Meet the Taxidermist
Cole Whilting
Hey, I’m Cole Whitling, the guy behind Creekside Taxidermy!
For as long as I can remember, the outdoors has been my second home. Whether I’m scouting for whitetails, tuning broadheads, or running trail cameras in the summer, to hunting small game, bear, turkey, or elk in the Colorado mountains, being in the wild is where I truly feel at peace. For me, there’s a big difference between just being a hunter and being an outdoorsman—and I proudly consider myself the latter.
I’ve always been someone who loves to work with my hands. Back in high school, I was obsessed with metal and wood shop. I made everything from coffee tables and dressers to swings and live-edge tables. In fact, I even sold a few of my creations to teachers and family friends who admired the quality and effort I put into each piece. I used the money I made to invest in myself, and bought tools and machines to continue my passions at home.
My dive into taxidermy started back in high school when a friend of mine asked if I knew anyone who did European skull mounts. At the time, I had done a couple of my own, and thought, “Why not give it a shot for him?” After he saw the finished mount, he was ecstatic about the result and asked if he could send some more people my way. That’s how it all started—it was one European mount, then five, then twenty, and before long, it was turning into a full fledged business.
It wasn’t long before I started getting requests for shoulder mounts, something I hadn’t really considered before, but, knowing I could combine my love for the outdoors with a hands-on craft, I was all in. After graduating high school in 2020, I enrolled to Western Pennsylvania School of Taxidermy in Oliveburg, PA. During the two-month course, I got the chance to work on all kinds of projects including 3 deer, a life-size fox, 3 birds, 3 fish, a strutting turkey, and a coyote rug shell. I walked away from the experience with a ton of new skills and an even deeper passion for the craft.
Today, I run Creekside Taxidermy with the goal of always providing the highest quality work possible. To me, taxidermy isn’t just about putting an animal on the wall—it’s about preserving memories, capturing the essence of the hunt, and celebrating the outdoor experiences we cherish. Every mount I create is a personal project, and I never settle for “that's good enough.” If it’s not perfect, it’s not done.
As an active member of the Pennsylvania Taxidermy Association, I’m always learning and improving by working with some of the best artists in the industry. I constantly seek out new tips, techniques, and tools that I can use to enhance my craft and deliver better results. Whether I’m working on a European mount, a shoulder mount, or something more unique, I’m always pushing myself to get better and deliver pieces that my clients will be proud to hang on their walls.
What I’ve built with Creekside Taxidermy has surpassed anything I could have imagined when I first started. I feel incredibly lucky to work with people from all over the country, creating truly special pieces that represent their outdoor adventures. From preserving the memory of a great hunt to creating one-of-a-kind works of art, I’m honored to be a part of your journey.
A Hunter Himself
Cole with his bull elk in 2024. He harvested this trophy in Gunnison National Forest in Colorado. Staying true to his work ethic, he hunted hard for several days, at high elevations to successfully take this bull on public land, on a self-guided hunt.