About Wild By Design Taxidermy

I’m Katie Sandage, the owner of Wild By Design, and I’m making my mark in the realm of turkey, duck, and pheasant feather art and custom taxidermy.

To me, taxidermy is more than just preserving an animal; it’s a way of honoring its life and respecting the beauty that God has created.

I’ve been shaping my art to reflect a more lifelike appearance of how the feathers sit on the animal, but I also enjoy creating abstract feather pieces that challenge the norm.

This past spring (2025), I purchased my taxidermy license after crafting a frame mount from my harvested turkey, which inspired me to create more frames. I shared my work on local social media groups and was thrilled to see a surge of interest. Hunters began bringing me their harvests, and I got to work. Every custom taxidermy mount I create is both an art form and a learning experience, driving me to grow in patience, precision, and craftsmanship. I learn something new with each bird and each feather I handle—and let me tell you, there are a LOT of feathers!

I’ve crafted turkey feather mounts from several subspecies, each showcasing its unique beauty. When I share the finished results on my social media, I like to include an interesting turkey fact related to that subspecies. For example, Eastern turkeys can have around 5,000 feathers!

When I first started this journey, my husband remarked, “You love to pursue and harvest these animals, and now you want to bring them back to life.” It’s a sentiment I wish I could feel after every hunt—breathe life back into that animal and relive the gratefulness and awe of how these creatures exist in the Lord’s creation.

As a woman in a male-dominated field, I find motivation to uplift other women to seek new adventures. I’m an enthusiastic outdoorswoman with passions that include hunting, fishing, camping, and really any activity that embraces the great outdoors.

This is just the beginning of my journey, and I’m excited to continue learning, refining my techniques, and sharing my turkey feather art with all of you. 🦃 

When you’re ready to bring me your bird for custom taxidermy, please do not pluck it! If you know how to cape, please do so; otherwise, bring me the whole bird to avoid damaging those beautiful feathers! My price list is pinned to the top of my page.

📍Perry County (Tell City), Indiana