 World Taxidermy Championships - Uromastyx Lizard Reproduction 3rd Place - Master Division
2013 World Fish Carving Championships - Imperial Angelfish Wood Carving 2nd Place - Novice Division
2012 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Red Ear Sunfish Reproduction 1st Place - Professional Division
Best Of Category
2012 Kansas Association of Taxidermists - Gaboon Viper Kansas Best Reptile
People's Choice Best Reptile
2011 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Gila Monster Skin Mount 1st Place - Master Division
2011 World Taxidermy Championships - Alligator Snapping Turtle Reproduction 3rd Place - Master Division
2010 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Alligator Snapping Turtle Reproduction 1st Place - Master Division
Best Of Category
2010 Kansas Association of Taxidermist - Alligator Snapping Turtle Reproduction 1st place - Professional Division
Kansas Best Reptile Award
2010 Texas Taxidermy Association - Uromastyx Skin Mount 3rd Place - Master Division
2010 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Grass Carp Reproduction 2nd Place - Professional Division
2009 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Smallmouth Bass Reproduction 2nd Place - Professional Division
2009 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Cuban Rock Iguana Reproduction STARFISH Award - Best Reproduction
2009 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association - Moroccan Uromastyx Reproduction 3rd Place - Master Division
2009 World Taxidermy Championships - Desert Tortoise Reproduction 1st Place - Professional Division
2009 World Taxidermy Championships - Cuban Rock Iguana Reproduction 1st Place - Professional Division
2009 Kansas Association of Taxidermist - Uromastyx Skin Mount 2nd Place - Professional Division
2009 Kansas Association of Taxidermist - Crappie Reproduction 2nd Place - Professional Division
Best of Category
2008 National Taxidermist Association Nationals - Black Rough Neck Monitor Skin Mount 3rd Place - Professional Division
2008 Arizona Taxidermy Artists Association McKenzie Taxidermy Distinguished Service Award
2008 New Mexico Taxidermy Association - White Throated Monitor Skin Mount 1st Place - Professional Division
New Mexico Best Reptile
2008 New Mexico Taxidermy Association - Largemouth Bass Reproduction 1st Place - Professional Division
Best of Category

 



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