Among the 200 vendors and exhibitors at this past weekend's 30th-annual Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days was a Ewing resident who says he's found his niche doing something he loves.
Bryan McGill is a 1983 graduate of Benton Consolidated High School. It was there he says that his path for a career was formed.
The talented taxidermist has gained quite a following and says that his business, Genesis Taxidermy, has grown rapidly over the past several years
"At first it was a hobby, but I kept getting better at it to the point that it's now my full time job," he said.
With his shop pretty much smack dab in the middle of southern Illinois' hunting and fishing attractions, combined with the skill level he has achieved, McGill says he considers himself blessed to live here and pursue his passion as his career.
And it all started in high school at age 15.
"My high school biology teacher at the time, Mr. Mack Wynn, saw that I was interested and taught me how to mount a duck, and I really haven't stopped since," he said.
McGill says that he mounts waterfowl than anything else, with fish a close second.
