Escanaba taxidermist Tim Gorenchen’s award-winning sockeye salmon

ESCANABA — Local taxidermist Tim Gorenchan, owner of North Country Legends Taxidermy in Escanaba, was recently crowned North American Champion at the National Taxidermists Association competition in Springfield, Ill. The competition was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel July 11-14.

Gorenchan’s spawning sockeye salmon entry was named North American Champion Coldwater Fish and was selected by the panel of four judges for the Breakthrough Award, which is given to the Judge’s Choice Best of Show from amongst all the show’s entries.

His mount also received the Polytranspar Award for the highest scoring fish, the Taxidermists Choice Best Fish Award and the Distinguished Taxidermist Award.

Gorenchan was also asked to teach a seminar at the convention, which highlighted techniques for molding and casting artificial fish fins.