Bill Yox is a world-champion taxidermist, hailing from Rochester, New York. Yox moved to Monticello, Georgia, two to three years ago in pursuit of a change of pace for his life.

He said he enjoys the mix of people in Jasper County and prefers the more rural way of living. Yox also said that he takes a lot of pride in his work as it is something he has been doing for nearly 50 years.

He got his start as a young boy, roaming around finding dead things, which eventually progressed to him learning how to hunt and finally discovering the art of taxidermy. Since then, he has gone on to win numerous titles from state, national to world and continues to be part of the competition circuit by judging and teaching.

Yox has also built up quite a name for himself, keeping clients from New York and Missouri who will come to Georgia in order to get their animals mounted by Yox. He said he considers himself to be a specialist in taxidermy, which is why he charges as much as he does, and that his price deters a lot of local people from using him over a more commercial practice. He says he doesn’t mind this, however, as it allows for his customers to think for themselves rather than him intruding on the local community and trying to sway them in some way.

Aside from taxidermy, Yox is also a hockey player, artist, moth/butterfly collector and father.

Ichiro Yamada is a senior majoring in journalism in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. This story was produced during the annual Woodall Weekend Workshop in 2023.