About Us

cindy klippenstein

Cindy hails from Manitoba but moved to the Yukon in 2010. She began apprenticing under Russ Giesbrecht at Northfork Taxidermy in 2014 and took over the business in September 2017.

Cindy studied Fine Arts at the University of Manitoba from 2004-2008, specializing in painting and sculpture. During this time, she spent her summers working and living at a remote fly-in fishing and hunting lodge, where she was introduced to the hunting and fishing lifestyle. This is also when she became interested in taxidermy, and how it tied in with her artistic background and interests.

She began to research different methods and techniques for taxidermy, practicing on whatever critters she could get her hands on, mostly squirrels obtained from local trappers. This escalated into a side project called Fur & Loathing, which consisted of several art shows and an online store selling novelty squirrels in curious situations.

In 2013, she would go on to study at the All Trophy's School of Taxidermy in Springtown, Texas where she learned the basics of mounting deer, birds, and other various critters and further whetted her appetite to continue in the taxidermy field. Upon arriving back in Whitehorse she would land her dream job, working for Russ Giesbrecht at Northfork, which would eventually lead to a full-time apprenticeship. She is now in charge of the day to day operations at the shop, where she continues to learn and develop her skills in the ever-changing industry.

Russ Giesbrecht

Born in central B.C. in the middle of logging country, Russ grew up in the bush. Whether out riding his horse, hunting, fishing, backcountry hiking, or pouring over maps for the next place to go, Russ has always loved being outdoors. Russ began his guiding career in Northern B.C. and soon moved north to the Yukon where he guided mostly sheep for outfitters in both the Yukon and N.W.T.. In 2004, he married Jodi, also a wilderness enthusiast and fellow sheep hunter.

Russ got his pilot's licence and improved his skills as a taxidermist while Jodi finished university. They are now settled on their acreage outside of Whitehorse and have been raising their three daughters to appreciate all that God's creation has to offer.

Russ, Tamlyn, Jodi, baby Kirrily, and Lukiah

Russ's countless hours in the field and his love of wildlife have afforded him the ability to re-create a lifelike look in his taxidermy. When not in the shop, you can count on him being somewhere deep in the Yukon mountains.

In Memory of Shane Buchanan

(Dec. 11, 1972 - Jun. 13, 2013)

Many of Northfork's customers were good friends with the previous owner, Shane Buchanan. Born and raised in Canada’s North, Shane guided all over the Yukon, NWT & Northern B.C., and hunted his whole life.

Shane grew up in family of hunters and entrepreneurs in the small community of Carcross. Shane was a pilot, an outfitter, a second generation professional taxidermist, and owner of Northfork Taxidermy.

On June 13, 2013, Shane took off in his small floatplane with his father, Chuck Buchanan, in the passenger seat. They were travelling from Saskatchewan back to the Yukon. The plane went down shortly after take-off and neither man survived. Shane leaves behind his wife Hanna, and sons Axel and Oskar. His boys share their father's humour, smile and love of the outdoors.

May you rest in peace.